Earlier this year the classic children’s literary character Winnie the Pooh entered into the public domain. The bear’s first book was originally published in 1926 and under current U.S. Copyright Law copyright protection lasts 95 years. Now it seems that numerous film makers are eager to take advantage of that, in whatever way they can.



A brand new horror film entitled Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is currently in development by U.K. based Jagged Edge Productions. The film is being written and directed by newcomer Rhys Frake-Waterfield and will star Amber Doig-Thorne as Alice. 



The company is most likely filming in the U.S. as under current U.K. Copyright Laws most works do not enter the public domain until 70 years after the author’s death. British author A. A. Milne passed away in 1956 so the works will not be public domain in the U.K. until 2027.



The film seems to be inspired by the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series with multiple masked killers picking off a cabin full of teenagers, each wearing very frightening masks reminiscent of the Pooh characters. Craig David Dowsett will play “Winnie” and Chris Cordell will play “Piglet”.



So far those are the only animal characters that will appear. No Rabbit or Eeyore. There’s obviously no Tigger as he appeared in the sequel book, The House at Pooh Corner, which was published in 1928. So two more years before Tigger can be used in any way. In fact if you waited until 2024 you could have included Mickey Mouse as well.

The online reactions to the announcement have been somewhat positive to mostly curious:

Wow!
Now I never would have thought Winnie The Pooh would be made into an R-rated horror film.

I think this clip is just the perfect description of how would the original Pooh bear would react to this information.🤣 https://t.co/uF9n7HyVZo pic.twitter.com/hUKg3JxpGY

— Woody and Daffy Duck (Daniel) (@DaffyWoody) May 26, 2022

This isn’t the first time a classic fairy tale has been reinvented in a dark way. Little Red Riding Hood has been the subject of multiple horror themed stories. Hansel and Gretel have been adapted into several horror films. But perhaps the story with the most twisted adaptations is Alice in Wonderland; Notable examples being the American McGee’s Alice video game series and the Grimm’s Fairy Tales Presents: Alice in Wonderland comic book series.



This has to be a nightmare for Disney. For decades they have held the exclusive rights to produce material based on the lovable Pooh Bear. But with him now in the public domain alternate versions of the character may either draw away potential customers or even hurt the image of their version of the character. 



Most mothers would definitely be horrified if they put on a “Winnie the Pooh” movie for their children only to find out it’s a film about a city bear from ‘the wood’ who uses a honey shop as a front for a drug smuggling operation hiding drugs in the honey pots.



With the recent legislation introduced to congress to reduce the copyright ownership status from 95 years to 56 years potentially threatening their IPs that would open the floodgates for more creators like Rhys Frake-Waterfield to appropriate more Disney stories and characters in this way. It would be a massive legal nightmare for the company and a huge blow to their public image. Though it is only a slim chance the legislation would be passed.



Are you looking forward to seeing the new horror themed Winnie the Pooh film? You better make sure you have some honey for Pooh, or else he’ll fill his honey pot with your blood.

Source: Dread Central