During what should have been a routine Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition, a group of teenagers stumble into the epicenter of a global catastrophe: a top-secret nanotech virus has escaped containment — and it’s targeting everyone over the age of 21.
As the virus spreads, it uses the youth as unwitting carriers, turning them into biological weapons against the adult population. Isolated in the wilderness and with no one to trust over a certain age, the teens must confront both the horrors outside and the fractures within their own group.
in the world of filmmaking, few projects can say they launched dozens of careers while also featuring AI nano-tech, undead teens, and chainsaws. But Hopwood Films’ debut feature, Bad Things, is proudly not like most movies.
This darkly comic, genre-defying teen horror was created with a mission far bigger than box office glory: to train, empower and spotlight young creatives from the Midlands — many of whom were stepping onto a professional film set for the very first time.
Funded in part by the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund through the Made in Worcester programme, Bad Things wasn’t just a film. It was a living, screaming, blood-covered classroom. Over 80% of the cast and crew were under 24, mentored on location by seasoned industry professionals in cinematography, sound, FX makeup, stunt coordination, and more.
And it worked.
Since wrapping production, graduates of the Bad Things set have landed paid roles on BBC series, Netflix projects, and major commercial campaigns. Some have started their own production companies. Others have found work in editing, VFX, and via casting opportunities. Most had never imagined film could be a career — until they lived it.
Blending sharp satire, fast-paced horror, and pitch-black comedy, Bad Things is a genre-bending survival story about friendship, rebellion, and the terrifying consequences of growing up.
Because in this world, age isn’t just a number — it’s a death sentence.
“I was particularly impressed by the (Bad Things) team's creativity on a limited budget”.
Stuart Conran — the prosthetic mastermind behind iconic gore-fests like Shaun of the Dead and Hellraiser — gave a glowing endorsement to Bad Things after its premiere at Worcester Film Festival. Known for setting the gold standard in practical horror FX, Conran praised the film’s inventiveness, especially its gruesome kills and biotech-inspired designs created on a low budget.
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