In 2008, an online user named “Sesseuer” debuted a bizarre internet creepypasta called Jeff the Killer. Described as a 13-year-old serial killer who started a killing spree after losing a fight with his bullies and being disfigured by them, the internet knows him best for his iconic “Go to sleep” catchphrase and heavily edited image with a scarred white face. The concept was a heavy inspiration for future creepypasta, fan works, and internet memes like Slender Man, and even derivatives like Jane the Killer. Now, two decades later, Jeff the Killer is making a cinematic debut as Hollywood looks to continue mining internet scares for the big screen.
Savannah Moss, a TikToker with 11.4 million followers best known for her “fever dream” videos, which combine horror and comedy in short sketches and have helped her gain success on social media, is partnering with Tongal, an independent studio responsible for Todd McFarlane’s Like Hell I Won’t documentary, to adapt a feature film based on Jeff the Killer. Moss is set to produce the film alongside Mark Korshak and Michael McKay in what will be Tongal’s first feature-length horror film as part of its expansion to build a growing slate of films.
In a statement to The Wrap, Moss noted that she’s a big fan of Jeff the Killer and is excited to take on the creative direction alongside Tongal, but revealed that the new film would be a grounded take on the iconic meme.
“I grew up reading Jeff the Killer and all of the creepypasta horror stories, so there’s definitely a nostalgic connection for me,” Moss said. “I’ve even used Jeff in some of my ‘Fever Dream’ videos in the past, so it’s crazy to fast-forward to now and actually have the opportunity to help turn this character into a feature film. What I’ve always loved about Jeff is how much of the character was built by the internet. Jeff stuck with people and became an internet icon. Now, there are so many different versions of his story from people adding to it and reimagining it throughout the years. We have this unique opportunity to take the character everyone knows and loves and create a truly terrifying, grounded horror film, while still staying true to Jeff’s origin.”
“First, Jeff the Killer ‘jump scare’ has to be in the hall of fame of internet folklore,” Tongal’s CEO James DeJulio added. “Second, the story and ambiguity around the original photo, and the ‘Is it real’ history, lent itself perfectly to working with both the fanbase and our filmmaking community to turn it into a feature.”
Despite Jeff the Killer being an internet presence online for almost twenty years, it’s easy to see why the project is actually happening now, as the success of Kane Parson’s Backrooms has heavily inspired Hollywood to take on horror born entirely from the internet.
The success of Backrooms and Obsession clearly shifted the state of horror in Hollywood. Backrooms made over $395 million worldwide, and many Hollywood studios are attempting to get the next online craze with a horror film, leading many fans to revisit previously released horror films that have similarities to Backrooms.
Tongal compared the dynamic shift in the genre to how the success of The Blair Witch Project upended the genre back in 1999, noting that it’s “pretty obvious that the studios have been out of touch with the fans and audiences for some time now” while also calling it a “massive wake-up call” for Hollywood.
The rise of internet concepts like Sirenhead and Trevor Henderson’s Cartoon Cat in development highlights how online trends are not shaping mainstream horror. Hollywood investors are likely putting a lot of attention on creators and what they could bring to the genre and, more importantly, their pockets.
