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Michael Mahal | |
|---|---|
| Died | May 19, 2025 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Notable work | |
Opkar Mahal[1] (died May 19, 2025), better known as Michael Mahal, was an American independent filmmaker who co-wrote the films Night of the Tommyknockers (2022), Arena Wars (2024), and co-produced Bloodthirst (2023). Mahal was associated with independent genre films in Las Vegas with his brother Sonny Mahal, whom he co-founded Mahal Empire Productions with. He produced low-budget horror and science-fiction films including Bus Party to Hell, Art of the Dead, Attack of the Unknown, and Bermuda Island. The brothers became known for financing their productions through crowdfunding and using Las Vegas-area cast, crew and locations.[2][3][4][5]
Early career
[edit]Mahal attended Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri, graduating a year early, and later attended the New York Film Academy at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. He subsequently worked in commercial production in Los Angeles and Missouri. By 2011, it was reported that he had produced more than 1,000 commercials.[2]
Mahal's early filmmaking included the independent comedy 30 Girls in 30 Days, which he wrote, produced, directed, edited and filmed in Columbia. The production had a budget of approximately $25,000 and used more than 100 actors and extras. Mahal told the Columbia Missourian that he chose Columbia partly because its locations allowed him to produce the film inexpensively.[2]
Mahal Empire Productions
[edit]Mahal later moved to Las Vegas and formed Mahal Empire Productions with his brother Sonny. The brothers concentrated on independently financed genre films, particularly horror. Their productions generally combined local filmmakers and locations with established genre actors.[3]
Their film Bus Party to Hell, directed by Rolfe Kanefsky and starring Tara Reid, was filmed in Las Vegas and the Valley of Fire. Michael co-wrote and produced the film. During its release in 2018, Mahal said that he had moved away from ambitions to write and direct in order to concentrate on producing and fundraising. He described raising financing as one of his strengths and said that he hoped to expand film production in Las Vegas.[3]
The brothers subsequently produced Art of the Dead, again directed by Kanefsky and starring Reid and Richard Grieco. Mahal Empire combined conventional investment with crowdfunding to finance its productions; its crowdfunding campaign for Art of the Dead raised more than $70,000.[3]
Sonny and Michael were described as Las Vegas's "Best Local Film Moguls".[4] That year, the brothers' low-budget production operation was compared to that of Roger Corman, noting that their films combined Las Vegas talent with recognizable actors and were widely distributed through video-on-demand. Their science-fiction film Attack of the Unknown, starring Grieco, Tara Reid and Robert LaSardo, was released in 2020.[5]
Mahal and his brother continued producing independent genre films during the 2020s, including Bloodthirst, Bermuda Island and Arena Wars. Their projects continued to rely heavily on crowdfunding, with the brothers developing a production model that offered contributors opportunities to participate in their films.[5]
Death and legacy
[edit]Mahal died on May 19, 2025.[6][1][7][8] Following his death, several productions he had been developing remained unfinished. In January 2026, KNPR described Mahal as a "Las Vegas B-movie mogul" while reporting that his final films were expected to be released during the year.[9]
Selected filmography
[edit]| Year | Film | Producer | Writer | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 30 Girls 30 Days | Yes | Yes | Also director[10] |
| 2016 | Last Day of School | Yes | Co-writer | Also co-director[11] |
| 2017 | Bus Party to Hell | Yes | Yes | |
| 2019 | Art of the Dead | Yes | No | [12] |
| 2020 | Attack of the Unknown | Yes | Yes | |
| 2023 | Bermuda Island | Yes | Story | [10] |
| 2024 | Arena Wars | Yes | No | [10] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 "2 EDC attendees die of drug overdoses, Las Vegas coroner says". KLAS-TV. 2025-08-25. Archived from the original on 2025-09-18. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- 1 2 3 Hughes, Ashley (2012-11-02). "Columbia provides scenery for filmmaker's independent comedy". Columbia Missourian. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-05-20 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 Reed, C. Moon (2018-04-11). "Vegas filmmakers ride horror genre with latest offering, 'Party Bus to Hell'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- 1 2 "Best of the City 2020: Arts & Entertainment". Desert Companion. KNPR. January 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "September 3, 2020". Desert Companion. KNPR. September 2, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
- ↑ Torres-Cortez, Ricardo (2025-08-26). "MDMA contributed to two EDC weekend deaths in Las Vegas, coroner says". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ Seeman, Matthew (2025-05-20). "Two men's deaths during EDC weekend under investigation". KSNV. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ "Two deaths reported in connection to EDC weekend, county officials investigating". Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV. 2025-05-20. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ Prevatt, Mike. "'The Long Walk,' 'F1' highlighted Las Vegas and its filmmakers onscreen in 2025. What lies ahead in 2026?". Nevada Public Radio | NPR and local news in Las Vegas and Nevada. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- 1 2 3 "Michael Mahal". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ "Troma Acquires Michael Mahal's "Last Day of School"". Horror Society. 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ Ritman, Alex (2019-11-10). "AFM Hidden Gem: 'Art of the Dead' Depicts Supernatural Tale About 7 Deadly Sins". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-05-20.