Garage Beer has entered the movie universe — again. The fast-growing light lager brand just announced its teamed up with 20th Century Studios for Predator: Badlands, launching a new short film called Thermal Buzz starring Jason Kelce. The parody project celebrates the 1987 Predator classic while promoting the upcoming film hitting theaters November 7. Thermal Buzz will debut October 31 on Garage Beer’s social channels and during select NFL broadcasts. The 30-second teaser and full short were filmed near Orlando and directed by Jordan Phoenix. From the press release:
“As a 90’s kid there’s nothing I loved more than a good action movie. In my mind, it’s hard to find a movie more iconic than Predator. From the memes to the epic quotes, nothing compares in terms of action-packed entertainment,” said Jason Kelce. “We’re just pumped that our short film can be part of the moment; I can’t wait to see Predator: Badlands.”
Thermal Buzz features Jason Kelce alongside pro wrestler Matt Cardona and former NFL defensive tackle Beau Allen — the same duo from Garage’s previous campaigns — although we don’t see them in the teaser below. Enjoy!
A continuation of absurdist storytelling
Garage Beer has built its national identity through parody and humor. Thermal Buzz follows the same playbook as BREWMITE and BREWMITE II — the brand’s martial arts spoofs that riffed on Bloodsport and ‘80s action flicks. Those mini-movies featured Jason and Travis Kelce in over-the-top fight scenes against UFC legend Chuck Liddell. Directed by Phoenix, the same filmmaker behind Thermal Buzz, the BREWMITE series helped define Garage Beer’s tone: nostalgic, cinematic, and completely self-aware. Garage Beer’s past campaigns — from a Christmas carol parody (O Beer) to a BeerBed (a queen mattress with a built-in kegerator) — share the same DNA. Each one treats beer marketing like sketch comedy. The product stays simple, but the storytelling keeps growing more elaborate.
From comedy to capital
Behind the humor sits serious growth. Earlier this year, Garage Beer secured a major investment from New York–based Durational Capital Management. The deal brought in new board members, including former Constellation Brands executive Bill Hackett and ex-Pabst growth officer Rich Pascucci. The investment gives Garage Beer new marketing and distribution muscle as it expands across all 50 states. Founded in Ohio and originally brewed by Braxton Brewing, Garage Beer now operates independently from its Columbus headquarters. In the past year, the brand has reported more than 400% volume growth, fueled by its two simple SKUs — Classic and Lime — and its nonstop stream of viral content, some of which we’re featuring in this post.
