WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL? Acquired by Dark Star, Found Footage Horror Set for October 2025 Release

Asya Meadows searches for the truth in What Happened to Dorothy Bell?, a found footage nightmare arriving this October.

Dark Star Pictures just snatched up one of the most haunting found footage titles we caught at Fantastic Fest 2024, and we couldn’t be more excited for horror fans to spiral into this one. Officially set for a U.S. release in October 2025, What Happened to Dorothy Bell? is the kind of horror film that doesn’t just rattle you—it digs under your skin, plays with format, and twists memory like a knife.

Written and directed by Danny Villanueva Jr., Dorothy Bell centers on Ozzie Gray (a mesmerizing performance from Asya Meadows), a young woman battling her own mental health demons while confronting the repressed violence of her past. The deeper she digs, the more she uncovers about her grandmother, Dorothy Bell—a woman who once attacked her during childhood under disturbing, unexplained circumstances. The trail leads back to a cursed library and a terrifying urban legend that refuses to stay in the past.

If that setup wasn’t enough to chill your spine, wait till you see how it’s told. Villanueva Jr. weaponizes format—video diaries, surveillance footage, vintage camcorders, and analog warps—to create a narrative that feels deeply fractured and intentionally destabilizing. The result? A found footage experience that feels less like a movie and more like you’re watching someone’s trauma unravel in real-time.

And it’s not just scares for scare’s sake. Dorothy Bell digs into generational trauma, family secrets, and the lies we’re told to protect what’s left of our sanity. It’s horror with psychological heft and cultural resonance, grounded by a killer cast that includes Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 & 5), Michael Hargrove (Candyman), Arlene Armone Bibbs, and Steven Alonte.

Dark Star Pictures knows they’ve got something special here. As president Michael Repsch puts it:

“What Happened to Dorothy Bell? is a bold and unsettling vision that pushes the boundaries of found footage horror… a story that resonates long after the credits roll.”

We couldn’t agree more. It’s the kind of film that reignites your faith in the subgenre, reminding us that found footage isn’t just alive—it’s evolving. Think Lake Mungo meets Session 9, with a dash of urban legend dread and trauma-core texture.

Look out for a new trailer from Dark Star dropping soon—and trust us, you’re going to want to watch it with the lights off.

What Happened to Dorothy Bell? opens October 2025.