5 | Hometown Feature News
Professor Reppert
Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media
Fall 2025
For nearly two weeks, Hochatown traded in its small-town vibe for the bright lights of Hollywood. The tourist town became the backdrop for Marrow, a new film that brought cameras, cast, and crew to the area for 11 days of nonstop production. Locals watched as their hometown turned into a movie set, buzzing with excitement and curiosity.
About Marrow
Marrow isn’t your typical horror flick. The film is based on the true story of a stalking case that unfolded in a Texas town in the early 2000s. Director Mitch McLeod uses the story to do more than just scare audiences, he also examines America’s cultural obsession with true crime podcasts and documentaries.
McLeod describes the project as “a unique true crime inspired horror movie,” one that flips the lens both on the storytellers and the audience consuming these dark tales. “Sometimes it has become an unsettling fascination with serial killers and true crime podcasts. I’ve never seen the dark side of these explored in film from both sides. That’s what I want to learn with this movie,” McLeod said.
The film stars Jessica Dawn Willis and Michael Ironside, two actors bringing very different strengths to the screen.
Jessica Dawn Willis, who earned acclaim for The Woman Under the Stage and appeared in A Haunting in Texas and Trunkfish, plays Jamie Foster. Jamie is a former vlogger chasing relevance who makes the dangerous decision to invite her stalker onto her show. She suspects he may be the serial killer responsible for a wave of influencer murders.
Michael Ironside, a Canadian actor with more than 270 film and television credits, joins the cast as a disgraced psychiatrist with a chilling backstory. Known for roles in Top Gun, Total Recall, Starship Troopers, and cult classic V: The Final Battle, Ironside steps into the role of a man who survived an eerie encounter with Jamie’s stalker years earlier.
With its blend of real-life inspiration, psychological themes, and a star-studded cast, Marrow promises to stand out in the crowded world of horror. For Hochatown, hosting the production was a chance to shine on a bigger stage and give residents a glimpse of what it is like to be a part of the magic that happens on the big screen.
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