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Remakes and reimagining in Hollywood are nothing new, and we have seen countless ones made throughout the years. Whether it's a movie from yesteryear, a popular sitcom from the '90s, or an underrated Disney movie, remakes and reimagining are inevitable.
Recently, it was announced the Winnie the Pooh was getting a reimagining, and a dark one at that. Yes, everyone's favorite bear is getting the horror treatment, and the trailer for the project is as bizarre as you'd expect.
Let's take a look at Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, and what we know about the upcoming film that's sure to upset plenty of people.
Winnie The Pooh Is A Legendary Character
When it comes to the most loved fictional characters in history, there are few that come close to matching Winnie the Pooh. Pooh Bear has been in the spotlight for decades, and unlike other characters that fade over time, this lovable bear has continued to be a popular mainstream figure.
A.A. Milne crafted the character decades ago, and eventually, Milne unleashed this iconic bear to the public.
"The story collection Winnie-the-Pooh was published in October 1926, introducing the characters to a bigger global audience. It was a huge hit at home and abroad. The original English version sold a whopping-for-the-time 32,000 copies, while in the United States, 150,000 copies were nestled on nightstands by year’s end," Smithsonian writes.
Since then, Winnie the Pooh has been a powerhouse of pop culture. The character has had books, movies, TV shows, video games, and everything else under the entertainment umbrella. This has helped keep the character and his friends fresh and relevant for each passing generation.
New projects featuring the character always get fans' attention, but recently, a scary take on Pooh's story was able to make news for all the wrong reasons.
How The Film Got The Greenlight Without Problems
Recently, news broke the Winnie the Pooh was going to be starring in a horror movie, and this was something that truly caught people by surprise. Many wondered how it was possible that a property largely associated with Disney could be getting a dark reimagining. The answer is simple: public domain.
According to Stanford, "The term “public domain” refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it."
Because of this, the studio was able to make a dark Pooh's story without facing any consequences. This also means that the doors are open for other studios to make their own Pooh products.
The film's director, Rhys Waterfield, knows that blowback is coming, and that the team behind the filming needs to get it done in a hurry.
"Because of all the press and stuff, we’re just going to start expediting the edit and getting it through post production as fast as we can. But also, making sure it’s still good. It’s gonna be a high priority," he said.
Some Key Details
So, what is this wild movie even going to be about?
Per Variety, "According to Waterfield, who also wrote and co-produced the film, “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” will see Pooh and Piglet as “the main villains…going on a rampage” after being abandoned by a college-bound Christopher Robin. “Christopher Robin is pulled away from them, and he’s not [given] them food, it’s made Pooh and Piglet’s life quite difficult.”
“Because they’ve had to fend for themselves so much, they’ve essentially become feral,” Waterfield continued. “So they’ve gone back to their animal roots. They’re no longer tame: they’re like a vicious bear and pig who want to go around and try and find prey," the site continued.
The film's trailer has been making its rounds online, and people have been stunned to see the dark imagery.
While there are some who have a genuine curiosity about the project, there are others who aren't pleased with what it's doing.
"Turning something from children’s media dark and edgy is one of the laziest, cheapest, most boring forms of creativity. It’s barely creativity. It’s like badly painting a wall of a house and saying “look! I transformed this house.” This is guaranteed garbage." a Reddit user wrote.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is sure to ruffle some feathers, and it'll be interesting to see how it is received by critics and audiences.