‘Godmother’ First Look Reveals Jacksepticeye and Alanah Pearce’s Indie Horror Feature

Content creators making the leap into feature filmmaking has quietly become one of the more interesting trends in independent horror. Following in the footsteps of Markiplier’s surprise hit ‘Iron Lung,’ another wave of internet personalities is now betting on original storytelling over studio-backed safety nets.

That trend continues with ‘Godmother,’ an independently financed horror project from YouTube creators Alanah Pearce and Sean McLoughlin, better known as Jacksepticeye. Ahead of its upcoming film festival premiere, TheWrap has shared an exclusive first look at the project, offering fans their earliest glimpse yet at the finished film.

The movie follows Theo, a young woman in her late 20s played by Paige Evans, as she heads into the desert for a romantic weekend getaway with her tech-bro boyfriend, played by Cameron Cuffe, along with her tagalong sister, played by Riley Dandy. Once they arrive at their vacation rental, they’re greeted by an unsettlingly friendly couple played by horror veterans Dee Wallace and Bruce Davison, whose intentions toward Theo quickly prove far more sinister than they initially appear.

Directed by John Veron and co-written by Veron and Pearce, ‘Godmother’ draws inspiration from classic horror touchstones like ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ and ‘The Return of the Living Dead.’ McLoughlin personally financed the film’s principal photography, while Helmstreet Pictures covered post-production costs, giving the project a genuinely independent path from concept to completion.

That independence wasn’t accidental. Pearce revealed that early attempts to secure traditional studio funding came with strings attached that would have fundamentally changed the film’s direction, including one financier’s insistence that a major Hollywood name be cast in Davison’s role instead.

“We could have pursued those options further, but in doing so, we would not have made Godmother. We would have made some studio-mandated cash grab Frankenstein version of Godmother. What’s the point?” Pearce told TheWrap.

Pearce also spoke about the intentional female perspective she brought to the script, noting that the story’s three central women were written as distinct individuals shaped by how the world perceives and judges them differently. That focus reflects a broader effort to ensure the project stayed true to its original creative vision rather than bending toward commercial pressure.

The film’s release also arrives at a moment when creator-led feature filmmaking is gaining real momentum, following the success of projects like Markiplier’s ‘Iron Lung’ and other recent breakout indie horror hits. Pearce noted that shooting ‘Godmother’ back in December, ahead of several other creator-driven films hitting theaters, may end up working in the project’s favor.

She expressed some concern that a coming wave of studio-funded, creator-led features could eventually dilute the quality of the space, making early, distinctive entries like ‘Godmother’ stand out even more by comparison. McLoughlin, who also has an upcoming producing credit on the ‘Bloodborne’ film adaptation, indicated he’s open to eventually stepping behind the camera himself as a director in future projects.

The full cast also includes Khary Payton, Carl Savering, and Madelynn Joy Stuenkel, rounding out an ensemble built around the story’s central deadly encounter. A specific release date for ‘Godmother’ has not yet been announced, though its upcoming festival premiere suggests wider distribution details could follow soon.

With creator-led horror continuing to carve out real space in the genre, ‘Godmother’ looks positioned to be one of the more distinctive entries in that growing wave.

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