The studio behind Longlegs and Infinity Pool has picked up new horror movie and plans to reshoot certain scenes, making the paranormal flick even scarier.
Made by YouTube critic Chris Stuckmann, the already popular found footage flick has found a home at Neon, as reported by IndieWire. Neon will distribute Shelby Oaks theatrically from October 3, 2025.
Stuckmann’s directional debut was made possible due to crowdfunding. However, Neon has upped the budget so that the director can add and reshoot scenes in a bid to up the level of "gore and violence." Producer Aaron Koontz explained how Neon loved the film at face value, but when they found out that certain scenes were cut or toned down due to budgeting issues, the studio offered additional budget.
The reshoots took place over three days in March 2024 inside the real prison from The Shawshank Redemption. Derek Mears, known best as Jason Voorhees in the 2009 Friday the 13th remake, also joined the cast during this time. The studio also brought in Companion editor Brett W. Bachman to give Shelby Oaks a "fresh edit and polish."
Struckmann’s original version of Shelby Oaks premiered at Fantasia Fest in Montreal last July, and then showed at Fright Fest in the UK sometime after. The film was met with positive reviews, earning a respectable 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stuckmann is best known for reviewing movies online, where he has accumulated millions of followers, part of the reason why he managed to raise over $1.3 million on Kickstarter to make Shelby Oaks. The YouTuber has also gained a mentor in horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, who also serves as an executive producer on Shelby Oaks.
Shelby Oaks follows a young woman named Mia as she looks for her paranormal investigator sister Riley, 12 years after she went missing. "As Mia uncovers new and disturbing leads related to Riley’s disappearance, she uncovers evidence of a hidden supernatural evil dating all the way back to her and Riley’s childhood."
Shelby Oaks hits theaters on October 3, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best found footage horror movies, or keep up with other upcoming horror movies heading your way.
