Emma Roberts is set to headline the upcoming horror film A Body in the Woods, a new genre project from producer Dave Caplan, whose recent credits include Longlegs and The Monkey.
The film marks the debut title for newly launched U.S. sales company Manifest Pictures, headed by Yvette Zhuang and Zach Glueck, with international pre-sales beginning this week at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Best known for her work in American Horror Story and Scream 4, Roberts will play Alice Lincoln, a woman living at the turn of the century in the isolated Marshall Woods, an area haunted by legends of a dangerous witch. According to the official description, Alice is left alone in a remote cabin to watch over the body of an unidentified mine worker, only to be confronted by disturbing events that lead her to fear “the corpse may not be fully at rest.” As strange figures appear and the environment grows more threatening, she finds herself trapped in “a waking nightmare between the growing evil within and the nameless terror waiting beyond her door.”
Described as a “nightmarish folklore tale,” the film is written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, creator of the Hell House franchise. Production is scheduled to begin in September, with financing provided by Caplan’s C2 Motion Picture Group.
Caplan said: “Stephen has consistently proven he can create terrifying, elevated immersive horror experiences. With Emma in the lead, A Body in the Woods is an undeniable package.”
Cognetti added: “Emma brings an intelligence and emotional fearlessness that elevates everything she touches. She understands horror on a cellular level—how to balance vulnerability, strength, and terror. My goal with A Body in the Woods is to deliver an elevated horror film that tests the limits of fear—not just for our lead character, but for the audience sitting in the dark with her. I want people to leave the theater unsettled, questioning what they saw, and feeling like they survived something.”
Manifest Pictures also welcomed the collaboration, stating: “We’re honored to be working with a producer that has the pedigree of Dave Caplan and a director with a consistent track record of terrifying audiences around the world.”
Roberts’ filmography includes titles such as We’re the Millers and the series Scream Queens. She currently serves as a co-producer on Hulu’s Tell Me Lies.
Roberts is represented by Sweeney Entertainment, while Cognetti is represented by Anonymous Content. With sales now underway and production set for later this year, A Body in the Woods is positioning itself as a major new entry in the elevated horror space.
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