The Insidious Universe Expands With New Spin-Off Film Starring Mandy Moore And Kumail Nanjiani

With "Insidious: The Red Door," the horror series' first entry in five years, set for release on July 7, 2023, you might've expected Blumhouse to gauge the opening weekend gross before greenlighting a sixth entry. But with the horror genre being one of the most reliable theatrical draws in the post-lockdown era, it's something of a given that the fifth installment of the modestly budgeted franchise will reap a tidy profit for all involved.

Right now, all we know about "Insidious: The Red Door" is that it will be the concluding chapter of the Lambert family narrative. It's directed by star Patrick Wilson and returns most of the original cast. It looks positively terrifying, which is no surprise because these movies have been reliable scare machines since the first movie wrecked audiences in 2010.

So, yes, a sixth film is on the way. But if this is the last film involving the Lamberts, where precisely is the series to go? Will producers James Wan and Jason Blum take the "Halloween III: Season of the Witch" approach, and tell an entirely different tale of terror?

To an extent, yes. But everything you've come to love about the "Insidious" movies will evidently remain intact. Here's what we know so far.

According to Deadline, Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani have signed on to "Thread: An Insidious Tale." The film will be written and directed by Jeremy Slater, who masterminded Marvel Studios' terrific "Moon Knight" series. Slater was also the creator of Fox's nifty "The Exorcist" series, so do not question his horror bona-fides.

Per Deadline's plot synopsis, this film will retain the family element. Moore and Nanjiani will play a husband and wife who harness the power of a spell that allows them to leap back in time to avert the death of their daughter. This proves to be a horrible idea, but it sounds like you can forget about a visit from the Lipstick-Face Demon. Whatever haunts Moore and Nanjiani will be an entirely new, presumably otherworldly menace.

Moore and Nanjiani are a fun pairing. Moore's done horror (most notably "47 Meters Down"), while Nanjiani has branched out from his comedy wheelhouse to play a Marvel superhero in Chloé Zhao's "Eternals." They're a couple of good-looking, charismatic kids. I can't wait to see Slater put them through the wringer for daring to save their deceased kid.

There's no start date yet for "Thread: An Insidious Tale," but you can probably expect to see it at some point in 2024. Watch this space for updates!