‘They Follow’: Director David Robert Mitchell & Maika Monroe Return For An ‘It Follows’ Horror Sequel

“I don’t want to give away too much, but we’ve thought about it,” Tom Quinn, then the co-president of Radius-TWC, said about the acclaimed 2014 horror “It Follows” in 2015, a year after it became a hit. “Flip the title. There’s so much you could do.” Now, over at the similarly indie/arthouse-friendly NEON pictures, Quinn has finally followed through nine years later. Today, Neon announced a sequel called “They Follow,” and director David Robert Mitchell and its star Maika Monroe are both returning.

READ MORE: Interview: David Robert Mitchell Talks The Mood Of ‘It Follows,’ Building A Unique Horror Movie, And More

There’s much to admire in the original “It Follows” film. A sharp and chilling look at the anxieties of adolescence, “It Follows” essentially starts with the idea of a sexually transmitted disease as a horror, following a young woman (Monroe) who is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter. While neither Monroe nor director David Robert Mitchell’s first film, it nonetheless launched both of their careers, breaking out both of them in a big way for Hollywood to take notice.

So, nine years after Quinn’s comments, the sequel is finally a reality.

“They Follow” marks the second partnership between NEON CEO Tom Quinn and filmmaker David Robert Mitchell, as Quinn’s label RADiUS released “It Follows” in theaters in 2014, instantly becoming a cult classic and grossing $15mm domestically. 

Monroe will reprise her role of Jay Height, which earned her an Empire Award nomination for “It Follows.” NEON will introduce the title to international buyers this week at AFM, with principal photography beginning in 2024. NEON will co-produce the film alongside Good Fear Content. Mitchell serves as a producer with Jake Weiner and Chris Bender of Good Fear Content and the original producers of “It Follows,” David Kaplan, Erik Rommesmo, Rebecca Green, and Laura Smith.

Mitchell broke into the film industry with the coming-of-age drama “The Myth of the American Sleepover” (2010), which had its world premiere at South by Southwest. He garnered critical acclaim with his second full-length feature, “It Follows,” including collecting a Critics Choice Awards® nomination for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie. In 2018, he wrote, produced, and directed the black comedy/mystery “Under the Silver Lake “starring Andrew Garfield and Riley Keough. 

Monroe recently wrapped production on “Oz Perkins Longlegs,” co-starring alongside Nicolas Cage, which NEON will release in 2024. After her breakout role in “It Follows,” Monroe starred in Neil Jordan’s “Greta” for Focus Features as well as “Hot Summer Nights,” “Villains,” “Honey Boy” and “Watcher.”

No word on a production start date other than TBD 2024 or a release, but maybe 2025 if we’re fortunate and this strike ends soon? Watch the original “It Follows” trailer below.