District 9 director Neill Blomkamp quietly filmed a horror movie this summer

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Director Neill Blomkamp, known for his original sci-fi films like District 9 and Elysium, quietly got back in action since making the 2015 feature Chappie.

The filmmaker shot a horror movie he wrote this past summer in British Columbia with on-set COVID-19 safety protocols in place, EW has learned from multiple sources. The movie, a title and plot for which has not been revealed, is described as a supernatural horror from AGC Studios.

Blomkamp was announced to direct actor Taylor Kitsch in the movie The Inferno, also from AGC, in October 2019. In light of the pandemic, he shifted gears. Last June, he shared on social media that he was "starting to make films again" and posted a photo of a dark hallway from a "new horror film."

This will mark Blomkamp's first feature film since Chappie, which he previously said was "unbelievably painful" in light of the largely negative reviews it received. “That was difficult on several levels," he said. "But the thing with Chappie was, it felt like it was extremely close to the film I had in my head. Up until the film came out, I felt like I had given my all, and that I’d tried my hardest to make the film I had in my head, and I felt like I achieved that.”

Afterwards, Blomkamp focused his attention on his Oats Studios banner and developing a series of sci-fi short films. One of which, Zygote starring Dakota Fanning, leaned more towards sci-fi horror with a terrifying, multi-limbed abominable creature. He also shot a live-action short film to promote the video game Anthem.

Blomkamp was previously scheduled to direct Chris Evans in disaster movie Greenland, but he told EW in a February 2019 interview "there’s some political stuff happening" that prevented him from offering updates. He was also attached to develop a sequel to the original RoboCop but revealed last year he was busy with the horror film and MGM needed to shoot the movie sooner than later — a funny thought considering where we are now.

The cast for the horror film is said to be made up of largely Canadian actors, Blomkamp's Chappie editor Julian Clarke, and Volition cinematographer Byron Kopman.

Deadline was the first to report the news.

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