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How Chris Stuckmann Went From YouTube Film Critic to Making His Own Horror Movie — Courting Neon and Mike Flanagan in the Process


"Shelby Oaks" is the debut feature from YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann.

Perhaps it’s due to his love of horror, but Chris Stuckmann has been fearless in the production of his film, “ Shelby Oaks.” Days away from its Fantasia Festival world premiere, he admits, with a laugh, that thinking about the crowd reactions has “been on my mind for, probably, five years.” Luckily, he has crafted a bold feature that can stand alongside many of his favorites. A lifelong filmmaker — he directed his first feature at 15, and it was “about a magical baseball diamond, inspired by ‘Field of Dreams'” — Stuckmann gained fame as an early YouTube celebrity, a devout and sincere film critic who has amassed over two million followers since launching his channel 13 years ago. “Shelby Oaks” has picked up two massive seals of approval in the horror community in the last few weeks: The announcement that “Haunting of Hill House” creator Mike Flanagan signed on as an executive producer, and that red-hot distributor Neon acquired the film — coming days after the successful opening of Oz Perkins’ “Longlegs.”

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Despicable Me 4 repeats atop the box office with $44.6M while Longlegs shocks with $22M in second place - the highest debut ever for Neon