Sony’s Screen Gems has secured Mime, a new supernatural horror film starring John David Washington, after emerging victorious in a competitive bidding war that also included Amazon MGM Studios and Searchlight Pictures. The project will be directed by Nikyatu Jusu, whose acclaimed debut feature Nanny established her as one of the most exciting new voices in horror cinema.
Although Sony has not released an official synopsis, the filmmakers are keeping plot details tightly under wraps. What has been revealed is that Mime unfolds inside a New York City apartment complex during a citywide blackout triggered by an intense heat wave. The screenplay was written by Stephen Herman, based on his own original idea, with production currently expected to begin in the spring. Producer Matt Tolmach assembled the package before it was acquired by Screen Gems.
Washington is not only starring in the film but also serving as one of its producers alongside Matt Tolmach, Camilla Grove, and Scott Derrickson, who is producing through his Crooked Highway banner. Derrickson already has a first-look producing deal with Screen Gems, making the studio a natural home for the project.
For Washington, Mime marks one of his most significant ventures into the horror genre. Over the past decade, he has built a diverse career with leading roles in films including Tenet, The Creator, Amsterdam, Malcolm & Marie, and The Piano Lesson. While many of those projects blended action, science fiction or psychological drama, Mime represents one of his most horror-focused roles to date.
The project also represents an important next step for Jusu. Her 2022 debut feature Nanny became the first horror film to win the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival before Amazon’s Prime Video acquired worldwide distribution rights in a reported $7 million deal. The film starred Anna Diop as a Senegalese immigrant nanny attempting to build a new life in New York while working for an affluent Upper East Side family.
Following Nanny, Jusu became attached to several high-profile genre projects, including Suicide by Sunlight for Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, a new sequel to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, and a film set within the universe of David Cronenberg’s The Fly. However, all three projects remain in various stages of development. As a result, Mime is now positioned to become Jusu’s first feature film since her Sundance breakthrough.
Screenwriter Stephen Herman has also continued building his reputation within the industry. His previous credits include Blank and Prime Video’s Black Box, while his original short story They’re Still Here was acquired by New Regency for adaptation. He also sold the spec screenplay The Culling to Lionsgate, with David Sandberg attached to direct.
Beyond Mime, producer Matt Tolmach is also developing Jumanji: Open World, the next installment in Sony’s blockbuster adventure franchise, directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan. The film is currently scheduled for release on Christmas Day.
With a sought-after screenplay, a competitive studio bidding war, an acclaimed filmmaker behind the camera and an experienced producing team in place, Mime has emerged as one of the more notable original horror projects currently in development. Sony has not yet announced a production start date beyond the planned spring shoot or revealed a release date for the film.
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