Continuing the trend of turning beloved childhood stories into horror films, the creators of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey are expanding their Poohniverse with Bambi: The Reckoning. This upcoming horror movie offers a fresh and terrifying twist on the classic children’s tale by transforming the gentle fawn into a deadly predator. The director recently made a bold comparison, likening the killer deer to iconic monster movies like Godzilla.
This reimagining, helmed by Unhinged director Scott Jeffrey, promises to bring audiences a new level of fear and excitement. And if you ask Jeffrey, the latest movie will do for deer what Jaws did for sharks. In a recent interview with Bloody Disgusting, the filmmaker boldly compared the film to some of the best horror movies of all time, saying:
It’s gonna be terrifying. When people see a deer in the wild after this film they’re gonna run for the hills. This film is about the death of childhoods as much as it’s gonna ruin childhoods Expect bloodshed, tears and rabbits… and one mean killer deer. At last, the British countryside will finally get its Godzilla.
That is a bold comparison, but I have to admit, it has piqued my interest. A more direct analogy might be to a Stephen King classic. The film is being described as “Cujo meets Jurassic Park.” The plot centers on a mother and son who, after getting into a car accident, find themselves hunted by Bambi—a mutated, grief-stricken deer on a deadly rampage seeking revenge for his mother’s death.
From ITN Studios and Jagged Edge Productions, Rhys Warrington penned Bambi: The Reckoning, which Scott Jeffrey and Rhys Frake-Waterfield produced.
Despite being heavily criticized by critics, the first Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey was a box office success, earning over $5 million on a reported $100,000 budget. This prompted the filmmakers to quickly develop a sequel, seemingly addressing some of the critiques of the original. Now horror fans can look forward to a multiverse of killers inspired by their favorite childhood fairy tale characters.
This interconnected horror universe will feature standalone films like Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare and Pinocchio Unstrung, introducing new characters such as Sleeping Beauty, The Mad Hatter, and Rabbit from Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey. All these characters will eventually come together in an Avengers-style crossover film, Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble, set for the 2025 movie schedule, where they will unite to conquer the world.
As audiences prepare for this reimagined classic, one thing is certain: this version of Bambi will not be for the faint of heart. Still, whether or not it will stack up to the likes of Cujo, Jurassic Park, and Godzilla remains to be seen.
As the film gears up for release, horror fans can catch up with the first installment of the Poohniverse by streaming Blood & Honey with a Peacock subscription.