Over the weekend, a curious and unexpected phenomenon took over TikTok, revolving around a non-existent 80s horror movie called “Zepotha.” The trend began when a TikTok user by the name of emilyjeffri posted a video proposing a novel idea: to create a fictional 80s horror film titled “Zepotha” and encourage users to comment about the movie as if it were real. This seemingly innocent idea quickly caught on, resulting in a wave of content that brought the fictional movie to life in a bizarre and unexpected way.
In emilyjeffri’s initial TikTok video, they suggested the concept of commenting things like “OMG u look exactly like that one girl from Zepotha” or “wait u look exactly like ______ from Zepotha” on various posts. The intention was to create a fictional narrative around the film, with the hope that new characters and lore would emerge as the comments spread across the platform. The video gained traction, and soon, the word “Zepotha” began appearing in countless comment sections across TikTok.
The trend took on a life of its own as users embraced the concept and ran with it. A “Zepotha” filter emerged, allowing users to determine which non-existent character they resembled from the fictional movie. People started creating old-school VHS-style montages for the non-existent film, and a page dedicated to “Zepotha” even appeared on fandom.com. One TikTok user, Hayley Kalil, who boasts six million followers, went a step further by crafting a trailer for a supposed 2023 remake of the imaginary horror flick.
The phenomenon extended beyond TikTok as well. If you search for “Zepotha” on Archive of Our Own, a popular fanfiction platform, over 100 results appear. These fictional stories range from graphic depictions of violence to major character deaths, adding to the illusion of the non-existent movie’s impact.
Amid this unfolding virtual drama, emilyjeffri continued to act as if “Zepotha” was a real film. In a follow-up video, they claimed to have loved the fictional movie in their younger days and expressed shock at discovering a supposed second installment. However, astute users noticed a connection between emilyjeffri’s upcoming album and the initial TikTok video. The song used in the video was from their upcoming album titled “SOUNDTRACK FOR AN 80’S HORROR MOVIE,” hinting at a potential marketing strategy.
As the trend gained momentum, emilyjeffri harnessed the attention and posted a short film competition on their Instagram page. The challenge invited users to bring “Zepotha” to life through their own short movies, with a cash prize of £500 offered to the winner.
In the end, what started as a creative experiment to engage TikTok users and promote an upcoming album turned into an unexpected and elaborate virtual sensation. The viral phenomenon highlighted the power of user-generated content and the collective imagination to transform an idea into a temporary reality within the digital realm.