EXCLUSIVE: The Fast & Furious franchise’s Tyrese Gibson is set to star in Don’t Open the Door, a new horror thriller from director Deon Taylor.
Plot details are under wraps. The project reunites Gibson and Taylor following their work on Black and Blue, the 2019 action thriller for Sony, where Gibson starred opposite Naomie Harris and Frank Grillo.
Set to enter production later this year in the West Adams district of South Central Los Angeles, Don’t Open the Door will also launch a graphic novel-inspired universe that pushes the story beyond the screen.
The project is co-financed and produced by Tommy Oliver and Gerren Crochet of Confluential Films (Black Love, The Perfect Find) under its new horror imprint New Fear Unlocked, alongside Roxanne Avent Taylor and Omar Joseph for Hidden Empire.
In a statement to Deadline on the project, Gibson said, “I don’t just trust Deon with my performance, I trust him with my legacy. Black and Blue was the beginning of something real between us. Now, with Don’t Open the Door, we’re stepping into a story that’s even more personal, something layered, and rooted in purpose.”
Said Taylor, “Collaborating again with Tyrese is like dropping a match in gasoline. We lit a spark with Black and Blue, and this time we’re bringing that same energy to a whole new world that is twisted, elevated, and unapologetically ours. There’s nothing like building something this ambitious with someone who shares your vision and your drive.”
Best known for his role of Roman in the Fast & Furious films, including the most recent installment, Fast X, Gibson has more recently been working on indie features like Helen’s Dead, Bosco, and Fluxx. He is represented by IAG and Pearlman & Tishbi.
As a director, Taylor’s most recent credits include Fear, The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2, Fatale, and multiple episodes of Power Book IV: Force. He is repped by WME, Entertainment 360, and Granderson Des Rochers.