Horror film Cotton Eye Joe has begun filming in Illinois, with SC Films preparing to launch worldwide sales at the Toronto International Film Festival market. The project brings a slasher interpretation to the folklore and song-associated “Cotton Eye Joe” legend, aiming to combine violent horror with a modern, fast-paced premise.

Bill Moseley and Sean Gunn lead the cast alongside Cassidy Terracian, Brian Dole, Eloise Lola Gordan and Moses Jones. Written and directed by Nick Merola, with Brandon Weavil as co-writer, the film follows four friends stranded on a country road who encounter a serial killer on isolated farmland; SC Films CEO Simon Crowe negotiated the sales deal with producers Casey McEnry and Colin Olsen.