‘Delulu’: Leah McKendrick and Maddie Ziegler Team Up for Bloody New Thriller

Filmmaker Leah McKendrick (M.F.A.) has lined up her next feature, and it sounds like a particularly twisted take on fame and social media obsession. Titled Delulu, the upcoming thriller will see McKendrick writing, directing, and starring opposite Maddie Ziegler (West Side Story).

The project follows McKendrick’s recent work on Netflix’s Voicemails for Isabella, which she wrote, directed, and starred in. According to Deadline, Delulu will pit two women from very different generations against each other in what is described as a bloody showdown involving fame, envy, and the complicated bonds of girlhood.

What Is Delulu About?

McKendrick will play a washed-up millennial pop singer who kidnaps a rising Gen Z influencer, played by Ziegler. Her demand is as disturbing as it is bizarre: the young influencer must help her reach one million followers within two weeks, or face deadly consequences.

The film’s premise sets up a dark confrontation between fading celebrity and the relentless pursuit of online popularity, with social media influence becoming a matter of life and death.

McKendrick expressed her excitement about casting Ziegler, praising the performer’s evolution from a young dancer into a multifaceted artist.

“I have been a die-hard fan of Maddie since she was a little girl dancing her heart out on our TV screens – and I’m beyond blown away by the multifaceted artist she has grown into. I’m fired up to watch her devour a role that demands every color of her insane talent. Temple Hill and XYZ are fearlessly championing my vision to make my rawest, bloodiest, most ferociously female film yet,” McKendrick said.

Temple Hill Praises McKendrick’s Vision

Laura Quicksilver, Executive Vice President of Development at Temple Hill Entertainment, also shared her enthusiasm for the project, describing McKendrick as a filmmaker with a distinctive voice and approach to storytelling.

“Leah is a bold storyteller with a voice and vision that transcends genre,” Quicksilver said. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with her on Delulu, a film that is outrageously funny, emotionally vulnerable, and just wickedly twisted.”

Quicksilver also highlighted the pairing of McKendrick and Ziegler, noting that the role will bring together the actress’s abilities in both acting and dance.

McKendrick previously wrote and directed the 2017 psychological horror film M.F.A., starring Francesca Eastwood. More recently, her Netflix romantic comedy Voicemails for Isabella, led by Zoey Deutch, became the platform’s top-performing romantic comedy in five years.

Leah McKendrick Has Another Blumhouse Project in Development

Delulu isn’t the only genre project on McKendrick’s upcoming slate. The filmmaker was previously announced as the director of an untitled monster movie for Blumhouse Atomic and Universal Pictures.

First revealed in 2024, that project has not received any significant public updates since its announcement.

For now, Delulu is the latest project to watch as McKendrick prepares to bring her particular brand of dark, female-driven storytelling to the screen. Further casting, production details, and a release date have yet to be announced.