Alexandra Shipp is stepping into full-on terror.
The Barbie and Anyone but You actress is set to topline The Autopsy of Albert Kemper, a new psychological horror film from writer-director David Benullo, which has officially kicked off production in Minnesota.
She stars as Riley Shaw, a morgue assistant whose routine night shift spirals into pure nightmare when the body of a notorious serial killer begins showing signs of something far from dead. While Eric Stoltz’s role is being kept quiet for now, horror fans will immediately clock David Howard Thornton — best known as Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise — who will portray the film’s chilling title character, Albert Kemper.
The film pulls inspiration from a haunting piece of true-crime lore tied to the death of Jeffrey Dahmer — specifically, the rumored moment when authorities reportedly handcuffed his corpse to a gurney out of fear he might “rise again.” Benullo’s story reimagines that unsettling idea for a new generation of horror.
Behind the scenes, the producers include Dana Guerin, John Frank Rosenblum, Tracy Mercer, Mandy June Turpin, and Jim Strader, with Epic Level Entertainment leading the project.
Shipp remains in demand. She recently wrapped Forbidden Fruits alongside Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, and Victoria Pedretti; starred opposite Alan Cumming in Glenrothan, Brian Cox’s directorial debut which premiered at TIFF; and appeared in the October thriller Violent Ends opposite Billy Magnussen.
For Benullo, The Autopsy of Albert Kemper marks a return to the genre that launched his directing career. His breakthrough horror debut Hallowed Ground starred Chloë Grace Moretz and Jaimie Alexander, followed by indie thrillers such as Hostage House, which debuted on Netflix.