Overview
- Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter report that Screen Gems prevailed in a competitive race for the packaged film Mime with John David Washington attached to star and Nikyatu Jusu set to direct.
- The screenplay is reported to be a spec by Stephen Herman based on his original idea and the story is said to take place in a New York City apartment complex during a heat‑wave blackout.
- Producers named in coverage include Matt Tolmach, Scott Derrickson through his Crooked Highway banner, and Camila Grove, with Washington also listed as a producer.
- Reports describe Mime as in active development and say the project will fall under Derrickson’s first‑look deal with Screen Gems, though studio confirmation and financial terms have not been published.
- The coverage highlights why studios are chasing the package by pairing a marketable lead with Jusu’s festival profile from NANNY and shows how first‑look deals can steer auteur-driven horror into studio pipelines.