David Robert Mitchell’s “They Follow” is shaping up to be a talent-filled thrill ride. Maika Monroe returns to play Jay Height, the character she originated in the 2014 film “It Follows,” which catapulted Monroe into the horror stratosphere. She’ll be joined by a slew of actors, including “A Nightmare on Elm Street” remake star Jackie Earle Haley, as exclusively reported by Deadline.
Following a hiatus from acting (he spent several years behind the camera), Haley returned to the silver screen with roles in 2006’s “All the King’s Men” and “Little Children.” But it was his roles in “Watchmen,” “Shutter Island” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (2010), in which he played Freddy Krueger, that returned him to household fame. More recent horror credits include DW Medoff’s “Your Host” and the forthcoming horror/comedy “Family Movie,” directed by Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, now in post-production.
Jackie Earle Haley isn’t the only actor joining “They Follow” in the latest update.
Several Other Actors Join ‘They Follow’
“They Follow” expands with the addition of several other actors to its cast. Justine Lupe (most known for her role in HBO Max’s “Succession”), Anna Mirodin (“Popularity Papers,” “Ivan”) and Jayne Taini, who has made countless TV guest appearances, including in “Z Nation,” “The Legend of Korra” and more recently, “The Pitt.”
Other new cast members are Michael Gandolfini (“Daredevil: Born Again”), Tom Pecinka (“American Rust,” “The Kill Room”), Melora Walters (“The Butterfly Effect,” “Cam,” “Dead Poets Society”), Ben Krieger (“Song Sung Blue”), Natalie Shinnick (“The Brutalist”) and Jan Hoag (“The Fabelmans,” “Scream Queens”).
Naomi Ackie, known for her horror work in “The End of the F***ing World” TV series and “Blink Twice,” will play the starring role. Ackie is also known for playing Whitney Houston in the 2022 biopic “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” Ackie stars in the psychological body horror “Clayface,” hitting theaters in late 2026.
Maika Monroe Says ‘They Follow’ Pushes Boundaries
David Robert Mitchell’s “They Follow” touches base with Jay Height (Monroe) 10 years after the events of the first film. According to Maika Monroe herself, this sequel will go to new, gruesome places.
During the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast with Josh Horowitz, Monroe revealed what fans can expect from the sequel. “It’s very dark. We’re pushing the boundaries on this one for sure,” she told the host. “Even reading the script, you get the same sense of nostalgia, the slow camera movements, everything.”
Since “It Follows,” Monroe has cemented her place as one of the best actors in horror. Her work includes “Villains” (alongside Bill Skarsgård), “Watcher,” “Significant Other,” “Longlegs” (with Nicolas Cage), “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle” remake and the forthcoming “Victorian Psycho.”
During “It Follows” promo in 2015, Monroe spoke about what the “It” means in the title. She said it stems from something from the director’s childhood and a dream he had. “Sometimes, it would be someone he recognised – a friend or family member – or people he didn’t know at all,” she told Big Issue. “They would follow him, and you could run away, but it would always be there.”
That eeriness certainly comes across in “It Follows,” and by the sounds of it, “They Follow” will adhere to the same playbook.
