Octavia Spencer took on a change of scenery in 2019 when she made a leading appearance in the horror film Ma, appearing alongside Juliette Lewis, Diana Silvers, Corey Fogelmanis, Gianni Paolo, McKaley Miller and Luke Evans in a chillingly uncomfortable story of a gang of teens pretending to befriend a lonely middle-aged woman to gain access to her basement for parties, with distasterous result once the woman begins a reign on terror.

The film was directed by Tate Taylor, who worked from a script penned by Scotty Landes, and was released under Blumhouse.

Noting how the role would mean audiences would witness her step away from her more charming, family-friendly roles, Spencer addressed how “any young actress, should she want to star in a romantic comedy that should be available to her, if she wants to star in a horror film, that should be available to her. So, it’s exciting to play something outside of the three archetypes that people like to see me in.”

The star also mentioned how “before Ma, these types of roles haven’t really been available to women of color.”

Ma saw success in its grossing of $60 million worldwide at the box office from a production budget of $5 million, yet oversaw mixed reviews. However, as with most bizarre horror flicks, the film has been reassessed online to garner a cult following and an expression of love in the form of memes.

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A sequel was announced in June 2025, with Spencer returning and Ashley Nicole Black confirmed to be writing Ma’s next reign of terror. Despite minimal follow up news, Spencer has recently provided Ma’s fans with an update.

“We are working hard on getting a great script out. Blumhouse is the best at what they do,” the Oscar-winner shared. “It’s going to be chock-full of surprises.” 

Blumhouse founder Jason Blum added his joy towards how the 2019 horror has “proven to be a social phenomenon since its release in 2019, with fans eagerly embracing the film and Octavia’s iconic performance as Ma,” as well as how her line “Don’t make me drink alone” is still quoted.

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