Boots Riley to Bring Anne Washburn's MR. BURNS Play to the Screen

Boots Riley, filmmaker behind 2018's Sorry to Bother You and the upcoming I Love Boosters, is adapting Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play as a feature film.

After Washburn first shared the news in her bio for the 2025 production of The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire, Riley recently confirmed his involvement in the project in a post on X. 

The dark comedy play follows a group of survivors who gather after the apocalypse and attempt to recall and reconstruct the plot of The Simpsons episode “Cape Feare” entirely from memory.

Seven years later, fragments of pop culture—sitcom episodes, commercials, jingles, and pop songs—have become the basis of communal entertainment for a society trying to preserve its past, with the story being performed by a theater company. Seventy-five years later, these retellings have further transformed into myths and legends, with the story becoming even more epic and dramatic as it has evolved over time.

Washburn's play, featuring music by Michael Friedman, was originally commissioned by The Civilians theater company. It officially held its world premiere in Washington, D.C. in 2012 before running at Playwrights Horizons in 2013.

"Cape Feare", from Season 5 of The Simpsons, is a darkly comedic spoof of the Cape Fear films and features guest star Kelsey Grammer as the murderous Sideshow Bob, who attempts to kill Bart Simpson after being released from jail. It is considered one of the best episodes of the long-running series.