Imaginary: DeWanda Wise takes the lead in Jeff Wadlow’s Blumhouse horror film

Last week, it was announced that DeWanda Wise of Jurassic World: Dominion will be starring in the possession thriller Killing Faith, which is expected to start filming in January, alongside Guy Pearce and Tim Roth. Now it has been officially announced (via The Hollywood Reporter) that Wise has the lead role in another horror project – and this one has already wrapped production! The project is Imaginary, the latest from director Jeff Wadlow and Blumhouse Productions – who had previously collaborated on the 2018 film Truth or Dare and the 2020 horror version of Fantasy Island. Lionsgate will be giving Imaginary a theatrical release on March 8, 2024.

The film sees Wise taking on the role of Jessica, who moves back into her childhood home with her family, and her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more concerning, Jessica intervenes, only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believes him to be.

Wadlow wrote the screenplay for Imaginary with Greg Erb, Jason Oremland, and Bryce McGuire. An earlier synopsis we saw made it sound like a horror take on the 1991 comedy Drop Dead Fred: A young woman returns to her childhood home only to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and very unhappy she left.

The director had this to say about working with Wise: “DeWanda has been more than a star on this movie — she has been a full creative partner. So much of horror grows out of our most basic fears from childhood, and DeWanda taps into all of that. You know that old saying that the audience’s imagination is scarier than any movie? We’re going to put that to the test.“

Lionsgate and Blumhouse are co-financing Imaginary. Lionsgate and Blumhouse previously worked together on the 2012 release Sinister. Wadlow is producing the film alongside Blumhouse founder Jason Blum.

In addition to Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island, Wadlow has also directed Cry_Wolf, Never Back Down, Kick-Ass 2, True Memoirs of an International Assassin, and The Curse of Bridge Hollow, as well as episodes of TV shows like Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television and Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Are you interested in Imaginary? What do you think of DeWanda Wise playing the lead character? Let us know by leaving a comment below.