As a horror fan, I’ve always felt like certain directors really define the genre. We had Hitchcock in the ’60s, Wes Craven in the ’80s, and now, for modern horror, it’s definitely Mike Flanagan. I’ve been hooked ever since his first film, Absentia, back in 2011. He’s consistently delivered amazing work, from his connected universe on Netflix – what fans call the ‘Flanaverse’ – to films like Oculus and Hush. And now, I’m excited that his latest horror movie from 2025 is available to stream on Hulu!
The supernatural horror film Shelby Oaks is now available on Hulu, having premiered on April 17th. Created by YouTube critic Chris Stuckmann and executive produced by Flanagan, the movie follows Mia as she desperately searches for her sister, Riley, a vlogger who disappeared with her ghost-hunting team in the deserted town of Shelby Oaks. The film, which combines found footage with a traditional storyline, was a major success on Kickstarter, becoming the highest-funded horror film project ever on the platform. Although it wasn’t a huge box office hit, earning $8 million worldwide on a $2.8 million budget, it was a strong result for an independently produced, crowdfunded movie.
Is Shelby Oaks Based on a True Story?
Like many found footage movies, Shelby Oaks is a work of fiction, but it’s heavily influenced by the director’s own life. Director Stuckmann has said the film was inspired by his upbringing in the Jehovah’s Witness faith and the painful experience of being separated from his sister for a decade after she was ostracized. The movie reflects his personal journey, using horror elements to explore themes of childhood trauma, faith, and the anguish of forced family separation through the story of a woman desperately searching for her missing sister.
Reviews for the movie were quite divided. It received a 55% rating from critics and a 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. While some criticized it for relying on familiar horror clichés and having a shaky transition from its documentary-style beginning to a more conventional horror format, it was largely considered a promising first film for the director, Stuckmann. Shelby Oaks is truly creepy, with a rich backstory that mixes different horror elements. Its dark visuals and music create a genuinely unsettling atmosphere. Plus, if you enjoy graphic horror, the movie delivers with plenty of violence and realistic special effects.
What’s New on Hulu?
Hulu is adding a lot of new content in April! The streaming service recently added titles like Shelby Oaks, The Day After Tomorrow, Napoleon Dynamite, Primitive War, and all the Hunger Games movies. More is on the way this month, including the horror film Good Boy arriving on April 25th.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-04-17 17:40