Fantasia 25' HOA Horror Gets Hilarious: Inside the Madness of HOLD THE FORT - Interview

The cast and crew of Hold The Fort dish on suburban chaos, chemistry, and creature carnage at Fantasia 2025.

Exclusive HMU Interview: Behind the Blood and Bureaucracy of Hold The Fort at Fantasia Fest

At this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival, we sat down with the riotous minds behind one of the most unexpected monster comedies of the season—Hold The Fort. HMU’s Travis Brown spoke with filmmaker William Bagley, star Chris Mayers (Lucas), cast member Levi Burdick (Ted), and producer Tim Reis about their Fantasia world premiere and the madness of suburban horror done HOA-style.

The idea for Hold The Fort—which centers on a neighborhood homeowners association (HOA) forced to fight off supernatural invaders—came from Bagley’s own history with lawn fines and community bylaws. “My buddy Scott Hawkins pitched me the idea of an HOA fighting monsters, and I was like—yes, let’s do it,” Bagley recalled. “We just moved to the suburbs too, so everything came together at the right time.”

Chris Mayers, who plays Lucas, the tightly-wound foil to a more free-spirited partner, explained how quickly he found the heartbeat of the role. “The first scene between Lucas and Jenny—it just clicked. You could feel the contrast and chemistry,” he said. “She’s the cool tattooed one, and he’s this preppy anxious guy—you’re like, how did they even meet?”

Levi Burdick, who plays fan-favorite Ted, brought that coach-dad energy to the screen. “William wrote Ted in a way that fit me. There were so many lines I could grab onto,” he said. “We even created subtle bonding gestures with my on-screen partner, like the hand touch, to give it more warmth before things hit the fan.”

When asked about the film’s most chaotic day on set, everyone agreed: Scene 16. “It’s the kung fu spirits scene—we spent like five days on that alone,” Bagley laughed. Another wild moment? Stuntwork gone creative. “We had to throw Julian through a table, and our first idea didn’t work. I refused to do it in more than one shot, so our stunt team climbed the roof and made it happen perfectly.”

Though the team was tight-lipped on spoilers, the camaraderie and passion behind Hold The Fort was clear. “It’s gonna be one of the most talked-about late-night features of the year,” said Travis before signing off. And from what we’ve seen? We agree.

Hold The Fort blends satire, creature-feature mayhem, and a surprising amount of heart. It’s the monster movie you didn’t know you needed until your mailbox told you to trim your damn lawn. Read our full review.