Filmmaker Deon Taylor is teaming up with Tommy Oliver, founder of Confluential Films, to bring a new horror film, Don’t Open the Door, to life.
Taylor, known for hits like Fatale, The Intruder, and Black and Blue, will write and direct the project with his Hidden Empire Film Group partner, Roxanne Avent Taylor, producing. Oliver’s Confluential Films is co-producing and co-financing the film under its new horror label, New Fear Unlocked.
The film is set in the West Adams district of South Central L.A., and Taylor is leaning into an elevated horror vibe that taps into real-world trauma and fear. It’s all about creating a story with more depth than just jump scares. While plot details are being kept under wraps, there’s also a comic book element to the film that promises to expand its universe in a new way. Filming is set to begin this July.
Taylor, excited to be back in the director’s chair, said, “This story is something I’ve been wanting to tell for a while. Teaming up with Tommy and Confluential Films is about more than just timing—it’s about having full creative control and pushing the genre in a new direction through a Black lens.”
Oliver echoed that sentiment, noting, “The combo of Confluential and Hidden Empire is going to be amazing. Deon’s an artist, entrepreneur, and marketing genius. Plus, filming in L.A. means we’re supporting the local economy and sleeping in our own beds!”
The team is bringing in some serious talent for the film. Legendary cinematographer Dante Spinotti, known for his work on Heat and L.A. Confidential, will serve as the Director of Photography. And casting director Kim Coleman, who worked on BlacKkKlansman and Dear White People, is on board to make sure the right faces are in front of the camera.
This is just one of the many projects in the works at Hidden Empire Film Group, which is known for creating genre-bending films like Fatale and The Intruder. They’ve got some big projects lined up, including a reboot of the blaxploitation classic Blacula and a biopic about civil rights icon John Lewis.
Confluential Films, on the other hand, has been making moves with films like Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project and Fancy Dance, and they’re all in with their new horror label, which is already producing some exciting stuff like Killer Bee starring DeWanda Wise. They’ve been really good about bringing diverse stories to the forefront.
Both studios have a history of making quality films on tight budgets and showing that there’s a strong appetite for smart, Black-led projects. This collaboration between Hidden Empire and Confluential is about more than just making a horror film—it’s about showing that ownership and creative vision matter.