Viral YouTube short 'Open Door' secures six-figure film deal

Kevin Cate's sci-fi short 'Open Door' will be developed into a feature film after earning a six-figure deal. The project follows the short's success with nearly 15 million views across platforms.

The three-minute short, which depicts two people on an elevator ride from hell, follows the surreal journey of Malcolm Powers. Cate wrote the spec script alongside “IO” screenwriter Charles Spano.

Sean Anthony Baker and Mia Matthews are set to reprise their roles from the original. Executive producer Rick Kearney joins Cate’s Clinging Vine Films on the project.

Cate said in a statement, “I literally can’t go a day without someone asking me what our characters saw down there.” Budgeting for the film is expected to finish later this month as the team raises additional funds.

Cate has also launched a website with clues, updates and behind-the-scenes content for fans. His upcoming debut feature “Unbearable Christmas” stars Julia Stiles, David Cross and Stephen Root.

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Illustration of a movie theater showing the horror film Backrooms with box office success highlighted.
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A24 horror film Backrooms opens to $76 million weekend

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Kane Parsons' directorial debut Backrooms opened strongly at the domestic box office this weekend. The A24 release, based on the filmmaker's popular YouTube series, earned between $76 million and $79 million.

Joseph Sperber's feature debut, the political murder mystery 'Behind Closed Doors,' has announced its cast as production starts in Los Angeles. The film stars Elijah Reed, Nick Samson, Melissa Alce, Christian Haines, and Charrell Mack. It unfolds in real time during a single night in 1979.

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The film adaptation of the viral Backrooms web series is set to open in UK cinemas on May 29. Directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, it stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve in a story of endless liminal spaces.

Several crew members walked off the set of Jonathan Majors' upcoming action film from The Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend in South Carolina due to safety issues. The strike followed an incident where Majors and co-star JC Kilcoyne fell through an unsecured window. IATSE called the action on March 26 amid broader labor and safety complaints.

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Jonathan Majors and co-star JC Kilcoyne tumbled out of a window while shooting an untitled action film for The Daily Wire. Producers downplayed the mishap as minor after a Deadline video surfaced. Sources claim injuries including stitches for Kilcoyne.

Amazon MGM Studios' Project Hail Mary grossed $53.1 million in its second weekend, surpassing the second-weekend hauls of Oppenheimer and Dune: Part Two. The Ryan Gosling-led film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, dropped just 34% from its opening after a Friday take of $14.6 million. New Line's They Will Kill You opened to a modest $5 million to $5.5 million.

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The latest episode of Deadline's Doc Talk podcast examines the surprise win of Mr. Nobody Against Putin for best documentary feature at the 2026 Oscars. Hosts John Ridley and Matt Carey debate the results, including why Netflix's The Perfect Neighbor fell short. The episode also features conversations from the True/False festival in Columbia, Missouri.

 

 

 

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