Andrew Chappelle, known for his role in Hamilton, is directing his debut short film, a queer erotic thriller titled 'I’m Gonna Kill You,' starring Tony nominee James Cusati-Moyer. The cast includes fellow Hamilton alum Phillipa Soo and actors from Hacks and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Juxtapose Studio produced the film with backing from Troye Sivan and Grindr.
Andrew Chappelle, who appeared in Hamilton, has stepped behind the camera for the first time to direct 'I’m Gonna Kill You,' a queer erotic short set in a distant-future all-gay colony. The story follows lovers Cal, played by James Cusati-Moyer, and Spector, played by Michael Graceffa, as they engage in twisted games that endanger other colony members. Johnny Sibilly, Angus O’Brien and Brandon Black portray a trio of friends, while Phillipa Soo voices the Pairing Counselor and Sara Lindsey voices the Cooper Clone, according to the film's logline. Chappelle wrote the script himself. The production comes from Juxtapose Studio, which invested alongside a $25,000 contribution from Troye Sivan and Grindr’s Tap or Block campaign. An additional $5,000 grant was secured through the Pitch, Please! competition at the 2024 InsideOUT Toronto Film Festival, with Google’s Kate Aitken as executive producer. Chappelle explained the project's origins: “A product of ideating during Covid-19, I was drawn to explore the idea of life in a smaller community, much like our shrunken networks during the peak of the pandemic.” He added, “My goal with this project is to thoughtfully expand the thriller genre within the queer cinema canon.” Juxtapose Studio founding partner Luke Anderson stated, “Juxtapose Studio was founded with an intention to invest its advertising returns in elevating queer, female, and POC storytelling.” This marks Chappelle's second screenplay, following the 2023 short 'Fanatic,' which won the LGBTQ Audience Award at SCAD. A trailer for 'I’m Gonna Kill You' has been released.
