Rhys Frake-Waterfield is on a streak of taking public domain children’s book characters that have previously been given the Disney treatment and turning them into something terrifying. His movie Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is set to receive a U.S. theatrical release through Fathom Events on February 15th, he’s developing a horror twist on Peter Pan that will be called Peter Pan: Neverland Nightmare, there’s a chance of a Blood and Honey sequel, and now the folks at Dread Central have broken the news that Frake-Waterfield will also be producing a horror movie inspired by Felix Salten’s 1923 novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods. The horror take on Bambi is called Bambi: The Reckoning.
Coming to us from ITN Studios and Jagged Edge Productions, Bambi: The Reckoning is set to begin filming in January with Scott Jeffrey (The Curse of Humpty Dumpty) at the helm.
Jeffrey told Dread Central, “The film will be an incredibly dark retelling of the 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. Prepare for Bambi on rabies!“
Plot details are being kept under wraps. Given the title, it’s probably safe to assume that Bambi: The Reckoning will be a revenge story about Bambi seeking to avenge the hunting murder of his mother.
What do you think of this trend of beloved children’s book and cartoon characters getting turned into horror movie characters? Are you looking forward to learning more about Bambi: The Reckoning? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
Scott Jeffrey’s directing credits also include The Bad Nun, The Final Scream, ClownDoll, Conjuring the Genie, Dragon Fury, Hatched, Spider in the Attic, The Gardener, Exorcist Vengeance, and Kingdom of the Dinosaurs.