The Office Star Reportedly Making Feature Film Directorial Debut With Horror Movie

Following in the steps of former colleague John Krasinski, The Office alum B.J. Novak is [...]

bj novak mindy kaling red carpet
(Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

Following in the steps of former colleague John Krasinski, The Office alum B.J. Novak is reportedly getting his directorial debut for a feature film on an upcoming horror project. According to a new report from Discussing Film, Novak is now attached to a project called Vengeance for Blumhouse Productions. Virtually nothing else is available about the upcoming movie, though a listing in Production Weekly suggests the film will begin production February 2020 in New Mexico. Novak is set to write and direct

After finding its big break with the ultra-low-budget Paranormal Activity in 2009, Blumhouse has become a staple in the world of horror film. In 2019 alone, the Jason Blum-led outfit has released 10 horror films including Ma, Sweetheart, and Happy Death Day 2U.

When it comes to Krasinski, the actor recently wrapped production on A Quiet Place 2, a film in which he served as director and writer. He co-wrote the first film with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. Earlier this year, Woods and Beck spoke with ComicBook.com's Patrick Cavanagh, where the pair asked themselves if the property was something that needed a sequel.

"As creators of essentially the movie and the franchise, we always have our hand in the mix," Beck said. "But what was really funny about opening weekend last year is, it was almost immediate that the studio announced there'd be a sequel. What our reaction was, and what John's reaction was, like, 'I don't know if it needs a sequel.'

"We always envisioned it collectively as a standalone film, and very much like what Bryan and I were trying to mount on the wake of A Quiet Place is actually what we consider learning the right lesson, is that there actually is space for original ideas on a big theatrical level. So the decision that Bryan and I made was we'll be passively involved in it. And what was great was John ended up cracking an idea that he really loved and he took the ball and ran with it."

Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

2comments