The film follows a group of New Yorkers who are terrorized by a monstrous rat; it stars Tyler Posey and Kailey Hyman, with David Howard Thornton portraying Screamboat Willie.

While the Walt Disney Company retains exclusive rights to the depictions of Mickey Mouse from their own franchise, the Steamboat Willie version of the character entered the public domain on January 1, 2024; one day later, Screamboat was announced.

LaMorte said the film is "the story of a late-night ferry ride in New York City where commuters and deckhands and all the usual passengers are attacked by a murderous and mischievous mouse who is mean, tiny, and loves getting up to no good".

[3] After Steamboat Willie's copyright lapsed, LaMorte began working on a then-untitled horror film based on the short.

[5] In November 2024, Tyler Posey and Kailey Hyman were announced in key roles, while comedians Brian Quinn and Joe DeRosa have cameos.