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Horror film franchise From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU), also known as the Poohniverse,[1] is a British film series and shared universe of independent slasher horror films. It was conceived and created by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, and produced by the filmmaker's Jagged Edge Productions film studio. The films centers around characters from children's media reimagined as murderous villains.
| The Twisted Childhood Universe | |
|---|---|
Official logo | |
| Created by | Rhys Frake-Waterfield |
| Original work | Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) |
| Owner | Jagged Edge Productions |
| Years | 2023–present |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | |
The franchise's first installment, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, was met with a negative critical reception and a more mixed fan reception, though it turned a profit at the box office. The movie's quality was called into question, with criticisms directed at the script, acting, cinematography, and lack of humor; it also received five Golden Raspberry Awards. In response to this, Frake-Waterfield stated that he is determined to raise the standard with the future films in the franchise.
In 2022, after Winnie-the-Pooh entered the public domain, Jagged Edge Productions began production on a horror adaptation.[2] Upon releasing the first promotional images for the film, the movie became a viral Internet sensation.[3] After the movie's limited release, it was ultimately deemed a financial success, recouping $5 million from its small budget of $100,000.[4] Upon the monetary gain, Jagged Edge Productions announced plans to produce a sequel with a higher budget, while also stating that a then-unnamed cinematic universe featuring characters from various children's stories was in development.[5][6][7][8] In February 2023, it was also stated that the characters in each of the individual movies will ultimately share the screen in the form of a crossover.[5][9][10][11][12]
In March 2024, Jagged Edge Productions officially announced that the franchise will be titled The Twisted Childhood Universe, while also announcing a full slate of films, culminating in a cross-over movie.[13][14]
| Film | UK release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Producers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey | March 10, 2023 | Rhys Frake-Waterfield | Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey | |
| Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 | June 7, 2024 | Rhys Frake-Waterfield | Matt Leslie | |
The first film in the franchise, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, follows the characters Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet as murderous, misanthropic villains.[15] The film began development after the original Winnie-the-Pooh book entered the public domain in 2022.[2] Originally slated for an October 2022 release date, the film became viral after its announcement, and increased publicity motivated reshoots and a 2023 cinematic release.[3] The film made $5.2 million worldwide on a budget of $100,000.
In June 2022, Frake-Waterfield expressed interest in creating a sequel, and stated that he wants to "ramp it up even more and go even crazier and go even more extreme".[16] In November 2022, he announced that a sequel, titled Winnie-the-Pooh 2, was in development with him returning as director and writer, on a budget five times larger than the previous installment;[17] it would later be confirmed that the budget had increased to ten times larger than the first film.[18] In September 2023, teaser images were released,[19][20][21] and it was revealed that the film will not feature the same cast as its predecessor.[22] The sequel began filming in late 2023,[23] with a limited theatrical run in the U.S. from 26 to 28 of March 2024.[24] The film made $7.5 million worldwide on a budget of $500,000.
| Film | UK release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Producer(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare | 2025[25] | Scott Jeffrey[26] | Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey | Post-production | |
| Bambi: The Reckoning | 2025[27] | Dan Allen | Rhys Warrington | ||
| Pinocchio: Unstrung | 2025[28] | Rhys Frake-Waterfield | Matt Leslie | Filming | |
| Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble | 2026[14] | Pre-production | |||
In November 2022, a horror movie centered around the titular character from Peter Pan and Wendy was announced as being in development; with Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey once again serving as producers.[29] Jeffrey was later revealed to be the director from a script he wrote, with the filmmaker stating that the movie will take inspiration from a combination of French cinema, High Tension and The Black Phone. The plot will center around Wendy's search for her brother Michael, who has been abducted by Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. [30] Frake-Waterfield stated that Tinker Bell will be "heavily obese and recovering from drugs",[31] while Jeffrey stated the character is "hooked on heroin and convinced it's Pixie Dust".[30] The film is set to be released in 2025.[25]
In November 2022, a horror film centered around the titular character from Bambi, a Life in the Woods was announced as being in development. It will be directed by Dan Allen, from a script written by Rhys Warrington. Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey will once again serve as producers. The plot follows a woman named Xana and her son named Benji, who must fight to survive when they find themselves as prey to a mutated, grieving, killing machine of a deer following a car wreck. Officially titled Bambi: The Reckoning, the movie will be developed by ITN Studios and Jagged Edge Productions.[32][33] Jeffrey described the film as "an incredibly dark retelling of the 1928 story we all know and love. Finding inspiration from the design used in Netflix's The Ritual, Bambi will be a vicious killing machine that lurks in the wilderness."[34] The film is set to be released in 2025.[27]
In February 2024, it was announced that a horror film centered around the titular character from The Adventures of Pinocchio was in development, while it was also revealed that additional characters from other childhood stories would be revealed as a part of the story. Officially titled Pinocchio: Unstrung, with the release of the first promotional concept art, the plot and the filmmaking crew including the director and the writer were stated to be revealed at a later time. The movie is slated for a 2025 release.[28][35][36] The film will focus on James, the son of Geppetto, who meets Geppetto's magical doll Pinocchio and introduces him to the outside world, but Pinocchio's naïveté gets the better of him and he embarks on a murderous crusade to eliminate all things bad. In November 2024, Robert Englund was cast in a lead role, while Richard Brake was cast as Geppetto.[37]
In March 2024, the franchise's first crossover film was announced with the official title of Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble, with the font of the title parodying that of The Avengers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The plot will reportedly include characters from each of the preceding installments, as the murderous versions of characters from children's fairytales team-up to hunt down the individual survivors of their massacres and seek to take over the world in the process. The team of nightmarish monsters will include returning characters such as Winnie-the-Pooh (being the team's leader), Tigger, Piglet, Owl, Bambi, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Hook, Pinocchio, and The Cricket; while also introducing Rabbit, Sleeping Beauty, the Mad Hatter, and others to the group. Rhys Frake-Waterfield will serve as director, in addition to producing alongside Scott Chambers. The movie is slated to release in 2025.[14]
In March 2024, shortly after the second film's release, it was announced that Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 had entered development. The film will have a larger budget than its predecessors and will feature Rabbit, Heffalumps, Woozles, Kanga and Roo.[38]
In March 2024, Jagged Edge Productions confirmed that Awakening Sleeping Beauty is one of the projects being developed for the franchise.[39][40][41]
In May 2024 during the Cannes Film Festival, Jagged Edged Productions revealed the teaser posters for The Twisted Childhood Universe installments; officially announcing Snow White Returns as a part of its lineup.[41]
| Film | UK release date | Box office gross | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey | March 10, 2023 | $5.2 million[4] | $100,000[42] |
| Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 | March 26, 2024 | $7.6 million[43][44] | $500,000[45] |
| Film | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | |
| Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey | 3% (62 reviews)[46] | 16 (19 reviews)[47] |
| Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 | 46% (41 reviews)[48] | 36 (6 reviews)[49] |
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