WRITER / DIRECTOR
warren dudley
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
“With Zak The Ripper, I want to capture a very particular energy: the fun, irreverent spirit of Britpop and 90s culture, now enjoying a glorious wave of nostalgia. That swaggering Oasis era attitude – equal parts charm, chaos, and cheek – felt like the perfect backdrop for a big comedy project - with a lead character stuck in the decade!
Comedy has always been my great passion, and after the success of The Bromley Boys, which proved that audiences are hungry for well-crafted, character-driven humour, I wanted to double down on what makes British comedy unique: characters you can’t help but root for (Brent / Partridge / Trotter et al), no matter how far in over their heads they find themselves.
Zak The Ripper is, at its heart, a proper commercial comedy. It’s fast-paced, it’s awkward, and it isn’t afraid to take a big swing with its mix of farce, crime caper, and rom-com gone wrong.
Zak’s world is ridiculous yet recognisable: a man whose worst dating nightmare escalates into a full-blown international fiasco. With a strong ensemble, and a story that never stops wrong-footing both Zak and the audience, this film is built to entertain from start to finish.
My goal is simple: to deliver a big, bold British comedy with the swagger of Britpop and the universal appeal of a great commercial movie.”
PREVIOUS FEATURES
THE BROMLEY BOYS
SCREENWRITER
Sky Movies / Netflix / UK Cinema release
Dir: Steve Kelly. Producer: TJ Herbert
Starring Alan Davies, Martine McCutchen, and Brenock O’Connor.
“When producer TJ Herbert invited me to adapt Dave Roberts’ brilliant and acclaimed football memoir, it truly felt like a dream come true - and an absolute privilege. Seeing my love letter to football brought to life and shared with fans on Netflix and Sky Movies was an incredible experience. I couldn’t be prouder of this film or the amazing team who made it possible.”
fright
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Amazon Prime / Tubi / FrightFest 2024
Starring Gwyneth Evans, Jill Priest and Dan Tuite.
“I’ve always loved old horror films, so when the idea came to me about an agoraphobic woman dealing with bereavement, I initially dismissed it - modern mobile phones make stories like that difficult to tell. But then one evening, while watching The Innocents on BBC2, it struck me: set it in 1937…
And that’s how Fright was born. My ‘go-to’ cinematographer, Matt Cotton, did an incredible job capturing an atmosphere straight out of a Hitchcock thriller.”
SIX YEARS GONE
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Amazon Prime / Tubi / YouTube / LIFF Audience Award 2023
Starring Veronica Jean Trickett and Sarah Priddy.
“When my daughter was 10, I shared the same fear every parent does - watching her step out into the big, unpredictable world on her own. Instead of keeping those anxieties bottled up, I channeled them into a script, which Veronica brought vividly to life.
I couldn’t be prouder of how the film was received. It’s now on YouTube, and the comments section has been nothing short of incredible.”
CAGE
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Amazon Prime / Tubi
Starring Lucy-Jane Quinlan and Patrick Bergin.
“Back in 2016, while we were making Cage, I got a call from a friend who happened to be in a pub with Hollywood legend Patrick Bergin. He asked if I’d like to meet him - of course, I said yes.
Patrick went on to lend his voice to the chilling villain, Peter, and combined with Lucy’s brilliant performance, Cage has become one of my favourite creations.”
