‘Gremlins’ Meets ‘Hot Fuzz’: ‘Gnomes’ Horror-Comedy Series Lands at Stan, ZDFneo

Los Angeles-based film and television studio Happy Accidents has partnered with Australian production companies Total Fiction and Screen Invaders on the genre-bending drama-comedy series “Gnomes” (6×30′).

The studio, which specializes in high-end content across multiple genres including films, scripted and unscripted series, documentaries and formats, has come aboard as co-producer and international distributor for the series. The project has been commissioned by Stan Australia and picked up by German broadcaster ZDFneo via Network Movie.

Described as “Gremlins meets Hot Fuzz,” the series follows two local police officers in a small town who must battle an army of murderous garden gnomes that come to life during the town’s inaugural Gnome-a-Palooza festival. The show will utilize a combination of practical effects and VFX to bring the miniature menaces to life.

Award-winning filmmaker Joel Kohn, who heads Screen Invaders, created the series and will produce alongside Total Fiction executive producers John Molloy (“Barons,” “The Gloaming”) and Richard Kelly (“The Tailings,” “Jones Family Christmas”). Happy Accidents’ Holly A. Hines (“Ginny & Georgia,” “Fortitude”) and Eric Jarboe (“Falling for Christmas,” “The Princess Switch”) serve as executive producers.

Australian comedy writers Tegan Higginbotham and Paul Verhoeven are penning the scripts, with Matthias Hoene (“Theodosia,” “Cockneys vs Zombies”) attached as setup director.

“I fell in love with this concept the moment I heard the pitch and the scripts have been just exceptional,” says Hines, who also serves as Co-CEO of Happy Accidents. “‘Gnomes’ is a complete gem – wildly imaginative, hilariously offbeat, and unlike anything else in the comedy-drama space.”

“The enthusiasm from our partners at Stan Australia and ZDFneo is a testament to how universal its appeal truly is, and we can’t wait to introduce this unique adventure to audiences,” adds Jarboe, Co-CEO of Happy Accidents.

The series made waves at last year’s Content London Drama Pitch Competition, landing second place among over 200 project entries globally.

Production is set to commence in early 2025 in Australia. The series marks the inaugural production for Total Fiction, the Australian production company founded in 2024, and Screen Invaders’ debut series.