The horror world is remembering a legend. Jerry Feifer — independent producer, founder of Vista Street Entertainment, and the creative architect behind the Witchcraft franchise — passed away on September 20, 2025. Feifer leaves behind one of the most enduring legacies in low-budget horror history, having created and sustained a franchise that has spanned over three decades.
As Witchcraft XVIII: The Lanterne of Light enters pre-production under Deathstalker Productions, the team behind the upcoming film reflects on the man who built one of independent horror’s most enduring series.
“Jerry wasn’t just a producer — he was the backbone of Witchcraft,” said Andrew Pierson, who portrayed William Spanner in Witchcraft XVII: The Initiation and returns to the role in Witchcraft XVIII: The Lanterne of Light. “He proved that independent horror could survive and thrive without a major studio. This series exists because of his sheer willpower.”
“Jerry built this franchise on the fringe,” added Carissa Pierson, Executive Producer of Witchcraft XVII: The Initiation and Producer of the upcoming Witchcraft XVIII: The Lanterne of Light. “It was scrappy, it was fearless, and it spoke directly to the late-night horror crowd. He never needed anyone’s permission to make movies.”
“We’re not here to reinvent what Jerry built,” said Kristina Lafser, Producer of Witchcraft XVIII: The Lanterne of Light and the latest Keli Jordan in the series. “We’re here to honor it. To expand it. This film is for the fans — and it’s for him.”
The Birth of a Cult Phenomenon
Feifer launched the original Witchcraft in 1988, delivering a tale of occult power, seduction, and supernatural terror. Against all odds, the film became a hit on the booming VHS market of the late 1980s. What followed was unprecedented: sequel after sequel, year after year, turning Witchcraft into the longest-running continuous horror franchise in U.S. independent film.
Through Vista Street Entertainment, Feifer produced dozens of features, but Witchcraft remained his signature — a gritty, unapologetic blend of supernatural thrills and raw indie filmmaking that stood apart from studio fare.
An Independent Titan
Jerry Feifer was known across the indie film circuit as a producer who made things happen. He operated on shoestring budgets, relying on ingenuity, speed, and determination to get films completed. Many young filmmakers got their first real set experience under his watch — learning how to work fast, solve problems, and get creative.
A New Chapter for a Legendary Series
With Witchcraft XVIII: The Lanterne of Light now in pre-production under Deathstalker Productions, the new producers are determined to carry Jerry’s legacy forward — blending the dark, supernatural tone of the originals with a modern vision. The upcoming installment will revisit the franchise’s roots, exploring themes of pagan ritual, seduction, and supernatural horror, while paying homage to the gritty DIY spirit that made the original films so beloved.
Jerry Feifer may be gone, but his shadow looms large over the independent horror scene. His vision gave birth to a franchise that outlived trends, distributors, and entire eras of the genre.
Witchcraft XVIII: The Lanterne of Light, produced by Deathstalker Productions, will be dedicated to his memory.
