Lookout Hollywood! Another Spielberg is ready to take Tinsel Town by storm! Steven Spielberg’s daughter, Destry Allyn Spielberg, is about to make her feature directorial debut with Please Don’t Feed the Children. The project is heading to the Cannes market, with Altitude managing international sales and WME Independent managing North American deals.
The feature-length genre piece stars Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), with filming in New Mexico on May 30. The team is finalizing additional cast members now for a story that hits close to home in a post-pandemic world. According to Deadline, Please Don’t Feed the Children takes place after a viral outbreak ravaged the country’s adult population. In the film, a group of orphans heads south, searching for a new life, only to find themselves at the mercy of a deranged woman harboring a dangerous secret.
Described as a psychological thriller, Paul Bertino wrote the script, with production happening courtesy of Jason Dubin through Perry Street Films, Josh Kesselman, and Michael Hagerty.
Before readying her feature-length directorial debut, Spielberg won Best Thriller at the City of Angels Women’s Film Festival in 2022 for her short film Let Me Go the Right Way. The film, co-written by Spielberg and Owen King, focuses on a young veteran whose sense of reality is crumbling and the psychiatrist who treats him. Hopper Penn, Brian d’Arcy James, and Pooya Mohseni star.
“I am so grateful to have the opportunity to bring this story to the screen with such a collaborative and inspirational team. This picture is so much more than just a horror film. It’s a dream come true to work with a talent such as Michelle Dockery. I am excited to the genre with our incredible cast and crew.” Spielberg said about prepping Please Don’t Feed the Children.
Have you ever seen any of Destry Allyn Spielberg’s short films? I can’t imagine the pressure of being the daughter of Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest living filmmakers of several generations. I’m eager to see Destry’s work on the feature-length stage and discover her growing talent for myself. How about you? Are you ready for the next generation of Spielberg to take center stage?