'Open Door' sci-fi short to become feature film after viral success online

• 'Open Door' racked up nearly 15 million views on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram
• The feature script was co-written with 'IO' screenwriter Charles Spano
• Budgeting for the film is expected to be completed by the end of June

Kevin Cate's viral sci-fi short film Open Door is being adapted into a feature-length film through a six-figure development deal, following the three-minute short's accumulation of nearly 15 million views across YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram. Cate co-wrote the feature spec script with IO screenwriter Charles Spano, building on the original short's premise of two people enduring a surreal elevator ride.

Original cast members Sean Anthony Baker and Mia Matthews are both set to reprise their roles, with the feature described in an official statement as following "the surreal, genre-bending journey of Malcolm Powers."

Hollywood's growing appetite for YouTube talent

The deal arrives amid a broader industry shift towards investing in YouTube creators and younger filmmakers who bring established online audiences to their projects. The trend follows the breakout success of horror films Obsession and Backrooms, both of which emerged from the YouTube creator pipeline. Other YouTube directors set to leap features include Portrait of God director Dylan Clark and Mora director Sam Evenson.

Production and development details

Open Door is in development with executive producer Rick Kearney alongside Cate's independent production company Clinging Vine Films, the same outfit behind Cate's forthcoming directorial debut Unbearable Christmas, which stars Julia Stiles, David Cross and Stephen Root.

Cate confirmed that budgeting for the feature is expected to be finalised by the end of June, with the team continuing to raise funds and evaluate additional casting options. Timed to coincide with the development announcement, Cate has launched a dedicated website offering fans of the short film clues, updates, fan theories and behind-the-scenes content.

Cate speaks out

Cate addressed the long-running fan curiosity surrounding the short's mysterious ending in a statement released alongside the announcement. "I literally can't go a day without someone asking me what our characters saw down there," he said.

"And I really, really can't wait to show everyone — and give some hints along the way … We are ride or die with our original cast and crew who made this all happen." He added: "And we've written some of the most incredible roles to make this a next-level project. Right now, it's just a matter of showing the demand and finding our village."