Neon to distribute directorial debut from Youtube film critic Chris Stuckmann
August 4th brought horror fans the long-awaited first trailer for Shelby Oaks, a new horror film from Chris Stuckmann, set for release on October 3rd. The trailer follows the film’s cryptic posters released on July 31st.
Neon will distribute the debut from its first-time horror filmmaker, produced by genre juggernaut Mike Flanagan.
Trailer follows cryptic poster campaign released last week
Like the massively successful Longlegs before it, the film’s promotion so far has consisted of a series of vague black and white posters with cryptic text including “you should be so proud of her” and “the seed shall be sown.”
Mysterious ad campaigns are nothing new to the genre, as The Blair Witch Project, The Ring, the Final Destination franchise, and the Smile films have all gotten creative when it comes to promoting their
movies.
The official trailer revolves around a woman’s search for her missing sister and her connection to the abandoned town of Shelby Oaks. When a man arrives at her doorstep and promptly shoots himself in the head, Camille Sullivan’s Mia Brennan finds he was holding a video tape featuring footage of her missing sister and her investigation of the abandoned town Shelby Oaks.
Director Chris stuckmann’s debut comes after a decades long career as a film critic on YouTube. The self-identified film buff has built an impressive following and published two books on must-see films,
including his latest Anime Impact that focuses on the innovation and legacy of Japanese animated film and television.
Production met challenges along the way, led to historic Kickstarter campaign
Following his short film debut in 2018, Stuckmann cut back his time on YouTube and honed in on directing his first feature film. Production was initially slated for 2021, but was ultimately delayed. The film began shooting in Stuckmann's home state of Ohio in 2022.
After meeting challenges with budget issues, a Kickstarter campaign was launched in support of the film and raised over one million dollars. Thanks to the success and popularity of his YouTube videos,
Stuckmann’s fan base quickly became Kickstarter’s most funded horror film on the platform’s website. It crossed the million dollar mark in only four days.
With post-production further delayed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, the film finally found a home for release after its world premiere at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival in July 2024.
Impressive cast, crew keep fan expectations high
The cast includes veteran genre actors Keith David and Michael Beach alongside TV actress Camille Sullivan, indie actor Brendan Sexton III, and several virtual unknowns. The film features a score from frequent Flanagan collaborators the Newton Brothers.
Shelby Oaks is set for release in the United States on October 3rd, 2025.