The first teaser for “We’re So Dead” is now live, inviting horror fans and food-service veterans alike to a slasher set entirely behind the host stand. Conceived, written, and bankrolled by career restaurant workers, the indie feature doubles as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to life on the floor—where any utensil can become a murder weapon.
Writer-director Ken MacLaughlin, who spent 15 years waiting tables, teams with longtime collaborator Darron Cardosa (a.k.a. The Bitchy Waiter) and producer Michael Sokol to deliver a shift no server will forget. The story follows a skeleton crew stuck working Christmas Eve after a large party cancels; when a lone diner arrives with homicidal intent, the staff must survive a night that’s “dead” in more ways than one.
The cast blends established scream-queen cred with social-media star power. Jenna Kanell (Terrifier) leads as Ashley, joined by Carodosa, TikTok favorite Ethan Trace, comedian Aaron Goldenberg (‘Mean Gays’), and Instagram chef Olivia Tiedemann in her film debut.
Financed through a Regulation Crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder, the project drew its seed money directly from servers, bartenders, and cooks who have followed MacLaughlin’s viral restaurant sketches. “Restaurant people always take care of restaurant people,” the filmmaker notes, promising backers a share of any profits.
“We’re So Dead” is targeting a fall 2025 release, with a full trailer and screening dates to be announced. Until then, the teaser offers a quick taste of the carnage—and the comedy—brewing in the walk-in.
