THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS (2025)
Details about the updated version are still under wraps, so it’s unclear if it will stick to the original or take a new direction. A 2020 Collider report mentioned it won’t be like the proposed TV show about a woman missing at the landlords’ mansion.
The new movie is expected to focus more on the social commentary of the original film. Though Monkeypaw and Universal haven’t released an official plot synopsis for “The People Under The Stairs,” it’s being called a remake, so it will likely follow the 1991 Wes Craven film’s story. That movie tells the story of two burglars and a boy named Fool who break into a pair of landlords’ home to pay for Fool’s mother’s surgery, discovering several trapped children and the creepy slumlords, Mommy and Daddy.
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“The People Under The Stairs” has been overdue for a remake (the horror master behind it, who also created franchises like “Scream” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” died in 2015) and it’s only fitting that it’s finally in the works courtesy of the new master of social commentary-filled thrillers, Jordan Peele and Peele’s production company Monkeypaw is at work on an update to Craven’s original.While Jordan Peele’s name in the headlines may excite horror fans, he’s currently only attached as a producer for this project.
There’s no director yet, but Peele’s “Candyman” co-writer Win Rosenfeld is also involved behind the scenes. The script is being written by Ezra Claytan Daniels, a multimedia artist known for graphic novels like “The Changers” and “Upgrade Soul,” as well as his work on shows like “Doom Patrol” and “Night Sky.” Though this will be Daniels’ first feature film script, his background in creative and thoughtful horror makes him well-suited for the project.
WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH? Since “The People Under the Stairs” is being produced by Universal and Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, it will likely have a THEATRICAL release. Every Monkeypaw film so far, like “Get Out” and “Candyman,” has had a run in theaters, except for the 2022 animated Netflix movie “Wendell & Wild.” Itโs expected sometime in 2025.
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Acclaimed horror director Jordan Peele has set his sites on a remake of Wes Craven’sย The People Under the Stairs, and the project is finally getting major updates. Originally released in 1991, the cult classic follows a young boy named Fool who breaks into his greedy landlord’s house only to discover a depraved secret world. Craven, most known forย A Nightmare on Elm Streetย andย Scream, did not have a hit on his hands withย The People Under the Stairs, and the socially conscious chiller was largely ignored upon initial release.
In recent years, actor/director Jordan Peele has established himself as one of the brightest lights in horror, and his movies often make commentary on race, class, and a variety of other social issues. As such, Peele is the perfect modern director to tackle the late Craven’s ahead-of-its-time vision in the 21st century.ย Jordan Peele’s moviesย are thoughtful and incisive, and yet they don’t skimp on the scares that make them great horror flicks. Peele’s vision forย The People Under the Stairsย was announced a few years ago, but promising news is finally coming out about his latest opus.
Is The People Under The Stairs Based On A True Story? Wes Cravenโs Inspiration Explained
Wes Craven’s cult classic horror movie The People Under the Stairs has a psychologically disturbing premise that feels inspired by a true story.
Jordan Peele’s The People Under The Stairs Latest News
A Writer Is Hired
Though the project has been confirmed for years, the latest news came in November 2023 whenย Jordan Peele’sย The People Under the Stairsย finally landed a writer. Hollywoodย writer Jeremy Carver has been tapped to help bring Peele’s vision to life, and the wordsmith is well-versed in genre-bending projects with work on shows likeย Doom Patrolย andย Supernatural. There has been no word yet on exactly what tone the new movie is going for, but it will take Carver and Peele’s quirky and intelligent storytelling to preserve the odd tone that helped make Craven’s original such a beloved cult movie.
Jordan Peele’s The People Under The Stairs Is Confirmed
Peele Announced The Remake In 2020
Though it took until November 2023 for the remake to land a writer,ย the film has been confirmed since 2020. Jordan Peele has been a big screen taste-maker since the release of his 2017 filmย Get Out, and he isn’t one to make superfluous announcements regarding upcoming films. However, it was a bit troublesome thatย The People Under the Stairsย received no updates for three years, but that could have been chalked up to the COVID-19 pandemic which temporarily derailed Hollywood. On top of that, Peele has consistently released other films in the intervening years.
Jordan Peele’s untitled fourth film is scheduled to premiere on October 23, 2026.
Jordan Peele’s The People Under The Stairs Production Status
It Will Be A Long Time Before The Remake Arrives
The cult classic horror filmย obviously inspired Peele’s own filmmaking style, and it seems as if the director is taking his time while crafting his own spin. As such,ย The People Under the Stairsย is still in the early days of pre-production, and the announcement of Jeremy Carver helped to confirm that fact.ย The script will likely go through a slew of drafts before Peele decides to direct it, and considering the fact that it is a passion project, it might take years to be released.
With all that in mind,ย The People Under the Stairsย probably won’t arrive for several years, especially with Peele’s untitled fourth film still on the way. Since the unknown fourth movie likely isn’t hisย People Under the Stairsย remake,ย it’s safe to say that it won’t be released before the year 2026.
Jordan Peele’s The People Under The Stairs Story
How Will The Remake Change The Original Story
What hasn’t changed in the 30-plus years is the important social commentary that made the movie so controversial in the first place.
The clever social commentary of Wes Craven’s cult classic is likely what drew Jordan Peele to the movie in the first place, and his remake probably won’t skimp on that aspect when modernizing the story. The basic premise is rather simple, and sees a precocious young Black boy named Fool who breaks into his greedy landlords’ house after they threaten to evict his family. What he discovers in their house of horrors is the bulk of the quirky horror flick, and Peele will undoubtedly dream up some new chills as well.
The remake ofย The People Under the Stairsย will likely be a modernized version, and the incorporation of 21st century technology does present a unique storytelling challenge. What hasn’t changed in the 30-plus years is the important social commentary that made the movie so controversial in the first place.ย Peele won’t have to work too hard to keep those themes relevant, especially since they’ve become even more pressing since 1991.
