# Danny and Michael Philippou
**Danny and Michael Philippou** are Australian identical twin filmmakers from Adelaide, South Australia, who moved from the YouTube channel RackaRacka to feature directing with the A24 horror films *[Talk to Me](https://www.edgepedia.org/talk-to-me-2022-film)* (2023) and *Bring Her Back* (2025).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4053334/) • [2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) Danny was born in 1992 in Adelaide and works as a director, actor, and editor; he writes the screenplays, while Michael, an accredited stuntman, is the more physical of the two.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4053334/) • [3](https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/culture/film/2023/07/29/directors-danny-and-michael-philippou)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992, Adelaide, South Australia (identical twins)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4053334/) |
| YouTube channel | RackaRacka, uploading from late 2013; more than half a billion views by mid-2017, later about 6.7 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion views[4](https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/aeb0ff70-226e-4b35-929b-5a599db5ac3f/SA-Annual-Report-2016-2017.pdf?ext=.pdf) • [5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-25/talk-to-me-directors-rackaracka-a24-horror-film/102632948) • [6](https://donkeycomm-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/obrother-strapi/TALK%20TO%20ME%20PRESS%20KIT-1693319829882.pdf) |
| Feature debut | *Talk to Me* (2023), premiered at Sundance, acquired by A24 after a bidding war[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) |
| Box office | *Talk to Me* grossed US$92 million on a US$4.5 million budget, A24's second-highest-grossing release at the time[7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/bring-her-back-philippou-danny-michael-talk-to-me-a24-rackaracka/105342022) • [2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) |
| Second feature | *Bring Her Back* (May 30, 2025), starring Sally Hawkins; 89% on Rotten Tomatoes[8](https://time.com/7290067/bring-her-back-ending-explained/) |
| In development | *Talk 2 Me* sequel at A24 and a deathmatch wrestling documentary[9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films) |
## RackaRacka
The brothers began making videos as children with their father's camcorder, and their early output included homemade backyard wrestling matches with staged tables, falls, and stunts.[10](https://www.theringer.com/2023/07/28/movies/talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-rackaracka-youtube) • [5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-25/talk-to-me-directors-rackaracka-a24-horror-film/102632948) They launched the YouTube channel RackaRacka, named after their home suburb of Pooraka in Adelaide, in late 2013, producing fast-paced, comically violent videos such as "Harry Potter VS Star Wars," "Ronald McDonald Chicken Store Massacre," and "Real Life Street Fighter," which has drawn more than eight million views since 2016.[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) • [7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/bring-her-back-philippou-danny-michael-talk-to-me-a24-rackaracka/105342022)
The channel grew into one of Australia's most successful online outlets: by mid-2017 it had more than half a billion views, and by the release of *Talk to Me* it had roughly 6.7 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion total views.[4](https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/aeb0ff70-226e-4b35-929b-5a599db5ac3f/SA-Annual-Report-2016-2017.pdf?ext=.pdf) • [5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-25/talk-to-me-directors-rackaracka-a24-horror-film/102632948) • [6](https://donkeycomm-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/obrother-strapi/TALK%20TO%20ME%20PRESS%20KIT-1693319829882.pdf) Their awards on the platform include a Streamy Award for Best Integrational Channel, Best Overall at the Online Video Awards, and an AACTA Award for Best Web Show.[6](https://donkeycomm-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/obrother-strapi/TALK%20TO%20ME%20PRESS%20KIT-1693319829882.pdf) Alongside the channel, they volunteered and took crew jobs on film sets and commercials; Michael's first paid role was as a production runner on the Adelaide shoot of *The Babadook* (2014), which he describes as the first time he saw a director truly care about her work.[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) • [9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films) During this period Danny supported the pair financially through paid clinical drug trials at $120 a day.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films)
The YouTube reputation cut both ways in industry meetings. "RackaRacka was a talking point in meetings, but not a good one," Danny said; "they just didn't think we could do a movie."[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/)
## Talk to Me
*Talk to Me*, their feature debut, is a demon-possession thriller about Adelaide teenagers who experiment with an embalmed hand that opens a doorway to the spirit world, filming each other's possessions and posting them online.[5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-25/talk-to-me-directors-rackaracka-a24-horror-film/102632948) • [11](https://time.com/6298750/talk-to-me-directors-interview/) Danny co-wrote the screenplay with Bill Hinzman, working up a concept by filmmaker [Daley Pearson](https://www.edgepedia.org/daley-pearson).[12](https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/talk-to-me-interview) • [3](https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/culture/film/2023/07/29/directors-danny-and-michael-philippou) Rather than sign with a major studio, they produced the film independently with Causeway Films' Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton, the producers of *The Babadook*, cutting the shoot from eight weeks to five for budgetary reasons.[13](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/26/rackaracka-talk-to-me-film-danny-michael-philippou-youtube)
The film premiered at the [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival) in 2023, ignited a bidding war, and was acquired by A24 in a high seven-figure deal.[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) • [13](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/26/rackaracka-talk-to-me-film-danny-michael-philippou-youtube) It opened wide on July 28, 2023 with a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score, the highest-rated horror film of the year to that point, and went on to gross US$92 million worldwide against a US$4.5 million budget, becoming A24's second-highest-grossing release behind *Everything Everywhere All at Once*.[11](https://time.com/6298750/talk-to-me-directors-interview/) • [7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/bring-her-back-philippou-danny-michael-talk-to-me-a24-rackaracka/105342022) • [2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) The brothers have cited [William Friedkin](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-friedkin)'s *The Exorcist* as a key influence, and they deliberately made an Australian film with Australian accents and Adelaide locations.[12](https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/talk-to-me-interview) • [14](https://thespool.net/reviews/movies/talk-to-me-filmmakers-danny-michael-philippou-interview/)
## Bring Her Back
Their second feature, *Bring Her Back*, released in theaters on May 30, 2025, is a supernatural horror about step-siblings Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) who enter the foster home of Laura, played by [Sally Hawkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/sally-hawkins) in her first horror role.[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) • [8](https://time.com/7290067/bring-her-back-ending-explained/) The brothers describe it as a character-driven body horror, in contrast to the faster-paced "party horror" of *Talk to Me*, and it was shot in [South Australia](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-australia).[7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/bring-her-back-philippou-danny-michael-talk-to-me-a24-rackaracka/105342022) The film holds a certified fresh rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.[8](https://time.com/7290067/bring-her-back-ending-explained/)
## Career since 2023
After the Sundance premiere, [Legendary Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/legendary-entertainment) tapped the brothers to develop a film adaptation of Capcom's *Street Fighter* video game series, a full-circle project given their 2016 RackaRacka video "Real Life Street Fighter." They planned fight sequences and scouted locations in Thailand but exited in June 2024, citing scheduling conflicts with *Bring Her Back*; Danny has also said the project did not feel right creatively.[2](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/) • [9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films) • [15](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/street-fighter-movie-release-date-cast-plot-trailer-news/)
They remain signed to develop a *Talk to Me* sequel, *Talk 2 Me*, which exists as two different versions of the same script with different characters and settings, and they are in post-production on a documentary about underground deathmatch wrestling, shot in Mexico, the United States, Japan, and Australia, in which Michael enters the ring himself.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films) • [7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/bring-her-back-philippou-danny-michael-talk-to-me-a24-rackaracka/105342022) Based in Los Angeles since 2019, they have bought a house together there but remain committed to shooting in South Australia and keeping a production studio in Adelaide.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films)
## References
1. [Danny Philippou, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4053334/)
2. [The Philippou Brothers Unleash 'Bring Her Back': How the Ex-YouTubers Became A24's Leading Horror Hitmakers, Variety Australia (May 22, 2025)](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/features/how-philippou-brothers-became-a24-leading-horror-hitmakers-22875/)
3. [Directors Danny and Michael Philippou, The Saturday Paper (July 29, 2023)](https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/culture/film/2023/07/29/directors-danny-and-michael-philippou)
4. [Screen Australia Annual Report 2016–17](https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/aeb0ff70-226e-4b35-929b-5a599db5ac3f/SA-Annual-Report-2016-2017.pdf?ext=.pdf)
5. [Talk to Me directors Danny and Michael Philippou (aka RackaRacka) on their new A24 Aussie horror flick, ABC News (July 25, 2023)](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-25/talk-to-me-directors-rackaracka-a24-horror-film/102632948)
6. [Talk to Me press kit, "How It Started"](https://donkeycomm-1.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/obrother-strapi/TALK%20TO%20ME%20PRESS%20KIT-1693319829882.pdf)
7. [Danny and Michael Philippou on RackaRacka, Talk to Me and their new movie Bring Her Back, ABC News (May 28, 2025)](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/bring-her-back-philippou-danny-michael-talk-to-me-a24-rackaracka/105342022)
8. [Breaking Down the Brutal Ending of Bring Her Back, TIME (May 30, 2025)](https://time.com/7290067/bring-her-back-ending-explained/)
9. ['It's very risky': the Philippou brothers on horror films, back yard wrestling and knocking back Hollywood, The Guardian (May 28, 2025)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/28/bring-her-back-talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-horror-films)
10. ["We're Feral. It's Just Who We Are.", The Ringer (July 28, 2023)](https://www.theringer.com/2023/07/28/movies/talk-to-me-philippou-brothers-rackaracka-youtube)
11. [How the Directors of Talk to Me Created the Scariest Movie of the Summer, TIME (July 28, 2023)](https://time.com/6298750/talk-to-me-directors-interview/)
12. [Rite of Passage: Danny and Michael Philippou on Talk to Me, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/talk-to-me-interview)
13. ['It's a nonstop dream': the YouTuber twins behind Talk to Me, The Guardian (July 26, 2023)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/26/rackaracka-talk-to-me-film-danny-michael-philippou-youtube)
14. [Interview: "Talk to Me" Filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, The Spool](https://thespool.net/reviews/movies/talk-to-me-filmmakers-danny-michael-philippou-interview/)
15. [Street Fighter movie release date, reviews, trailer, cast, plot, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/street-fighter-movie-release-date-cast-plot-trailer-news/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Online creators and internet personalities › Comedy and prank creators › Prank creators*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; 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