David J. Stieve is the screenwriter of the cult classic meta-slasher Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and its highly anticipated sequel, Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon. His award-winning short film Wait For It further expands th

David J. Stieve is a Wisconsin native and the screenwriter of the cult classic meta-slasher Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and its highly anticipated sequel, Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon. His award-winning short film Wait For It further expands the story within the Leslie Vernon universe, continuing his exploration of horror from the inside out. He is also the writer of the horror-comedy The Hills Only Have Eyes for You, a genre-savvy deconstruction of the “mutant cannibal family” horror tradition. Across his work, Stieve is known for reinventing horror from within, blending sharp genre awareness with character-driven suspense.