Popkin Productions has selected Hojin Lee as production designer for its upcoming body horror feature 'Meatballs', building on the pair's successful collaboration from the award-winning short film 'The Monkey's Paw'. Lee will be responsible for designing a claustrophobic apartment setting that visually represents the characters' physical and psychological deterioration.
The film centers on two roommates who undergo horrific transformations after exposure to a bioweapon. Lee's role will involve designing the apartment's evolution from mundane living space to a grotesque, decaying environment. Her previous work on 'The Monkey's Paw', which received an 8.9/10 IMDb rating and festival recognition, demonstrates her ability to create compelling horror environments on limited budgets.
Director Benjamin T. Popkin praised Lee's creative vision, stating he completely trusts her aesthetic instincts. The production is set to begin pre-production in November 2025, with filming scheduled from January to February 2026.
Lee views the project as an opportunity to explore decay as a visual narrative technique. Her approach will involve close collaboration with practical effects, makeup, and cinematography teams to synchronize the set's transformation with the characters' physical breakdown.
'Meatballs' represents another step in Popkin Productions' commitment to innovative genre filmmaking, promising audiences a haunting cinematic experience that pushes the boundaries of independent horror.
