Joel McHale to Star in Short Film From ‘Open Door’ Director Kevin Cate (EXCLUSIVE)

Joel McHale’s next move could be a viral sensation.

McHale is set to star in the next short film from director Kevin Cate, the pair confirmed in a collaborative video on Oct. 23.

Cate’s 2023 sci-fi short “Open Door” received 15 million views across YouTube shorts, TikTok and Instagram, and is going to be adapted into a feature.

Cate has also been busy directing his first feature, “Unbearable Christmas,” starring Julia Stiles and Alex Moffat. He also released his latest short film, “Birthday Flight,” in Sept., which has hit a million views on various platforms.

No information outside of McHale’s casting is known about the short film, but Cate is set to collaborate again with the same core team that made “Open Door,” “Birthday Flight” and “Unbearable Christmas” under his Clinging Vine Films banner.

McHale is best known as a host and comedic ringer on scores of shows, known for his acerbic wit on current series like “The 1% Club,” “House of Villains” and “Crime Scene Kitchen.” He also stars on the Fox sitcom “Animal Control,” which is now in its fifth season. In film, McHale appeared this year in “Scream 7” and the satire “Stop! That! Train!”

Watch Cate and McHale in the announcement video below.