The Big Picture
- Prime Video announced
Killer Cakes
, a spooky competition series hosted by Matthew Lillard and produced by Jason Blum. - Contestants will create horror-themed cakes judged by experts; the show is a unique blend of horror movies and baking.
- Lillard himself executive produces the reality series along with Gretchen Palek (
Queer Eye
).
Prime Video is cooking up quite a competition for this Halloween. This week, the streaming platform announced Killer Cakes, a spooky reality competition series that will be hosted by horror veteran Matthew Lillard (Five Nights at Freddy’s) and executive produced by horror master Jason Blum — from production company Blumhouse, which gave us Paranormal Activity, the Insidious franchise and the upcoming Speak No Evil remake. The competition series will debut on the platform on October 8.
From the looks of it, Killer Cakes seems like a cross between horror movies and Cake Boss — or maybe Nailed It! if everything goes wrong. In the competition, contestants will have to work with “the best horror special effects artists in Hollywood” to come up with some really spooky cakes. The ultimate goal is to bake cakes that look disgusting but also realistic to the point of freaking the judges out. Lillard will evaluate with judges Danielle Harris (Halloween franchise) and experimental food artist and cookbook author Nikk Alcaraz (Peculiar Baking).
Killer Cakes Is In Great Hands
Prime Video describes Killer Cakes as a “one-of-a-kind competition show,” but this goes without saying: pairing up horror filmmakers with contestants is a pretty unique combination, and it could turn out as one of the most entertaining reality competition series on TV. The contestants include Amanda Yother, Rathdrum, ID; Dillon Barlow, Houston, TX; Dziedra “Z” Brusberg, Marysville, WA; Deadra “Dee” Compean, Beaumont, TX; Eszter Summerlin, Gulf Breeze, FL; Jesse Lesser, Dallas, TX; Mark Lie, Chicago, IL and Shanelle Long, Pensacola, FL.
Killer Cakes is a show run by Ruth Amsel, who is no stranger to baking competitions. She’s produced shows like Cake Wars, Ridiculous Cakes and Outrageous Pumpkins — the latter one is similar in theme to Killer Cakes. The new series is co-executive produced by Lillard himself and Emmy winner Gretchen Palek (Queer Eye, The Real Housewives of New Jersey).
Baking competitions are a pretty safe bet to expand the reality-show slate of a particular streamer, and Prime Video is still not as prolific as other streaming platforms when it comes to this territory. So far, one of the most notable titles in the catalog is Making the Cut, and a hit competition series like Killer Cakes could be the gateway title that makes the streamer greenlight more and more competition shows.
Prime Video premieres the two-part Killer Cakes globally on October 8, just in time for Halloween.
