Lil Rel Howery’s directorial debut Haunted Heist has officially wrapped production in Detroit — and it’s gearing up to haunt your screens this Halloween. The horror-comedy stars Tiffany Haddish, Karlous Miller, Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor, Tony Baker, Brett Gelman, Ari Dayan, and Tara Terry and marks the second-ever production from genre film specialists The Coven.
At the center of Haunted Heist is a group of estranged friends who reunite at what seems like an ordinary house. But one of them has a secret: they’re planning to steal a priceless antique. What no one expected? The house is haunted. With ghosts who are more trick than treat, the crew has to put aside their baggage and band together to survive the night.
The film is written by Carl Reid and stars Howery in addition to directing. Jesse Ford, Sean King O’Grady, Josh Feldman, and Howery are producing, with The Coven handling worldwide rights.
In a true blend of spooky and silly, production stayed nimble to accommodate its cast’s packed calendars — many of whom are active on the comedy circuit. Haddish and Bachelor even surprised fans with pop-ins at Detroit comedy clubs between takes. “I loved filming in Detroit,” said Haddish. “History was all around me and there was no traffic. That’s a win.”
Though Michigan famously ended its film production incentives back in 2015, the team behind Haunted Heist still chose Detroit, citing the city’s rich architectural backdrop, affordable locations, and vibrant local talent pool.
“By leveraging our established infrastructure and longstanding relationships within the community, we were able to enhance the production value and authentically reflect the spirit of the city on screen,” said Ford.
Haunted Heist is co-produced by The Coven, Death Ground Films (The Mill, Mr. Crocket), Robinwood7, and Rel Event Productions. Executive producers include The Coven’s Priscilla Ross Smith and Kendall Anlian, as well as Robinwood7’s Feras M. Shammami.
It’s expected to be ready just in time for spooky season — so don’t be surprised if this one becomes your next haunted favorite.