It’s true. The once lovable and huggable honey-obsessed bear might just be the next iconic horror mascot.
According to Dread Central, a dark new reimagining of the character is in development AND several sneak peak photos have also made their way online. The film will be titled Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Now, you might be wondering, “How on Earth is this possible?” Well that’s because the characters were never even Disney’s to begin with. The character was first created by A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard in the 1920s. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Disney gained exclusive access to use the characters and subsequently created numerous projects with them at the center.
However, copyright law dictates that any character or story can become public domain after either 95 years from when the original story was published or 120 years after creation (whichever comes first). Pooh debuted in 1925, so you can do the math.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the only character Disney has entering public domain in the near future. Mickey Mouse is expected to enter the public domain in 2024. Does that mean we’ll eventually see the character become a horror icon too? Who knows? But we’re certain it’s a day that the company is dreading – mostly for branding reasons.
READ: Oh, Bother! Disney Offers An Exclusive Look At The Upcoming ‘Winnie the Pooh’ Musical
Now, it goes without saying that the upcoming Winnie the Pooh adaptation is not affiliated with Disney in any way, shape, or form. But it is interesting that, even after 2018’s Christopher Robin, someone found a way to make a darker film with those characters.
The film’s IMDB page indicates that the film is a “horror retelling of the famous legend of Winnie the Pooh”, however it’s unclear if the killers will be dressed up as the character and his friends or if they will just be anthropomorphic creatures that come out and kill people.
The film is expected to be released later this year – hopefully in time for Halloween. We’ll be sure to keep you updated every step of the way!
SOURCE: Dread Central
Rich
May 26, 2022 at 12:19 pm
I think that it is terrible to make a children’s lovable,happy, characters into dark,harmful killers.