In celebration of the Midwest premiere of their gay, sex positive slasher Blowie, co-creators Ed Aldridge and Sam Lidbetter recently, through the incredibly natural wonders of email and long-distance communication, sat down with Brian Kirst of Big Gay Horror Fan to discuss this important addition to the contemporary horror scene. The two reveal some of the behind the scenes thought processes involved with the film and analyze whether queer representation has finally entered an age of equality where terror on celluloid is concerned. 

Big Gay Horror Fan: What was the initial inspiration for Blowie?

Ed Aldridge and Sam Lidbetter: We’ve always been huge horror fans, especially classic films like Hellraiser, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. We’d spent years working with adult performers and knew firsthand how talented, professional, and committed they are. We always felt they could bring something unique to a horror film, and we knew they’d be excited to take on a fun project like this. The character of Blowie came from wanting to create an iconic slasher villain with a distinctive look, like Freddy or Jason. Since the film centers around sex workers, the mask and the character naturally evolved from that setting.

BGHF: Do you have a most memorable moment from the set when filming the project?

EA & SL: The entire shoot was an incredible experience. It was a lot of fun, but it was also incredibly demanding. We had a crew of just seven people filming over nine days, so everyone wore multiple hats and worked tirelessly to make the film happen. What made it so memorable was the sense of collaboration. Every single cast and crew member gave everything they had, and Blowie simply wouldn’t exist without that collective effort. One specific memory that comes to mind is that both of us (Sam and Ed the directors) had minor roles in the film. Ed was Blowie in the vacbed crawling out of the river and Sam was the head double for Kali for the bottle smash, mostly because we felt like we had to give something for the art!

BGHF: That seems like definite proof that the film is going to be super fun for audiences to watch! Were there any underlying social messages or personal experiences that you were also trying to express here, though?

EA & SL: We started our careers in mainstream television and film before moving into adult filmmaking, and when we decided to make our first feature, we never wanted to distance ourselves from that part of our journey. Instead, we wanted to embrace it and tell stories inspired by a world we know well. At its core, Blowie is about sex workers and sex positivity. The message is simple: sex work is work, and the people who do it are just like anyone else, they’re professionals doing a job. While the film is a horror-comedy, it also offers a glimpse behind the scenes of the adult industry and shows that, despite the stereotypes, much of it is surprisingly ordinary and mundane. That felt important for us to portray alongside all the blood, laughs, and mayhem.

BGHF: I love that! What has been your favorite reaction from an audience member to the project thus far?

EA & SL: Premiering the film in the UK last year was an amazing experience. Watching it with a live audience for the first time and hearing people laugh, cheer, and react together was incredibly rewarding. It really felt like a midnight movie experience. One of our favorite things has been seeing both horror fans and LGBTQ+ audiences embrace the film. We always knew Blowie sat between genres, so seeing people connect with it from different perspectives has been the best reaction we could have hoped for.

BGHF: Leviticus has just been released to very solid critical and audience reaction. Do you think we are in a good place for gay themes to enter mainstream horror on a more consistent basis or do you think we still have a lot of work ahead of us?

EA & SL: I think we’re definitely in a better place than we were even five or ten years ago. The success of films like Leviticus shows that audiences are increasingly open to stories with LGBTQ+ themes.

That said, I don’t think we’re at the point where queer themes in mainstream horror are fully normalized yet. There are still relatively few studio horror films that place gay characters and relationships at the center without making their identity the entire point of the narrative. Horror has always been a genre that explores people on the margins, fear of the “other,” and social anxieties, so it’s actually a natural space for queer storytelling.

BGHF: I wholeheartedly agree! Thanks for taking the time to speak with me! I can’t wait for the Midwest premiere on Saturday!

Blowie will be the headliner at a special celebration of LGBTQIA+ horror at the Debut Studio Theater, 1205 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove, IL on Saturday, July 25th, 2026. Doors open at 6 PM and the tickets are $15. A presentation of Dead Walk Fest, advance tickets are available at http://www.deadwalkfest.com.