Product Code Database
Shelby Oaks is a 2024 American supernatural horror mystery film produced, written, and directed by Chris Stuckmann in his feature directorial debut. It stars Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Michael Beach, Robin Bartlett, and Keith David. The film is also produced by Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead.
Shelby Oaks had its world premiere at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival on July 20, 2024, and is scheduled to be released in the United States by Neon on October 3, 2025. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed toward the first half, the atmosphere, and Camille Sullivan's performance.
The production was scheduled to begin in late 2021, but was delayed due to insufficient funds and a potential strike by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) trade union. Funding was achieved via a Kickstarter campaign that began on March 1, 2022. On March 21, Shelby Oaks became the most-funded horror film project on Kickstarter after raising $650,000. The campaign crossed the $1 million mark from 11,200 backers by March 25.
During the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022, Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Michael Beach, Robin Bartlett, Keith David, Charlie Talbert, Emily Bennett, and Sarah Durn were revealed as the cast. Stuckmann and his wife Samantha Elizabeth co-wrote the story, while Andrew Scott Baird served as cinematographer. Shelby Oaks Movie Website
Mike Flanagan, Trevor Macy and Melinda Nishioka served as executive producers on Shelby Oaks, under their production company Intrepid Pictures. On joining the project, Flanagan said: "I was impressed with Chris' work ethic, his intellect, his talent and his determination ... I watched his Kickstarter campaign for Shelby with great interest as it really took off ... There was so much about Chris' experience and story that reminded me of what I went through on my first film Absentia, he's on a really exciting path, and it has been a pleasure to share a few small steps with him on his way." Flanagan provided Stuckmann with notes and feedback from the script stage to post-production as well as offering additional industry connections.
The film was scored by the Newton Brothers, frequent collaborators of Flanagan. During post-production, filmmakers David F. Sandberg, Sev Ohanian, and Scott Beck and Bryan Woods also gave notes after watching a rough cut. In July 2024, Neon acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film. By March 2025, Derek Mears joined the cast and Brett W. Bachman was hired to re-edit the film.
In a more mixed review, Katie Rife of IGN gave a rating of 6/10, commenting that "the first half of Shelby Oaks creates an intrigue that the second half just can't sustain." Clint Worthington of RogerEbert.com gave a similar review, writing that "the first half has a fascinating DIY investigatory feel to it – it channels the true-crime impulse to pore over footage to zoom in on new details, or chase down leads late at night despite all warnings. But as the clues start to take shape, the central mystery starts to feel a bit too familiar, an uninspired gumbo of everything from The Blair Witch Project to Rosemary's Baby, with even more obvious cues eagle-eyed horror hounds will recognize." David Cuevas of Next Best Picture gave the film a 3/10, concluding that "as an admirable genre attempt, Stuckmann's passionate directorial voice brings home a few note-worthy scares and compelling ideas to the table. However, throughout its timeline, Shelby Oaks aimlessly intersects formulaic cliches and other predictable beats with non-existent punctuation."
|
|
