Get ready to be spooked, because Stephen Cognetti, the mastermind behind the chilling Hell House LLC franchise, is diving into uncharted territory with his newest project, *A Body in the Woods*. Bloody Disgusting sat down with Cognetti at Boston’s Midnight Fest to uncover the details of this highly anticipated film. But here’s where it gets intriguing: after mastering found footage horror, Cognetti is now stepping into the realm of traditional narrative filmmaking—and he’s promising something truly terrifying.
‘I’m absolutely buzzing to explore something fresh and bone-chilling,’ Cognetti shared with us. ‘A Body in the Woods was born right after I wrapped up editing Hell House Origins. I was completely immersed in the horror mindset, and this story just poured out of me.’ And this is the part most people miss: while Cognetti is tight-lipped about the plot, he assures fans it’s ‘super spooky’ and that filming is on the horizon. Could this be his most ambitious project yet?
For those unfamiliar, Cognetti burst onto the scene with Hell House LLC in 2015 and has since become a horror powerhouse, writing and directing all four sequels: Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018), Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019), Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023), and the upcoming Hell House LLC: Lineage, set to haunt Shudder on October 30. He also directed 825 Forest Road, which premiered on Shudder earlier this year. With such a stellar track record, the question on everyone’s mind is: Can Cognetti redefine his style with A Body in the Woods?
Here’s the controversial part: while fans adore his found footage work, some critics argue that traditional filmmaking could either make or break his career. Will this new approach solidify his place as a horror legend, or will it fall flat? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure—Cognetti isn’t afraid to take risks, and that’s what makes his work so compelling.
As we eagerly await A Body in the Woods, one can’t help but wonder: What does this shift mean for the future of horror? Is Cognetti paving the way for a new wave of storytelling, or is he simply exploring uncharted waters? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—do you think this move will pay off, or is found footage where his heart truly lies?
