**EXCLUSIVE: Drama Free Films Launches with Ambitious Slate of Genre Films Under $10M**
Up-and-coming producers Justin Steele and Micah Molinari have joined forces to launch **Drama Free Films**, a Los Angeles-based indie production company dedicated to creating high-quality, budget-friendly genre pictures. Backed by a private financing group led by executive producer Natalie Kline, the company is targeting projects in the under-$10 million market, with a strong emphasis on keeping productions within the United States.
Amanda Konis will also join the leadership team, serving as the company’s CFO.
“We at Drama Free are proud to be collaborating to develop high-quality, budget-friendly films with broad audience appeal,” said Steele. “Our goal has always been to establish the kind of environment where filmmakers are meaningfully supported from the ground up. We look forward to building a venture that is bold, adaptable, and deeply collaborative, while continuing to champion distinctive, unexpected stories.”
**Upcoming Projects**
Drama Free Films sets off with a promising slate of three features scheduled for release in 2026.
– **Miami Nights**
The company’s flagship release is *Miami Nights*, an action thriller that follows two war heroes who are discharged without honor after saving a famed American journalist overseas. As they struggle to reintegrate into civilian life, they collide with local criminals in a deadly scheme to steal a priceless diamond.
Directed by Justin Steele, the film stars Terrence Howard, Jeremy Piven, Jeremy Sumpter, Sydelle Noel, Manu Bennett, and Thomas Jane.
– **The Leader**
Currently in post-production, *The Leader* is a historical crime thriller inspired by the story of the infamous cult Heaven’s Gate, responsible for the largest mass suicide in American history.
Written and directed by Michael J. Gallagher (*Funny Story*), the film stars Vera Farmiga and Tim Blake Nelson as the cult’s leaders, alongside Jim Parsons and Simon Rex.
– **Cipher**
Also in post-production, *Cipher* is a thriller written and directed by Tony Giglio (*Doom: Annihilation*). The story centers on a renowned author who, after losing his wife and becoming a paraplegic, comes into possession of a supernatural typewriter that has the power to fulfill his deepest desires.
Terrence Howard returns to lead the cast, joined by Paula Patton, Britt Robertson, and Joel David Moore.
Adding to the momentum, John Lewis—who currently holds a first-look deal with Platinum Dunes—has partnered with Drama Free Films on this three-picture slate.
With a commitment to fostering distinctive storytelling and supporting filmmakers from the ground up, Drama Free Films aims to make a significant impact on the indie genre film market. Stay tuned for more updates on their upcoming releases.
https://deadline.com/2025/10/justin-steele-micah-molinari-launch-drama-free-films-1236567736/
