Boots Riley is officially bringing one of the most inventive pieces of modern theater to the screen.
The filmmaker and musician behind Sorry to Bother You and I’m a Virgo confirmed on January 11 that he is developing a film adaptation of Anne Washburn’s 2012 Off-Broadway play Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play. Riley acknowledged the project on X after rumors surfaced via Washburn’s Playbill bio for The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire at Vineyard Theatre, writing simply: “This is a true thing.”
Originally commissioned and produced by The Civilians, Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play debuted at Playwrights Horizons in 2012 and quickly became a cult favorite for its daring structure and ideas. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where electricity has disappeared and civilization has regressed, the play follows survivors who gather around campfires attempting to reconstruct episodes of The Simpsons from memory.
At the center of the story is the Season 5 episode ‘Cape Feare’, the Sideshow Bob–centric parody of Cape Fear. As the play unfolds across decades, fragments of pop culture mutate into myth, ritual, and eventually full-scale musical theater, transforming mass entertainment into something closer to folklore.
Written by Anne Washburn with music by the late Michael Friedman, the play explores how storytelling evolves over time — and how capitalism, consumerism, and branding persist even after societal collapse. The production was nominated for a Drama League Award and earned widespread critical praise, with The Guardian calling it “ineffably human” in its portrayal of humanity’s need to make meaning through stories.
Riley’s involvement makes the adaptation a particularly striking fit. His work consistently interrogates capitalism, power, labor, and cultural memory through surreal, genre-defying storytelling — themes deeply embedded in Mr. Burns. While no casting or production timeline has been announced, Riley has confirmed the adaptation will be a full-length feature film.
The project arrives as The Simpsons itself continues to expand, with a sequel to The Simpsons Movie slated for 2027. Still, Riley’s take promises something far stranger and more provocative, dropping the long-running sitcom’s legacy into a post-electric future where pop culture becomes prophecy.
Riley’s next film, I Love Boosters, is set to premiere this Spring at the 2026 SXSW Film & Television Festival. For now, Mr. Burns stands as one of the most intriguing — and unexpected — adaptations currently in development.