# Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out
**Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out** is a 2024 American live-action horror comedy television film, the sequel to the surprise 2022 broadcast *[Adult Swim Yule Log](https://www.edgepedia.org/adult-swim-yule-log)*. Written and directed by Casper Kelly, the writer and director behind the viral [Adult Swim](https://www.edgepedia.org/adult-swim) short *Too Many Cooks*, it premiered without advance announcement when a traditional holiday video of a crackling fire transformed into the film at midnight on December 6, 2024, and both films were added to Max the following day.[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/1164767/yule-log-sequel-adult-swim-casper-kelly-andrea-laing/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premiere | Midnight on December 6, 2024, on Adult Swim, as a surprise; both films streamed on Max beginning December 7[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/1164767/yule-log-sequel-adult-swim-casper-kelly-andrea-laing/) |
| Director and writer | Chris "Casper" Kelly, also the creator of the 2022 original[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adult_swim_yule_log_2_branchin_out) |
| Lead cast | Andrea Laing as Zoe, with Michael Shenefelt as Birt, Sharon Blackwood as Nana, and Asher Alexander as Jaxon[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out-2024-1?context.unit=HC) |
| Premise | Zoe flees to a new country to escape the first film's horrors, but the murder log has travel plans of its own[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) |
| Genre mix | Horror crossed with a parody of Hallmark-style holiday romance films[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [5](https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3847507/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out-is-the-glorious-horror-hallmark-movie-mash-up-you-never-knew-you-needed-review/) |
| Rating and runtime | TV-MA for violence, adult language and brief nudity; 88 minutes[6](https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out) • [7](https://www.adultswim.com/videos/specials/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out) |
## Premise and genre
The film follows Zoe (Andrea Laing), the surviving protagonist of the first film, as she tries to escape the horrors of the original by fleeing to a new country, while the sentient murder log pursues her with travel plans of its own.[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) In an Inverse interview, it is explained that the log breaks out of the police evidence locker where it is being held to get its revenge, while Zoe ends up stuck in [Mistletoe](https://www.edgepedia.org/mistletoe), a charming small town so filled with the Christmas spirit that it even has its own color grading.[8](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/adult-swim-yule-log-branchin-out-max-streaming-interview)
**A Hallmark parody.** The sequel's defining choice is to mash the horror premise with the conventions of a Hallmark-style holiday romance. Kelly said the idea came from a film club screening of the Hallmark movie *Holiday in Handcuffs*, which he found absurd yet emotionally involving, and the film's thesis is that Hallmark movies are cheesy but make you feel good.[8](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/adult-swim-yule-log-branchin-out-max-streaming-interview) The Warner Bros. Discovery press release describes the feature as paying homage to holiday romance films as Zoe attempts to escape the murderous log by escaping to a quaint small town.[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) A Bloody Disgusting review describes the characters as caught in a genre tug-of-war between an ultra-violent horror movie and a sugary sweet Hallmark holiday film, and reads the story as one about second chances, survivor's guilt, and reclaiming power.[5](https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3847507/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out-is-the-glorious-horror-hallmark-movie-mash-up-you-never-knew-you-needed-review/)
## Production and release
The sequel was kept secret until broadcast, repeating the bait-and-switch of the 2022 film, in which an innocuous yule log video loop gradually transformed into a horror film.[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [8](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/adult-swim-yule-log-branchin-out-max-streaming-interview) Kelly told [Bloody Disgusting](https://www.edgepedia.org/bloody-disgusting) that he knew Adult Swim was happy with the first film and would potentially be open to a sequel, and that he pitched his Hallmark-inspired idea.[9](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3847511/casper-kelly-on-why-his-secret-adult-swim-horror-sequel-needed-to-be-a-hallmark-movie-interview/) In the press release, Kelly joked about a plan for 31 interconnected Yule Log films, including *Adult Swim Yule Log: Next of Kindling* and *Adult Swim Yule Log: Revenge of the Three French Hen Ninjas*.[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel)
The film carries the TV-MA descriptor for violence, adult language and brief nudity, matching the rating of the original, and runs 88 minutes.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out) • [7](https://www.adultswim.com/videos/specials/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out) After the Max window, availability shifted by region: in Canada it streams on the StackTV Amazon Channel and free with ads on Global TV.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out)
## Reception
Critics were favorable. Bloody Disgusting called it a bold genre experiment and a horror/Hallmark hybrid about second chances, PTSD, and survivor's guilt.[5](https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3847507/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out-is-the-glorious-horror-hallmark-movie-mash-up-you-never-knew-you-needed-review/) The Vundablog review argued that the sequel's highest achievement is making the previous movie better.[10](https://www.vundablog.com/2024/12/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out.html) Bleeding Cool described the sequel as blowing up the universe of the first film with a twisted mashup of horror and Hallmark that worked in many ways.[11](https://bleedingcool.com/tv/yule-log-3-casper-kelly-wants-to-do-it-make-it-happen-adult-swim/) On aggregate listings the film sits at 6.3 on IMDb-style ratings aggregated by [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch), with Rotten Tomatoes showing no critic reviews and fewer than 50 audience ratings.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adult_swim_yule_log_2_branchin_out)
## Context in the Yuliverse
The original *Adult Swim Yule Log* debuted as a surprise in December 2022, beginning as a static shot of a crackling fireplace before turning into an absurdist horror film about a sentient murder log, made quickly on an indie-scale budget with a production team called Media Team.[1](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel) • [12](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/adult-swim-yule-log-casper-kelly/) The sequel deliberately departs from that formula. Kelly told Inverse that one way to have made a sequel would have been simply placing the log in a new fireplace with new people, but he wanted to try something different.[8](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/adult-swim-yule-log-branchin-out-max-streaming-interview) Kelly has since said publicly that he would like to make a third film if Adult Swim chooses to continue the series.[11](https://bleedingcool.com/tv/yule-log-3-casper-kelly-wants-to-do-it-make-it-happen-adult-swim/)
## References
1. [ADULT SWIM PREMIERES SURPRISE HOLIDAY HORROR SEQUEL, Warner Bros. Discovery Pressroom](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/adult-swim-0/adult-swim-premieres-surprise-holiday-horror-sequel)
2. ['Yule Log' Creator Casper Kelly Dishes on Wild New Sequel 'Branchin' Out', TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1164767/yule-log-sequel-adult-swim-casper-kelly-andrea-laing/)
3. [Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adult_swim_yule_log_2_branchin_out)
4. [Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out (2024), Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out-2024-1?context.unit=HC)
5. ['Adult Swim Yule Log 2' Is the Glorious Horror Hallmark Mash-Up You Never Knew You Needed [Review], Bloody Disgusting](https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3847507/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out-is-the-glorious-horror-hallmark-movie-mash-up-you-never-knew-you-needed-review/)
6. [Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out)
7. [Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out, Adult Swim Specials page](https://www.adultswim.com/videos/specials/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out)
8. [Adult Swim Yule Log Got A Sequel, And Yes, It's As Weird As You Think, Inverse](https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/adult-swim-yule-log-branchin-out-max-streaming-interview)
9. [Casper Kelly On Why His Secret Adult Swim Horror Sequel Needed to Be a Hallmark Movie [Interview], Bloody Disgusting](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3847511/casper-kelly-on-why-his-secret-adult-swim-horror-sequel-needed-to-be-a-hallmark-movie-interview/)
10. [Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out REVIEW, Vundablog](https://www.vundablog.com/2024/12/adult-swim-yule-log-2-branchin-out.html)
11. [Yule Log 3? Casper Kelly Wants to Do It (Make It Happen, Adult Swim), Bleeding Cool](https://bleedingcool.com/tv/yule-log-3-casper-kelly-wants-to-do-it-make-it-happen-adult-swim/)
12. [Casper Kelly and the Adult Swim Yule Log Subvert Mundane Holiday Traditions, CGMagazine](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/adult-swim-yule-log-casper-kelly/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2024 › Titles symbols to L*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license