From YouTube Dropouts to Hollywood Success
18 March 2025 | Written by Parker Floris
YT: RackaRacka
From being kicked off YouTube to achieving Hollywood success—this may just be the craziest career rollercoaster of all time.
Danny and Michael Philippou or "RackaRacka" achieved early success on YouTube, bringing in over a billion views on their action-packed, overproduced skits.
But as YouTube changed their definition of "advertiser friendly", Danny and Michael could no longer afford to produce their iconic videos.
So, they took a step back, spent a few years writing a feature script, and raised a relatively small sum to produce an indie horror film in their backyard of Adelaide, Australia.
So, how did it turn out?
After premiering at Sundance, A24 (Oscar-sweeping production studio), became their official distributer, and upon release, Talk to Me grossed nearly $100M from a $4.5M budget!! Becoming A24's second highest grossing film EVER.
Beyond this, what helped the film's explosion was their deep ties to the YouTube community. The brothers were able to feature on countless major podcasts and create viral clips that allowed them to dominate the legacy industry from new media.
Now, their sequel Bring Her Back is set for May 2025.
The industry is changing. Celebrities are scrambling to break into new media, while creators are proving they can take over legacy industries.
What’s next? And will you be watching the sequel?
What you just read, in your inbox—every Tuesday!
Join industry leaders, creators and curious minds around the world.
Subscribe for free to explore how new media is reshaping society and culture—what it means for our future, and how we can get ahead!
MORE LIKE THIS
