Hellbilly Hollow opens in select theaters after Sunset Strip premiere

The Southern slasher Hellbilly Hollow opened Friday in select U.S. theaters after a Hollywood advance premiere on the Sunset Strip. The film was shot entirely at the real Hellbilly Hollow haunt in Vincent, Alabama, and is playing in seven metro areas with a public Q&A set in Long Beach.

Why it matters: - Hellbilly Hollow turns a real Alabama haunted attraction into a feature film, giving the haunt a wider national audience. - The release gives horror fans a new theatrical slasher tied to an existing destination attraction, which may help drive interest in both the movie and the haunt.

What happened: - Hellbilly Hollow premiered on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and opened Friday, Sept. 25, in select U.S. theaters. - The film is now playing in Birmingham, Cincinnati, Columbus, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Omaha and Orlando. - Regal Edwards Long Beach will host a public Q&A after the 7:40 p.m. screening. - The film shot entirely on the grounds of the real Hellbilly Hollow attraction in Vincent, Alabama. - Watch the trailer.

The details: - The story follows paranormal YouTubers who travel to the Alabama backwoods to film at a haunted attraction the night before Halloween. - The group discovers the scares are real and runs into killer siblings Tickles and Bull. - Tickles is described as a disfigured, childlike clown. - Bull is the manipulative brother who looks after him. - One by one, the investigators and local thrill-seekers fall victim to the siblings. - Kevin Wayne came up with the idea while directing a commercial at Hellbilly Hollow. - Wayne pictured a figure stalking victims through the haunt’s backwoods, and the film grew from that moment. - Wayne directed the film and also serves as an actor in the project. - The cast includes Kurt Deimer, Kevin Wayne, Danny Vinson, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Megan Alexandrea Weaver, Hallie Shepherd, Trey Miller and Keller Fornes. - David Brower served as director of photography. - Roy Mayorga composed the original score. - The film was produced by Kurt Deimer and Todd Slater. - Bernadette Chapman wrote the screenplay. - The executive producers are Michael T. Clarke, Mike Denard, Andy Gould, David Miller, Tim Miller, James Srygley, Kevin Wayne and Brandon Evans. - Todd Slater of Convoke Media negotiated the deal for the filmmakers, including Kurt Deimer’s Bald Man Films and Regime Music Group. - Harmon Kaslow represented Atlas Distribution in the U.S. - Julian Richards represented international sales for Jinga Films. - In Birmingham, the film is showing at AMC Summit 16 and AMC Patton Creek 15. - In Cincinnati, the film is showing at Showcase Springdale 18. - In Columbus, the film is showing at AMC Dine-In Easton Town Center. - In Jacksonville, the film is showing at AMC Regency 24. - In Los Angeles, the film is showing at Regal Edwards Long Beach. - In Omaha and Council Bluffs, the film is showing at AMC Council Bluffs 17. - In Orlando, the film is showing at AMC Dine-In Disney Springs 24 and Regal Oviedo Mall.

Between the lines: - Filming at the actual haunted attraction gives the movie a built-in authenticity that standard soundstage productions do not have. - The release strategy appears aimed at genre fans in specific theater markets rather than a wide national rollout. - The combination of a musician-led cast, a real-world horror location and a theatrical Q&A suggests the filmmakers are leaning into event-style marketing. - Bald Man Films positions itself around genre content, which fits the project’s slasher identity and music-driven creative team.

What's next: - More showtimes may be added as the theatrical run unfolds. - The Long Beach Q&A could serve as a promotional push for the film’s opening weekend. - Interest from horror fans and haunt-goers will likely determine whether the movie expands beyond its initial theater footprint.

The bottom line: - Hellbilly Hollow is using a real haunted attraction, a limited theatrical launch and a fan-focused premiere to sell itself as both a horror movie and an event.