A feature film based on Jeff the Killer is now in development, adding another internet-born horror property to Hollywood’s growing search for the next major viral success. Content-focused media studio Tongal is working on the project with TikTok creator Savanah Moss.
As reported by The Wrap, Moss has more than 11 million TikTok followers and will serve as a producer while helping guide the film’s creative direction. Tongal and Moss also plan to invite online creators to submit ideas and characters for the project.
The proposed participation model includes five selected concepts receiving $300 each. Five additional submissions may receive “honourable mention” recognition and $50 each, while the remaining contributors will not be paid. That approach, commonly described as spec work, has prompted criticism over asking creators to contribute ideas without guaranteed compensation.
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Jeff the Killer first appeared in 2008 as an altered image of a disturbing face that circulated rapidly across the web. A creepypasta story later developed around the image, usually portraying Jeff as a teenage serial killer who attacks victims after whispering “Go to sleep”.
Moss has said that she encountered Jeff the Killer and other creepypasta stories while growing up, giving her a personal connection to the character. She has also used Jeff in her “Fever Dream” videos. In her view, the character’s lasting appeal comes from the way internet users have repeatedly expanded, altered and reinterpreted his story, turning him into an online horror icon.
The project follows the commercial success of Backrooms, an online-series adaptation that reportedly earned more than $300 million worldwide after being produced on a small budget. That result has encouraged interest in other internet horror properties, including Siren Head and The Mandela Catalogue, whose film rights have reportedly been acquired by studios or producers.
For more background on the broader entertainment landscape surrounding online horror and digital creators, readers can browse our arcade video coverage.
Moss has described the planned film as a grounded, genuinely frightening interpretation that remains connected to Jeff’s origins rather than simply reproducing the original creepypasta. She wants the character to feel real and terrifying, while still acknowledging how the internet shaped his identity.
Jeff the Killer film has no announced cast yet
The movie currently has no announced cast, writer or director. Its development therefore remains at an early stage, with the public submission process intended to help shape some of its ideas and characters.
The project is another example of Hollywood testing whether recognisable internet horror can move successfully from memes, short videos and collaborative fan fiction into feature filmmaking. Its eventual direction will depend on how Tongal and Moss balance the character’s crowded online history with a story designed for a cinema audience.
That kind of adaptation also reflects a wider shift in how digital communities influence entertainment. As with a custom DIY arcade project, the identity of a popular online property can be built incrementally by many contributors—though film development still needs clear creative ownership and fair payment for submitted work.
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