Storybreakers

Storybreakers

Storybreakers - Hosted by Chris Brennan Storybreakers is the show where writers, filmmakers, and horror lovers come together to invent brand-new film ideas, completely off the top of their heads.Each episode, Chris Brennan is joined by a special guest to “break story” live, building an original concept from cold open to final scare.From reimagining classic franchises like Halloween to creating twisted new seasonal originals in the Holiday Horror Run, Storybreakers blends screenwriting, creativity, and chaos into one cinematic brainstorming session. Whether you’re a filmmaker, screenwriter, or just love great movie ideas, Storybreakers is your backstage pass to the story development process: raw, fast, and fun.Subscribe and join the story.

  1. What If Halloween Was an Anthology Again? Breaking a Radical New Direction | w/ Paul Bushe

    16. JAN.

    What If Halloween Was an Anthology Again? Breaking a Radical New Direction | w/ Paul Bushe

    What if the future of Halloween isn’t another reboot or sequel… but a return to its original, abandoned idea? In this episode of Storybreakers, Chris Brennan is joined by filmmaker Paul Bushe to break story on a bold new direction for the Halloween franchise, completely improvised and off the top of our heads. Instead of Michael Myers, timelines, or cult lore, we explore the idea of reviving Halloween as a yearly anthology series, just as John Carpenter originally intended. From there, we crack a full feature-length concept set in the 1800s, centered on Irish immigration, wrongful quarantine, disease, superstition, and a tragic curse that unfolds around October 31st. Over the course of the session, we build a complete story together, including: Why Halloween works best as an anthology franchiseThe problems with endless timelines and retroactive loreA period-set Halloween story rooted in history and folkloreA sympathetic villain driven by grief, revenge, and manipulationA demonic curse tied to festival rituals, masks, and diseaseA dark, tragic climax set during a Halloween bonfire This episode is a deep dive into why simplicity matters in horror, how franchises lose their way, and how Halloweencould evolve without losing its soul. If you enjoy hearing film ideas come together in real time, this one’s for you. Check out more Storybreakers episodes and the full Halloween playlist on YouTube.

    1 Std. 4 Min.
  2. Halloween 1979: A Fresh Take on Halloween II | w/ Cody Leach

    9. JAN.

    Halloween 1979: A Fresh Take on Halloween II | w/ Cody Leach

    What do you do after Halloween Ends… when the franchise has already explored every timeline imaginable? In this episode of Storybreakers, Chris Brennan is joined by YouTube horror creator Cody Leach to break story on the next possible chapter of the Halloween franchise, completely improvised and off the top of our heads. The idea starts with a bold question:What if the next film is a direct sequel to the original 1978 Halloween, set one year later, with no Laurie Strode, no family motive, and a return to Michael Myers as a motiveless force of evil? From there, we build a full story together in real time, including: A 1979 period sequel that continues the night Michael disappearedReintroducing Dr. Loomis through obsession, tapes, and unfinished businessNew teenage protagonists navigating a fearful Haddonfield one year laterCopycat Michael costumes, foggy streets, curfews, and false sightingsA graveyard climax tied to Judith Myers and Sheriff Brackett’s pastAn ending that leans slightly into the supernatural without repeating past mistakes This session is a deep dive into why Halloween works, what and how simplicity, atmosphere, and restraint could bring the franchise back to its roots. If you love Halloween, behind-the-scenes franchise talk, or listening to story ideas come together live, this one’s for you. Follow Cody Leach on YouTube for horror reviews, rankings, and deep franchise breakdowns. And check out more Storybreakers episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

    1 Std. 15 Min.
  3. A Nautical Christmas Horror Idea with Rocklin Graves Productions

    26.12.2025

    A Nautical Christmas Horror Idea with Rocklin Graves Productions

    A Christmas horror movie, set at sea, in the 19th century, with a ghost in the fog. In this Storybreakers episode, Chris Brennan is joined by Evan from Rocklin Graves Productions, and we break story on a brand-new holiday horror film idea completely off the top of our heads. We start with our favorite Christmas horror picks, then we build a slow-burn nautical ghost story around a gruff fisherman spending Christmas away from home. A cramped fishing vessel. A crew trying to force “Christmas cheer” into a brutal job. Mistrust, guilt, and grief boiling over, until the sea itself starts pulling them toward something they can’t explain. Expect: a haunted boat, a missing captain, a Christmas tree that becomes a trigger, and a final fight to make it back to shore before Christmas Eve. If you love holiday horror, ghost stories, and screenwriting process, this one’s for you. Takeaways Christmas horror film developmentExploration of guilt, grief, and supernatural hauntingCharacter dynamics and tension on a fishing boat Supernatural tension and conflictEscalating danger and mistrust Supernatural entity as a metaphor for inner demonsSurvival and redemption in the face of loss Chapters 00:00 Exploring Christmas Horror Favorites24:07 Introducing the Supernatural Element31:04 Character Dynamics and Crew Interactions36:05 Setting Sail and Crew Dynamics41:17 The Manifestation of Grief51:05 The Disappearance58:48 The Conflict of Sustenance01:07:22 Confrontation with the Entity01:16:23 Returning Home

    1 Std. 5 Min.

Info

Storybreakers - Hosted by Chris Brennan Storybreakers is the show where writers, filmmakers, and horror lovers come together to invent brand-new film ideas, completely off the top of their heads.Each episode, Chris Brennan is joined by a special guest to “break story” live, building an original concept from cold open to final scare.From reimagining classic franchises like Halloween to creating twisted new seasonal originals in the Holiday Horror Run, Storybreakers blends screenwriting, creativity, and chaos into one cinematic brainstorming session. Whether you’re a filmmaker, screenwriter, or just love great movie ideas, Storybreakers is your backstage pass to the story development process: raw, fast, and fun.Subscribe and join the story.