META: Brian Quinn and Joe Imburgio complete ST2EAM screenplay for Fuzz on the Lens Productions, marking Quinn’s transition into horror screenwriting.
From making America laugh to making them scream—Brian Quinn is trading punchlines for bloodlines. The Impractical Jokers star has completed his first horror screenplay, teaming up with longtime collaborator Joe Imburgio to pen ST2EAM, the sequel to 2024’s slasher hit Stream. It’s a creative leap that proves the former New York City firefighter’s comedic chops translate perfectly to jump scares and gore. “Me and Joe Imburgio, who is one of the writers on ‘[Impractical] Jokers’ and a very close friend of mine, we wrote the script for Stream 2,” Quinn revealed on Chris Jericho’s podcast. “I’m so excited.”
The screenplay landed on director Michael Leavy’s desk in early January 2026, capping off an unlikely journey that began over drinks after Stream’s August 2024 premiere. What started as casual conversation about sequel possibilities became a full-fledged writing partnership—and Quinn’s formal entry into the independent horror world he’s admired for years.
Fuzz on the Lens operates within the independent horror production model established through its work on the Terrifier franchise. The company, founded by Michael Leavy, Jason Leavy, and Steven Della Salla in 2010, gained initial recognition through its 2014 “Staten Island Clown” viral marketing campaign before transitioning to feature film production. Its collaboration with Terrifier producers Phil Falcone and special effects designer Damien Leone has created a production network emphasizing practical effects work and genre authenticity over digital enhancement.
Stream demonstrated this approach through its casting of established horror actors—Jeffrey Combs, Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, and David Howard Thornton—and its commitment to physical effects sequences. The film received limited theatrical distribution before expanding to digital platforms including Fandango at Home, Amazon, and Apple TV in October 2024. Variety’s review noted the production’s “slick, energetic entertainment” while acknowledging its derivative premise and two-hour runtime as potential audience considerations.
Script Development Through Collaborative Networks
Quinn disclosed the ST2EAM project during an appearance on Chris Jericho’s Talk is Jericho podcast, revealing that the screenplay originated from informal discussions following Stream’s premiere. Quinn and Imburgio met with Michael Leavy for drinks after the screening, during which they discussed potential sequel directions. Leavy subsequently invited them to write the screenplay, recognizing their genre knowledge and structural understanding from their work on Impractical Jokers.
Imburgio’s role as producer on Impractical Jokers—where he occasionally appears in challenges and behind-the-scenes segments—provided relevant experience for horror screenplay construction. The show’s format requires designing scenarios that build toward specific outcomes through careful information management, a technical skill that translates to genre filmmaking’s reliance on suspense mechanics and payoff timing.
Fuzz on the Lens Production Model
Michael Leavy’s assessment of Quinn and Imburgio emphasized their comprehension of narrative pacing fundamentals. In a statement posted on social media, Leavy described the duo as ideal collaborators for the franchise’s direction, noting they “completely understood the tone” from the outset. He characterized them as “massive horror fans and cut from the same cloth as us.”
Leavy continued: “Their success in comedy translates perfectly to horror, it’s truly a secret weapon. Scares, like jokes, are all about beats, they live and die by timing—and they know how to land both. They know what works. We truly feel this film will thrill our fans, both old and new. So buckle up, ST2EAM is going to be a fun ride!”
This perspective reflects the independent horror production philosophy that prioritizes genre literacy over conventional screenwriting credentials. Fuzz on the Lens’s track record demonstrates sustained audience engagement through the Terrifier series, which achieved significant box office performance despite limited marketing budgets and theatrical footprints. Terrifier 2 reached top ten box office positions during its October 2022 release, validating the viability of effects-driven genre content distributed outside major studio systems.
Stream’s development timeline extended from 2016, when Michael Leavy and his team began writing the screenplay with cryptocurrency’s cultural prominence as contextual inspiration. “We love the slasher genre and we wanted to modernize it by bringing it and updating it to the 21st century but still showcase the love we had for 70s, 80s and 90s horror,” Leavy explained in an October 2024 interview. The film’s premise—violent competition broadcast for dark web betting audiences—updated traditional slasher conventions through technology integration while maintaining practical effects priorities.
Casting Considerations and Production Personnel
The ST2EAM screenplay incorporates a role written specifically for professional wrestler Chris Jericho, whose podcast platform facilitated the project’s public announcement. Quinn indicated this casting decision was integrated during the writing process rather than added subsequently, suggesting character development informed by performer capabilities and audience recognition factors.
David Howard Thornton will reprise his role as Player 2 from the original Stream. Thornton’s primary industry recognition stems from portraying Art the Clown across the Terrifier franchise, where his physical performance techniques—conveying character intention through movement and gesture rather than dialogue—established him within the independent horror production community. His involvement provides continuity with the first film while leveraging audience familiarity developed through the Terrifier series.
Jason Leavy returns as producer, with Steven Della Salla serving as producer and director of photography. This personnel consistency maintains the creative vision established in Stream while allowing for narrative expansion through Quinn and Imburgio’s screenplay contributions. The production team’s Staten Island origins have facilitated ongoing collaborations within a geographically concentrated filmmaking community that includes Quinn’s Impractical Jokers production base.
