The found footage horror film What Happened to Dorothy Bell? written and directed by Danny Villanueva Jr., has been acquired by Dark Star Pictures, and is set to be released in October 2025.

It stars horror veterans, including Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 & 5) and Michael Hargrove (Candyman, dir. Nia DaCosta). Rounding out the cast are Asya Meadows, Arlene Armone Bibbs and Steven Alonte.

In the film, which world premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2024, Asya Meadows stars as a young woman confronting her own mental health struggles. As she begins to unpack her trauma, she uncovers unsettling truths about a violent incident from her childhood – when her grandmother attacked her under mysterious circumstances. Her investigation leads her back to a haunted library in her hometown, long tied to a sinister urban legend. There, she must face buried secrets and an unnerving supernatural presence.

What Happened to Dorothy Bell? is described as a genre-defying exploration of generational trauma, mental illness, and the ways families conceal pain in the name of protection. Villanueva Jr. uses an inventive mix of found footage formats – video diaries, security camera footage, and vintage camcorder tapes – to create an atmosphere of disorientation and dread.

“What Happened to Dorothy Bell? is a bold and unsettling vision that pushes the boundaries of found footage horror,” says Dark Star president Michael Repsch. “Danny Villanueva Jr. masterfully blends psychological depth with supernatural terror, crafting a story that resonates long after the credits roll.”