Small Town on the Big Screen: Movie Filmed in Alton, Explained

ALTON - A movie has been filmed in Alton, and community members are eager to see their small town on the big screen.

During the North Alton-Godfrey Business Council’s regular meeting on Aug. 11, 2026, the three people behind the movie’s creation spoke about the film and its production in Alton. “Herbert West: Reanimator” is a psychological horror film starring Joseph Morgan and Katie Cassidy. The story takes place in Alton, and the crew spent the past eight weeks filming at local staples.

“We wanted to showcase Alton. It’s a beautiful place. We decided to shoot it here because we were going to lean into Alton being a haunted city,” Jeff Lewis said. “We wanted to keep the name Alton in our movie because a lot of people will look at this. They will look up Alton. They will see that it’s a real city and a real town. And hopefully, we’re trying to incentivize people to come and increase tourism based off the movies and based off the future projects that we are going to be doing here in town.”

Jeff Lewis spent 30 years working in Hollywood on projects like “Star Trek.” A few years ago, he decided to leave L.A. behind and return to Illinois.

But he quickly became “a little bored,” joked his cousin, Roger Lewis. Roger introduced Jeff to John Simmons, who was eager to start his own production company. The trio founded Woodlake Entertainment, a production company based at The Wedge Innovation Center, and got to work finding a writer and director to make their first movie.

“Herbert West: Reanimator” is an adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story. Unlike the 1985 “campy” cult classic movie of the same name, this retelling is “more grounded in reality,” Jeff said. The story promises to be a thriller for audiences.

In the meantime, its production has fascinated Alton residents, who have spotted filming at Post Commons, Third Street, The Bridge Church, The Red Church, Jimmy the Greek’s and more. They also filmed on Simmons’s property, including Simmons Hanly Conroy Law Firm and The Wedge Innovation Center.

Some of the actors stayed in apartments on Lucas Row, while other members of the team rented out hotel rooms and Airbnbs. The Lewis cousins and Simmons believe the production has been a big financial success for Alton, as they brought in “several hundred” crew and cast members who all shopped, dined and stayed in the city.

Jeff noted that the movie will first premiere in theaters, then go to streaming services. Woodlake Entertainment will host a “nice big screening” later this year.

He added that “Herbert West: Reanimator” is the first of several projects they plan to film in Alton, though not every movie will be set in Alton like this one is. Woodlake Entertainment also hopes to collaborate with the new soundstage in Wood River and surrounding communities in the future.

Simmons said the group will work with the Alton Symphony Orchestra to record the film’s soundtrack. They are eager to “really build up the buzz for Alton and try to get that on the map,” Jeff added.

The trio thanked the Alton community. They said people were “very accommodating,” and the actors, most of whom are from L.A. and Chicago, “absolutely loved” their stay in Alton.

Roger noted that the collaboration with the Madison County Chairman, the State’s Attorney, Alton Mayor David Goins, Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick, the Alton Police Department, the Madison County Police Department, and the Alton and Godfrey Fire Departments has been “just phenomenal.”

“We just want to say thank you to the community and to everybody else. A lot of people let us use their storefronts and participated in the movie,” Jeff added. “We’re just real happy that we can do this. Everybody's been having a great time.”

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