Indie Horror Spotlight: ‘Hellbilly Hollow’ Brings Practical Gore and Heavy Metal to Theaters

The blood-soaked Southern throwback horror film will be released in select U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026. Photo: Bald Man Films/Convoke Media, used with permission.

THE BACKWOODS GET BLOODY: “HELLBILLY HOLLOW” TRAILER DROPS AHEAD OF SEPTEMBER THEATER RELEASE

One of the South’s most iconic haunted attractions is about to become the setting for an all-new generation’s nightmares.

Bald Man Films and Todd Slater’s Convoke Media have officially unleashed the first trailer for “Hellbilly Hollow,” a blood-soaked Southern throwback horror reminiscent of cult classics Terrifier and Friday the 13th. Filmed on location at the real-life Hellbilly Hollow haunted attraction in Vincent, Alabama, the film slashes into select U.S. theaters via Atlas Distribution Company on Friday, September 25. (Cinematic Red PR, 2026)

Check out the trailer breakdown, storyline, and behind-the-scenes details below.

The Synopsis: Real Scares in the Alabama Backwoods

In Hellbilly Hollow, a team of paranormal YouTubers ventures deep into the Alabama backwoods to film at a haunted attraction the night before Halloween. They soon encounter a sinister presence far more frightening, and deadlier, than specters and staged scares:

  • Tickles: A disfigured, childlike clown.
  • Bull: His manipulative caretaker brother.

One by one, the investigators and local thrill-seekers fall victim to the siblings’ sadistic games inside the attraction’s real-life haunted barn, hayride, and scare zones.

From Commercial Shoot to Southern Slasher

The idea for the film took root on-site at the attraction, where director Kevin Wayne was initially filming a commercial. After envisioning a sinister figure hunting victims through the haunt’s eerie backwoods setting, the concept evolved into a full-length feature.

“I’ve wanted to make a horror film for a long time – but not just any horror film. With ‘Hellbilly Hollow,’ I saw a chance to tell a true Southern horror story – one that’s sinister and twisted, atmospheric and character-driven, not just reliant on jump scares and gore.”Kevin Wayne (Director / “Tickles”)

“We came up with a slate of outrageous, never-before-seen kills. From day one, we knew this would be the start of something bigger – a series of films built around a place, two complex, deranged siblings, and the culture they inhabit.”Kurt Deimer (Producer / “Bull”)

Practical FX, Heavy Metal, and Carnage

Designed to deliver authentic throwback thrills, Hellbilly Hollow turns carnival mechanics into lethal traps. Engineered by executive producer and production designer Mike Denard, the set features customized, practical set pieces including:

  • Wack-a-Troll
  • High Striker
  • Acid Darts
  • Car Dunk Sequence

The Sound of Horror:

Supercharging the scares, the film features an original score composed by Roy Mayorga (Ministry), sound design by Tom Boykin (John Wick: Chapter 4, The Last of Us), and eight original songs performed by rock artist and co-star Kurt Deimer.

Cast and Crew Highlights

  • Cast: Kurt Deimer, Kevin Wayne, Danny Vinson, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Megan Alexandrea Weaver, Hallie Shepherd, Trey Miller, and Keller Fornes.
  • Director: Kevin Wayne
  • Writer: Bernadette Chapman
  • Producers: Kurt Deimer, Todd Slater
  • Director of Photography: David Brower
  • Executive Producers: Michael T. Clarke, Mike Denard, Andy Gould, David Miller, Tim Miller, James Srygley, Kevin Wayne, and Brandon Evans.

ABOUT BALD MAN FILMS

Founded by Cincinnati-born rocker, actor, and producer Kurt Deimer, Bald Man Films specializes in producing genre content. The company is the culmination of Deimer’s unconventional journey from the school of hard knocks to entrepreneur, rock musician, actor, and film producer.

ABOUT CONVOKE MEDIA

Convoke Media is a strategic investment and content company operating at the intersection of film, television, digital media, and institutional capital. Recent films include, The Optimist, Flyover, Scare BnB, Paul & Greg & Amelia, & Don’t Log Off. Founded by veteran media executive Todd Slater, the company focuses on the development, financing, and scaling of premium content with global commercial potential.



Hellbilly Hollow still. Photo: Bald Man Films/Convoke Media