Back in May, the existence of low-budget horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey went viral with its violent depiction of a beloved children's character. Now, the viral status of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has led to the film being acquired by chains across multiple territories, and the film will be opening in the US for one day only.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey made waves when the news dropped that a horror film about Winnie the Pooh, complete with a bizarre plot, was being made. This may be very confusing to some because Winnie the Pooh is still in use as a character at Disney, which is notoriously protective of its intellectual properties. In actuality, however, the horror film will be set after the original A. A. Milne book, which entered the public domain back in January following the 95th anniversary of the publication.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fathom Events acquired the rights to the film, which they will screen across several hundred cinemas in the US only on February 15, 2023. Meanwhile, Altitude acquired the rights for the UK, Cinemex has acquired the rights to the film in Mexico, and Cineplex acquired the rights in Canada. Several other territories are reportedly set to acquire the rights to screen the film, which is impressive for its low-budget genre labels Jagged Edge Productions and ITN Films.
Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey's plot is simple: Winnie the Pooh and Piglet are out to kill, and not even Eeyore is spared. The horror film follows Winnie the Pooh and Piglet after they've gone feral after being left alone in the Hundred Acre Wood when Christopher Robin grew up. While Winnie looks similar to his iconic portrayal (or as close as a man in a suit can get), Piglet resembles more of a wild boar in the film, complete with tusks (presumably he's not a piglet anymore; his parents did not think the name through).
A look at Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey's first poster provides an interesting look at the slasher. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield came up with the idea for the film after hearing about the lapse of the book into the public domain. Given that this only occurred in January of this year, the concept, filming, and turnaround are remarkably quick for a film.
Living in a world where Winnie the Pooh may become the next big slasher icon horror movies need is just one of those film concepts that seem deranged on paper, but may work out in practice. Little has actually been shown in the way of footage of the film, so it's hard to say how it will be received. One thing's for sure: the theatergoing experience for the film has the potential to be absolutely off-the-wall.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is in cinemas on February 15, 2023, only.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter