Sketch Duo BriTANicK Brings Two Comedies to SXSW

The longtime friends and collaborators are drawing comparisons to Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger with their wacky, yet heartfelt films.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, known as the sketch comedy duo BriTANicK, are debuting two films at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival - the college comedy "Pizza Movie" and the dark dramedy "Over Your Dead Body." The pair, who met in Atlanta as children and later collaborated at NYU, are known for their combative creative process that often yields unexpected and hilarious results. After honing their skills writing for shows like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Saturday Night Live," BriTANicK is now making the leap to feature filmmaking, with their work drawing comparisons to other successful sketch-based directors like Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger.

Why it matters

BriTANicK's transition from successful sketch comedians to feature film directors is a testament to the versatility of their comedic talents. Their ability to blend absurdist humor with genuine emotional storytelling has earned them a loyal following, and their SXSW premieres suggest they could follow in the footsteps of other sketch-based filmmakers who have found mainstream success.

The details

"Pizza Movie" follows a group of college friends who take a hallucinogen and embark on a surreal quest to retrieve a delivered pizza, while "Over Your Dead Body" is a dark comedy about a feuding couple who each plot to kill the other during a remote vacation. The duo, who are known for their combative creative process, say they worked to ground the films' high-concept premises in relatable emotional truths. After honing their skills writing for shows like "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Saturday Night Live," BriTANicK is now making their feature film directorial debuts.

  • BriTANicK's two films are premiering at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival.
  • The duo is also performing a live comedy show in Austin during the festival.

The players

Brian McElhaney

One half of the sketch comedy duo BriTANicK, who co-wrote and co-directed the films "Pizza Movie" and "Over Your Dead Body." McElhaney, 39, met his longtime collaborator Nick Kocher in Atlanta as a child.

Nick Kocher

The other half of the sketch comedy duo BriTANicK, who co-wrote and co-directed the films "Pizza Movie" and "Over Your Dead Body." Kocher, 40, has been friends with Brian McElhaney since they were children in Atlanta.

Gaten Matarazzo

An actor who stars in BriTANicK's film "Pizza Movie."

Sean Giambrone

An actor who stars in BriTANicK's film "Pizza Movie."

Lulu Wilson

An actress who stars in BriTANicK's film "Pizza Movie."

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What they’re saying

“We're both incredibly stubborn. We don't relent. We want to win over the other person.”

— Brian McElhaney (Variety)

“From our early sketches, we realized we should ground them in some sort of emotional truth. Start in a place that is maybe even dramatic. We're talking about jealousy. We're talking about what it feels like to fall in love. We're talking about being scared — something we can really anchor on. Once we get that, we can go off into crazyland.”

— Brian McElhaney (Variety)

“One of the best lessons we took was to just get it on the page. It's going to change a billion times. You just throw it out there and see what works. We labor over where the commas will come in a script, but we have to keep reminding ourselves to just get the first draft done. This whole line will be gone, let alone the comma.”

— Nick Kocher (Variety)

What’s next

The duo is scheduled to perform a live comedy show in Austin during the SXSW Film Festival, in addition to the premieres of their two new films.

The takeaway

BriTANicK's transition from successful sketch comedians to feature film directors demonstrates their versatility and ability to blend absurdist humor with genuine emotional storytelling. Their SXSW premieres suggest they could follow in the footsteps of other sketch-based filmmakers who have found mainstream success.