Director Ryan Coonan tells all about the making of Australian zombie kangaroo Horror “The Red”.

Adam: Thanks so much for joining us today, Ryan. It’s really exciting to talk about your new film, The Red—or Rippy, depending on where you’re from. I do have to ask off the bat, what inspired you to make a movie about zombie kangaroos?

Ryan: Haha, yeah it was sort of a weird inspirational jolt! Back when we were making short films, horror always felt like the most fun to work on. When you’re in your early twenties, spending weekends with friends, throwing around blood, ripping off arms—it’s a great time. Plus, there’s this amazing horror community, such an accepting and generous audience. Once we got a taste of that, we thought, “Why not go bigger?” A feature film felt like the dream, though making that leap seemed impossible.

Adam: Yeah, it’s the dream, but feels so out of reach.

Ryan: Exactly. Even when you make it happen, it still feels impossible! We decided to take the micro-budget route—scraping together what you can, mostly to cover food for the crew. Early advice we got was to do a proof of concept rather than spending everything on a feature that might only get screened in your parents’ lounge room. So, we started thinking about a unique angle. Zombie animals seemed fun and untapped back then, and, well, what’s more striking than a kangaroo?

Zoe: That makes sense. Your short film “Waterborne” came out nearly ten years ago, right?

Ryan: Yeah, in 2014. Before that, we did a short film called Numurkah, based in my hometown in country Victoria. That was the start of it all. Then came Waterborne, which went bananas—80 festivals, international screenings, the works. It proved there was an audience for this kind of concept.

Adam: We loved Waterborne. It’s such a strong short film.

Ryan: Yeh, thanks guys! Shorts are fun because there are fewer expectations, but they’re also tricky. You have to nail the idea quickly and effectively. With Waterborne, the idea of a zombie kangaroo really caught on. It felt fresh at the time—it hadn’t been done much, if at all.

Zoe: And as an Aussie, it’s hilarious to see our native animals go wild. It’s great for Aussie horror to carve out its place.

Ryan: Totally. It’s such a ridiculous idea, but that’s part of the charm. People either buy into it or they don’t. If you hear “zombie kangaroo” and think, “I’ve got to see this,” you’re our audience.

Zoe: If not kangaroos, what other zombie animals would you want to tackle?

Ryan: Oh, we played around with a bunch of ideas. Zombie crocodiles were in an early script—terrifying, but also a challenge because how do you kill one? We had versions with other iconic Aussie animals, like emus, and even considered mythical creatures at one point.

Adam: Speaking of Aussie icons, how do you think Rippy would fare against Mick Taylor from Wolf Creek?

Ryan: Funny you ask! There’s actually a promo our distributor made where Mick Taylor teaches Rippy how to be a horror icon. It’s hilarious and surreal. Having someone like John Jarratt connected to our film, even for a promo, is a huge honor.

Zoe: Shifting gears—why does the dog survive? It’s so rare in horror!

Ryan: I’m a dog person, and my wife’s a huge dog person. Early drafts had Ralphie dying, but we quickly realized that wasn’t the right call. At our first screening, when Ralphie survives, you could hear the audience breathe a collective sigh of relief. It’s an emotional moment that connects people to the story.

Adam: What was it like shooting in the outback?

Ryan: A dream and a nightmare. I’m a Melbourne boy, so spending time in Queensland was a shock—massive weather swings, bugs, the sheer scale of it all. We faced floods, bushfires, you name it. But being on set, seeing this ridiculous idea come to life, made it all worth it.

Zoe: It’s been nearly a decade since Waterborne. Why now for the feature?

Ryan: It’s hard to get a feature made, especially something as niche as this. We had interest after Waterborne, but it fizzled out. Our producer, John, eventually came back to us, asking why it hadn’t been made. When he offered to help if we shot in Queensland on a tight budget, we jumped at the chance.

Adam: How did the legendary Michael Biehn get involved?

Ryan: That was a dream. John had a connection and got the script to him. Michael read it twice in two days and wanted to talk. For us, that was surreal—talking to a childhood icon about a script we wrote? Incredible. He brought so much insight, sharing stories from working with James Cameron and others. He became a mentor throughout the process.

Zoe: That’s amazing. Having someone with his experience must’ve elevated the film.

Ryan: Absolutely. He’s brilliant with story and character. When he gave feedback, we listened.

Adam: Will we see a sequel?

Ryan: Who knows? We planned The Red as an origin story, so there’s room to explore. We’ve got ideas—zombie emus, anyone?—but getting this film made was already a miracle. If a sequel happens, we’d love to dive deeper into this world.

Zoe: We’re rooting for it. Thanks for chatting with us, Ryan, and we hope to see Rippy 2 soon!

Ryan: Thanks, guys. Fingers crossed—and let me know if you find a few million dollars lying around!