The indie horror community was shaken Monday, May 19, 2025 as unexpected news spread fast regarding the passing of powerhouse producer Michael Mahal. Known for his incredible fund-raising methods, Michael’s story began in TV commercials, but ended with a vigorous passion for filmmaking.
Partnering with his brother, Sonny Mahal, the filmmaker duo spun heads in 2017 with their breakout comedy horror Bus Party To Hell. Featuring a wicked performance by Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort – 2014 ) and a humorous cameo by Tara Reid (The Big Lebowski ’98, American Pie ’99), the horror scene debut became an instant cult classic for indie horror nerds, such as myself, and served as the beginning of a flourishing career for Michael and Sonny.
Although I never had the privilege of meeting Michael in person, our paths crossed during peak excitement of my PopHorror reviewing days. Bus Party To Hell crashed onto my radar in all its off-the-wall B-movie glory after the Mahal brothers secured an outstanding Redbox business deal. Copies of this wild ride of a film were to appear at 20,000 out of 38,000 of the company’s locations. While I’ve never made a film, I’ve interviewed enough indie filmmakers to know what a massively daunting undertaking it is to create a piece of cinema. For this reason, many independent creators move on to other life goals and endeavors after bringing one or two full-length projects to fruition. As the saying goes, if it were easy, everyone would do it. Michael not only met this challenge, but thrived in the process.
Maintaining correspondence with Michael and Sonny through the years to come, I witness them not only make films, but create an entire brand. The brothers went on to produce more than nine additional films, many of which they requested I review. Happy to oblige with my opinion and constructive criticism, I was entertained to see them dabble in a multitude of horror subgenres including sci-fi, western, action, and fantasy. While these films weren’t major studio releases brandishing 10 star movie reviews, they were fun romps for cinephiles who appreciate independent works of entertainment.
Collaborating with distinguished celebrities including Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street TV series), Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs ’92, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 2003, Vol. 2 2004), and James Duval (Donnie Darko 2001), Michael Mahal’s love for filmmaking shined through his team’s work. With Michael’s financial savvy know-how, titles such as Bloodthirst , Night of the Tommyknockers, Devil’s Knight, and Arena Wars never failed to reach completion. Consistently crushing crowd-funding goals securing seven-figure totals annually for projects, Michael proved himself a leader who could get things done.
While he certainly excelled at the business side of film production, what stood out to me the most from an outsider perspective was his ability to bring people together. While carving out his own path in the industry, Michael seemed to be a genuine soul giving people opportunity to share in his passion. He gave individuals a chance they might not have otherwise — a memorable experience they could potentially use in developing their own craft and career. This, along with his kind-hearted nature, is the reason why he’ll be greatly missed by so many.
To Sonny and the Mahal family, we sincerely offer my deepest condolences. The world is better for Michael having been in it.
