At long last, David Robert Mitchell is making “They Follow,” the sequel to his 2015 horror hit “It Follows.” Now here comes a big casting update, via Deadline, with ten (yes, ten) new additions to go alongside Naomi Ackie and a returning Maika Monroe. Read on for the complete list.
Jackie Earle Haley leads the newcomers, along with Justine Lupe, Anna Mirodin, Jayne Taini, Michael Gandolfini, Tom Pecinka, Melora Waters, Ben Krieger, Natalie Shinnick, and Jan Hoag. No word on who any of the new cast members play, but even the plot details for “They Follow” remain shrouded in secrecy; all anyone knows at this point is that the sequel takes place a decade after the original. Expect updates on both fronts as the film inches closer to production.
“It Follows” was a breakthrough for Mitchell, with many considering it one of the best horror films of the 2010s. Monroe stars in the film as Jay, a college student who becomes the target of an unstoppable supernatural force after a casual sexual encounter. Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, and Lili Sepe also star in the film. Along with rave reviews, including a buzzy world premiere at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, “It Follows” grossed $23.3 million at the box office against a $1.3 million budget.
Since then, however, Mitchell has made just two films: 2018’s “Under The Silver Lake” and this summer’s “The End Of Oak Street.” The former retains minor cult status as a wild Pynchon-esque caper despite failing at the box office, while the latter’s fate will be decided next month when it hits theaters on August 14. “The End Of Oak Street” is Mitchell’s biggest budget to date: $85 million, much larger than any of his previous films.
But back to “They Follow.” Mitchell will write and direct, as he did on the 2015 film, and also produce via Harvest Hill Entertainment with Jack Weiner. Other producers include Chris Bender of Good Fear Content, Erik Rommesmo of Northern Lights Media Ventures, Mike D’Alto and Randal Sandler of FristGen Content, Scott Aharoni and Sinan Eczacıbaşı of Curious Gremlin, and David Kaplan, Rebecca Green, and Laura Smith. via Kaplan Morrison.
NEON will distribute “They Follow” once it’s ready for theaters; expect a 2027 release, and possibly another Cannes world premiere. That’s not just due to “It Follows” bowing there 12 years ago, but because the NEON-Cannes connection of recent years is still going strong. NEON has four Cannes 2026 premieres hitting theaters in the latter half of the year: Cristian Mungiu‘s Palme d’Or winner “Fjord” opens October 9; Na Hong-Jin‘s ‘Hope” on September 9; Jame Gray‘s “Paper Tiger” on November 13, and Arie and Chuko‘s “Clarissa” on December 11.
Stay tuned for more details for “They Follow” as they arrive.
