Emma Roberts (Scream 4, American Horror Story) is stepping back into genre territory with A Body in the Woods, a folk horror feature from Hell House LLC creator Stephen Cognetti, per Deadline.

Set at the turn of the century, the film casts Roberts as Alice Lincoln, a woman living in isolation deep within the ominous Marshall Woods—an area steeped in whispered legends of a dangerous witch. When Alice is tasked with keeping watch over the body of an unidentified mine worker at her remote cabin, strange disturbances begin to creep in after nightfall, leading her to suspect the corpse may not be as lifeless as it seems.

As paranoia and dread tighten their grip, the appearance of a silent woman standing along the forest road plunges Alice into a waking nightmare, caught between a growing evil inside the cabin and an unspeakable terror lurking just beyond her door.

Described as a “nightmarish folklore tale,” A Body in the Woods is scheduled to begin production this September. The film will be produced and financed by Dave Caplan (Longlegs, The Monkey) under the C2 Motion Picture Group banner.

“Emma brings an intelligence and emotional fearlessness that elevates everything she touches,” Cognetti said. “She understands horror on a cellular level — how to balance vulnerability, strength, and terror.”

Cognetti added that his goal is to push the boundaries of audience discomfort. “I want people to leave the theater unsettled, questioning what they saw, and feeling like they survived something.”

Caplan echoed the confidence in the pairing, noting, “Stephen has consistently proven he can create terrifying, elevated immersive horror experiences. With Emma in the lead, A Body in the Woods is an undeniable package.”

The film also marks the first title represented by newly launched U.S. sales company Manifest Pictures, with pre-sales kicking off this week at the European Film Market in Berlin.