Production is set to begin this July in Los Angeles on Don’t Open the Door, a new elevated horror film written and directed by Deon Taylor (Fatale, The Intruder). The project is a collaboration between Taylor’s Hidden Empire Film Group and Tommy Oliver’s Confluential Films, operating under Confluential’s new horror label, New Fear Unlocked.

Set in South Central Los Angeles’ West Adams district, Don’t Open the Door blends psychological tension and social commentary. According to Taylor, the film marks a return to directing with a story that challenges genre expectations through a culturally rooted lens. “This partnership with Tommy Oliver and Confluential Films isn’t just timely—it’s a powerful move rooted in vision, ownership, and the evolution of horror through a Black creative lens,” said Taylor.

Tommy Oliver added, “The combination of Confluential and Hidden Empire is going to be straight fire. Deon is an artist, an entrepreneur, and a marketing genius who I’m incredibly excited to work with.”

In addition to its feature production, the film includes a comic book element that extends its universe. While specific plot details are limited, the project aims to explore dread and trauma with intellectual and emotional depth.

The film will be shot by two-time Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Dante Spinotti (Heat, The Insider) and cast by Kim Coleman (BlacKkKlansman, Dear White People). Producers include Roxanne Avent Taylor, Omar Joseph, Tommy Oliver, and Gerren Crochet, with Malcolm Spellman and Lexx Fusco serving as executive producers.

Don’t Open the Door is part of a growing slate from Hidden Empire and Confluential Films that emphasizes Black-led, independent storytelling.