Strung

Strung
Official release poster
Directed byMalcolm D. Lee
Written byAlan B. McElroy
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyGreg Gardiner
Edited byPaul Millspaugh
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed byPeacock
Release dates
  • May 27, 2026 (2026-05-27) (ABFF)
  • June 26, 2026 (2026-06-26) (United States)
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Strung is a 2026 American psychological thriller film directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by Alan B. McElroy. It stars Chloe Bailey, Lynn Whitfield, Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones, and Romy Woods. Tyler Perry and Jason Blum serve as producers through their Peachtree & Vine and Blumhouse Productions banners, respectively, in association with Blackmaled Productions. The film follows Laila (played by Bailey), a struggling violinist who accepts a live-in tutoring job for a wealthy, elite family and discovers a web of dark secrets.

Strung premiered at the American Black Film Festival on May 27, 2026, and was released on June 26, 2026 by Peacock.

Plot

Cast

Production

Development

On October 1, 2021, it was reported that Alan B. McElroy would write and direct Help, with Jason Blum and Tyler Perry producing the film. On May 16, 2025, it was announced that Chloe Bailey, Lynn Whitfield, Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones, and Romy Woods would star in the film, with Malcolm D. Lee replacing McElroy as the director.

Filming

Principal photography was reported to be beginning in Cape Town, South Africa on March 7, 2025, prior to the announcement of the cast.

Music

Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge composed the score for the film.

Release

Strung premiered at the American Black Film Festival on May 27, 2026, and was released on June 26, 2026 by Peacock.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 31% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.5/10.

References

  1. ↑ "Strung [MA 15+]". Australian Classification Board. July 14, 2026. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  2. ↑ DiVincenzo, Alex (May 21, 2026). "'Strung' Trailer – Chloe Bailey Strikes a Chord in Jason Blum-Tyler Perry Psychological Thriller". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  3. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 1, 2021). "Tyler Perry & Jason Blum Team For The First Time On Feature 'Help' – BlumFest". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ Kroll, Justin; Grobar, Matt (May 16, 2025). "Lucien Laviscount, Chloe Bailey, Lynn Whitfield & Anna Diop To Star In Thriller From Malcolm D. Lee And Blumhouse". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ Dutta, Shubhabrata (December 12, 2024). "Malcolm D. Lee to Direct 'Help' For Blumhouse". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ Reporter, Film Music (June 19, 2026). "Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge Scoring Malcolm D. Lee's 'Strung'". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
  7. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (March 26, 2026). "Malcolm D. Lee's Psychological Thriller 'Strung', Starring Chloe Bailey, to Open the American Black Film Festival's 30th Anniversary Edition (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Strung". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 30, 2026.