Just when you thought the twisted Winnie the Pooh horror franchise couldn’t get any more deranged, the masterminds behind the viral “Blood and Honey” movies have unveiled their most ambitious project yet – the “Poohniverse.” This nightmarish crossover event will bring together a coterie of classic storybook characters reimagined as unhinged slasher villains.
Unveiled by Jagged Edge Productions and ITN Films, “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble” will see the bloodthirsty Pooh Bear, Piglet, and their friends from the Hundred Acre Wood join forces with reimagined horror versions of Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, Bambi, The Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, and Tinkerbell. Together, this ensemble of demented fan-favorite characters will unleash complete carnal chaos.
“It will be complete carnage,” promises director Rhys Frake-Waterfield, citing influences like “Freddy vs Jason” and “The Avengers.” “We have some incredible set pieces in mind and some sequences I think will truly shock people.”
The “Poohniverse” aims to bring a unique horror spin to the concept of a shared cinematic universe, akin to Marvel’s iconic interconnected storytelling. Standalone prequels like “Bambi: The Reckoning,” “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung” will help set the stage and feature connective tissue pointing towards the inevitable monstrous team-up.
“As horror fans, we would love an Avengers that is all villains,” says Scott Chambers, who stars as Christopher Robin. “Obviously that will never happen, but we can make it happen in our own little way.”
Jagged Edge is leaning into their success with last year’s shockingly profitable “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” which reeled in over $5 million from just a $50,000 budget. That cult horror hit saw the traditionally cuddly bear and his pal Piglet descend into homicidal madness after being abandoned by their human friend.
Its upcoming sequel, “Blood and Honey 2,” will further build towards the “Poohniverse” by leaving subtle hints and Easter eggs teasing the established horror icons’ eventual monstrous assembling.
While specific plot details are still under wraps, the filmmakers have promised that the villainous team won’t necessarily see eye-to-eye, setting the stage for some “monster vs monster” conflict amidst their rampage of terror.
“Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble” is slated to begin filming this year ahead of a theatrical release in 2025, with a budget bigger than the shoestring “Blood and Honey” predecessors. The cast will feature actors like Megan Plactio as Wendy Darling, Roxanne Mckee as Xana, and Lewis Santer voicing the murderous Tigger.
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the ambitious, delightfully bonkers swingfor the fences that is the “Poohniverse” from these self-proclaimed purveyors of subversive horror schlock. Audiences will soon witness an unholy alliance of storybook legends like never before – prepare for a nightmare-fueled, bloodsoaked reinterpretation of childhood wonder.
