A Blood‑Soaked Bond: Mother and Daughter Reunite for Horror Road Trip

What happens when a seasoned soap‑star becomes a vampire and teams up with her real‑life daughter—a serial killer in training? The result is Brand New Cadillac, a bold and bloody horror short co‑directed and fronted by Days of Our Lives icon Stacy Haiduk and her daughter, Sophia Tatum. Not only are they bringing sheer cinematic mayhem, they’re also staging a real family reunion—in front of the camera and behind it.

And now they’re revving to take it feature-length.

From Daytime Drama to Desert Carnage: How the Journey Began

Stacy Haiduk—beloved by fans for her dual roles as Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks—has long mastered high‑stakes drama. Her daughter Sophia, now 27, quietly stepped into the spotlight herself, making a splash in Salem back in 2020.

When the two decided to create Brand New Cadillac, they weren’t just making a horror film; they were stepping into a creative battlefield that would test—and deepen—their real-life bond.

At its core, the story is as chilling as it is intimate: Lana, a vampire who can walk in daylight but craves blood, and Strode, her daughter, a budding serial killer. Over a blistering week in the desert, the daughter must feed her mother, sparking a gruesome yet oddly tender road trip that blends survival, love, and moral decay.

It’s part horror, part family therapy—with knives and fangs.

Behind the Wheel: Turning a Family into a Film Crew

A Creative Triangle Fueled by Love and Madness

This wasn’t just a project; it was a family experiment. Bradford Tatum, Stacy’s husband and Sophia’s father, penned the screenplay while Stacy and Sophia shared directing duties and took the lead roles.

The dynamic between mother and daughter bled into the script: maternal instinct clashing with youthful rebellion, turning every line and camera angle into a layered performance that feels lived‑in and raw.

Vintage Dreams and a Cadillac With an Attitude

Sophia’s eye for photography shaped the film’s striking aesthetic, mixing gritty 16 mm vintage film with modern digital shots to create a ’70s road‑movie vibe.

Even their classic Cadillac Eldorado became a character in its own right—temperamental, moody, and breaking down in the desert heat. Stacy recalls the panic of navigating the enormous car across endless sand, while Sophia jokes that the car’s stubbornness “added more character than we ever expected.” The chaos became part of the film’s DNA, grounding its horror in real‑world struggle.

Twisted Love on Screen: When Blood Ties Get Literal

Brand New Cadillac isn’t just a gorefest; it’s a meditation on fractured bonds. Every kill, every desperate mile on the road becomes an unspoken conversation between mother and daughter. Beneath the violence lies vulnerability—a story of reconnection told in crimson and dust. Viewers are pulled into the strange intimacy, where survival demands love and love demands blood.

Critics have praised the project as a “passion piece that oozes authenticity,” spotlighting the pair’s on‑screen chemistry as both terrifying and tender. It’s a rare horror story that manages to make audiences flinch and feel in the same breath.

From Short Film to Full-Length Mayhem: The Next Chapter

Fans at the Heart of the Feature Dream

Determined to expand their bloody road trip, Stacy and Sophia launched a live virtual fundraiser, showcasing the short film and giving fans a chance to join their journey. The event featured a Q&A and a silent auction, but more importantly, it gave audiences a taste of the emotional heart hiding behind the horror. Stacy teased that despite the carnage, “there’s a lot of love pumping through this story.”

More Gore, More Heart, More Miles Ahead

The duo is clear: the short is just the beginning. If turned into a full feature, they promise higher stakes, bloodier encounters, and an even deeper dive into the mother‑daughter relationship at the core. Sophia hints at “crazy circumstances and a journey that forces them to bond in ways neither expected.” The suspense now isn’t just on screen—it’s in whether the feature gets the green light to unleash its full power.

Why Brand New Cadillac Is Already a Cult Classic in the Making

Real emotions behind the horror: The tension and affection are authentic because they’re lived, not acted.

Bold visual style: A seamless blend of retro grain and modern clarity gives the film a timeless, cult‑worthy look.

Genre with a heartbeat: It’s not just vampires and killers—it’s about what families will do to survive, forgive, and love.

DIY passion: A husband, wife, and daughter turning their bond into art proves that sometimes the best horror is born at home.

Final Destination: A Family That Bleeds Together, Creates Together

What started as a micro‑budget short has become a rallying cry for indie horror with heart. Stacy Haiduk and Sophia Tatum have taken a simple concept—a mother and daughter on a desert road trip—and transformed it into a visceral, emotional, blood‑stained meditation on family.

Whether Brand New Cadillac makes the leap to full feature or remains a perfectly formed cult short, it has already carved out a unique space: a horror story with soul, powered by a family willing to bare its fangs—and its heart—on screen.