Boots Riley has confirmed that he has a new film in the works, and it’s an adaptation of Anne Washburn’s, “Mr. Burns: A Post‑Electric Play,” which premiered off‑Broadway.
Described as a “dark comedy,” it’s set nearly a century later, following a new civilization stumbling into its future, and where snippets of pop culture have become the live entertainment of a post‑apocalyptic society, sincerely trying to hold onto its past. A group of survivors share a campfire and begin to piece together the plot of “The Simpsons” episode “Cape Feare” entirely from memory.
Sounds like something that would fit with Riley’s off‑beat style of filmmaking.
“Cape Feare” (Season 5, Episode 2) was a Simpsons parody episode of Martin Scorsese’s “Cape Fear.” In the episode, Sideshow Bob is released from prison and seeks revenge on Bart. The Simpsons enter the witness protection program, moving to a new house under new identities, but Sideshow Bob relentlessly stalks them, leading to a series of comic and suspenseful attempts on Bart’s life. The episode is famous for that hilarious scene where Bob steps on rakes repeatedly.
Riley’s feature debut, 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You,” was well‑reviewed, a madcap tackling of corporatist America.
Seven years later, he’s finally made another film, this one titled “I Love Boosters,” starring Naomi Ackie, Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige and Demi Moore; it will have its world premiere as the opening night film of the 2026 SXSW Film Festival and is scheduled to be released theatrically by Neon on May 22, 2026.
It’s no wonder 20th Century decided to dump the movie during the last week of August—a place where movies are set up to die quietly before the fall movie season begins.