Fresh off her star-making turn in the blockbuster horror phenomenon Obsession and her high-profile casting as Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot, rising genre icon Inde Navarrette has locked in her next major project.
Apple Original Films and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment have teamed up for The Waffle House Index. It’s an apocalyptic sci-fi thriller that will see Navarrette both star in the lead role and make her debut as an executive producer.
From FEMA Metrics to Absurdist Sci-Fi Mayhem
The title is named after the real-world informal storm gauge used by emergency management officials, including FEMA. It uses Waffle House statuses to measure the severity of natural disasters across the American South. Yes, it’s a real thing.
In actual Waffle House disaster monitoring, a “Green” rating means the 24/7 diner chain is running full service. “Yellow” indicates a limited-menu operation powered by generators. However, a “Red” situation signals catastrophic damage that has forced the doors to close. However, Waffle House only ever goes red for things like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.
A Graveyard Shift Like No Other
Navarrette stars as Jane, a diner waitress working a graveyard shift that spirals from a bad night into absolute bedlam. What begins as a tense standoff with a gun-toting stranger rapidly devolves into a surreal survival gauntlet. She must survive a flash flood, man-eating crocodiles, and a nuclear detonation. That’s not all; there’s a magical bunker hidden beneath the floorboards, and an alien invasion is underway. Talk about a bad day at work.
Louis Paxton (The Incomer) is directing the wild, genre-mashing ride. The film’s screenplay was written by Andrew Nunnelly. It was acquired in a seven-figure deal after landing on the 2025 Black List.
Navarrette’s Meteoric Rise
The high-concept thriller continues Navarrette’s monumental run following her performance as Nikki in Obsession, which grossed over $500 million worldwide and saw her character adapted into a free-roaming attraction at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
Backed by Apple Original Films and Plan B, The Waffle House Index cements Navarrette as one of the most in-demand talents in the genre today.
