Slaughter played Squidward in the comedy Daddy's Home, along with Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. Sean Anders directed the film, which was released on December 25, 2015 by Paramount Pictures. Slaughter also had supporting roles in the 2015 films American Ultra and The Big Short. He played an NSA staffer in the science fiction film Midnight Special, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, and Kirsten Dunst. Jeff Nichols directed the film, released on March 18, 2016 by Warner Bros.