The Man in My Basement
| The Man in My Basement | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Nadia Latif |
| Written by |
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| Based on | The Man In My Basement by Walter Mosley |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ula Pontikos |
| Edited by | Mark Towns |
| Music by | Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Hulu |
Release dates |
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Running time | 115 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
The Man in My Basement is a 2025 thriller film directed by Nadia Latif (in her feature directorial debut) and written by Latif and Walter Mosley, based on Mosley's 2004 novel. It stars Corey Hawkins, Willem Dafoe, Anna Diop and Tamara Lawrance.
The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in select theaters on September 12, 2025.[2][3]
Plot
[edit]Charles Blakey, an African American man living in Sag Harbor, is stuck in a rut, out of luck, and about to lose his ancestral home when a peculiar white businessman offers to rent his basement for the summer.
Cast
[edit]- Corey Hawkins as Charles Blakey
- Willem Dafoe as Anniston Bennet
- Anna Diop as Narciss Gully
- Tamara Lawrance as Bethany
Production
[edit]In March 2022, it was announced that a film adaptation of Walter Mosley's 2004 novel The Man in My Basement was in development, with Nadia Latif making her directorial debut as well as writing the screenplay. Jonathan Majors had been cast as Charles Blakey and that he would also serve as an executive producer.[4] In August 2022, Willem Dafoe joined the cast of the film portraying Anniston Bennet.[5]
In 2023, following Majors's arrest in March 2023 and subsequent assault allegations, he was fired from the film.[6] In January 2024, Corey Hawkins was cast to replace Majors.[7] In February, Anna Diop joined the cast of the film playing Narciss Gully.[8]
Filming
[edit]Principal photography began on January 30, 2024, in Cardiff, Wales.[9]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 43% of 37 critics' reviews are positive.[10] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 51 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[11][12]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Man in My Basement (15)". British Board of Film Classification. September 8, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (2025-07-23). "TIFF 2025: 'The Man In My Basement' Starring Corey Hawkins & Willem Dafoe Among Discovery Titles". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ Jackson, Angelique (2025-08-14). "'The Man in My Basement' Trailer: Corey Hawkins Stars as a Cash-Strapped Man With Willem Dafoe as His Unsettling Tenant in TIFF-Bound Thriller". Variety. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 15, 2022). "Jonathan Majors To Star In Protagonist Pictures Adaptation Of Walter Mosley's 'The Man In My Basement'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (August 4, 2022). "Willem Dafoe Joins Nadia Latif's 'The Man In My Basement'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 18, 2023). "Hollywood's Wariness Of Jonathan Majors Grows: Actor No Longer Starring In 'The Man In My Basement' Movie; Cut From Texas Rangers Ad Campaign". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 29, 2024). "'The Color Purple's Corey Hawkins Sets 'The Man In My Basement' For Disney-ESPN's Andscape". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Jackson, Angelique (February 6, 2024). "Anna Diop Joins Corey Hawkins, Willem Dafoe in 'The Man in My Basement' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ^ Calnan, Ellie (January 30, 2024). "'The Man In My Basement' starring Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe filming in Wales". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "The Man in My Basement". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
- ^ "The Man in My Basement". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
- ^ "The Man in My Basement Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 13, 2025.