This is a calculated move for all three actors—branching into elevated horror with serious dramatic roots. Lil Rel Howery, best known for his comedic work in 'Get Out,' gets to flex darker muscles alongside two seasoned prestige TV performers.
Insiders note this project came together fast—principal photography just kicked off in New York, which means contracts were finalized under serious time pressure. The Cannes sales angle suggests the producers are already positioning this for international distribution before a single scene wraps.
Variety reported on May 12, 2026 that filming commenced in New York. Minerva Pictures will launch world sales at the Cannes Market with a library of nearly 2,500 titles. The film is co-directed by Amir Noorani and Eric Bergemann, who also produced alongside Atit Shah's Create Entertainment.
Three names with built-in audiences just aligned on a psychological horror project that could go very right or very wrong—and the fact that cameras are already rolling in New York suggests someone's betting big that this marriage of trauma narratives and supernatural dread will resonate globally.
Lil Rel Howery, Angela Sarafyan, and Manny Montana have officially signed on for 'The Things We Hide,' an indie psychological horror film that just started principal photography in New York. The trio brings serious genre credibility to the project—Howery is best known for his scene-stealing work in Jordan Peele's 'Get Out,' while Sarafyan spent years navigating the twisted mysteries of HBO's 'Westworld' and Montana held it down across multiple seasons of NBC's 'Good Girls.' Variety first reported the casting news on May 12, 2026.
The film is co-directed and produced by Amir Noorani and Eric Bergemann, whose script apparently dives deep into some genuinely unsettling territory. According to the synopsis, 'The Things We Hide' follows a couple named Naomi and Logan who retreat to a remote farmhouse after a psychological breakdown nearly destroys their marriage. Once they arrive seeking that elusive fresh start, terrifying events begin blurring the line between trauma, paranoia, and genuine supernatural horror.
It's a premise that could easily tip into cliché or transcend into something genuinely disturbing—the execution will be everything. 'Our cast brings extraordinary depth and complexity to roles that demand exactly that,' said Atit Shah of Create Entertainment, the lead production company behind the film alongside 'Monsoon' and 'Forgive Don't Forget.' The directors Noorani and Bergemann doubled down on that sentiment in a joint statement, describing the project as 'designed to feel layered, intimate and psychologically ambiguous' with 'every visual choice intentional,' constantly challenging audiences to question what is real versus perceived.
That's ambitious language for an indie horror effort, but it's exactly the kind of commitment that separates elevated genre work from straightforward scare tactics. Italy's Minerva Pictures has already boarded the project and will launch world sales at the Cannes Market—with nearly 2,500 titles in their library, they're no strangers to moving product internationally. Monica Ciarli from Minerva called it 'a psychological thriller with all the ingredients to captivate international audiences: a gripping concept, a distinctive directorial vision, and an exceptional cast and creative team behind it.' Translation?
They think they have a winner and they're heading to Cannes to prove it. The real question is whether this particular combination of talent can deliver something memorable or if it'll get lost in the crowded elevated horror space. With cameras already rolling in New York, we'll find out sooner rather than later—and given that Minerva is already positioning for global sales before production wraps, someone's clearly confident this thing has legs beyond domestic distribution.
