Few horror movies make quite as big a stir as Winnie The Pooh: Blood & Honey did when the overly violent trailer was released. The initial glimpse of the film understandably drew a wave of criticism, with many (myself included) feeling uneasy about the beloved Disney version of the character being involved in violent scenarios. The movie's release was a success, and now, unsurprisingly, a sequel is in the works. The film's producer has promised an "explosive, shocking, and gore-filled" follow-up, with Tigger joining the other twisted inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Woods, but with a twist.
According to Boxoffice-Mojo, the first installment of this horror-infused twist on the beloved children's franchise raked in more than 5 million dollars while working with a reported production budget of just 100,000 dollars. This impressive performance all but guaranteed another movie. While the initial movie received its fair share of scathing reviews from critics, it's clear that the project's unique concept attracted a significant portion of the audience to theaters. Nevertheless, the filmmakers aren't resting on their laurels; they're gearing up for an even grander and more ambitious sequel. In an exclusive interview with IGN, producer Scott Jeffrey dropped some tantalizing hints about what fans can expect from Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey 2, promising:
A substantially higher budget so Rhys is really able to create a shocking, explosive and gore-filled movie. I truly think people will really dig what we are creating.
What's sure to get fans of the first film buzzing with excitement is the news that Tigger is finally making his debut in the series. If you recall, Tigger was noticeably absent from the gruesome events of the original Blood & Honey. This absence was due to legal restrictions, as the beloved bouncing tiger wasn't part of the public domain during the first film's production. Instead, the filmmakers drew their inspiration primarily from A.A. Milne's timeless 1926 children's book, which notably omitted the exuberant tiger. But the upcoming sequel, slated to hit the 2024 movie schedule, will see the orange feline unleashed into the dark narrative as he officially steps into the public domain in January 2024, making him a fair-game addition to the cast.
But Tigger won't be the cheerful, energetic character we remember from the cartoons or the live-action Christopher Robin movie. According to Scott Jeffrey:
Tigger is incredibly violent. He loves to torture his victims before killing them.
IGN also shared a first-look image of the once adorable tiger, but in my humble opinion, it looks more like one of the Kangoroo fighters from the ‘90s children’s film Warriors of Virtue. Come on, any other '90s kids share this movie memory? I’m sure Tigger will be very scary in context, but I can't unsee the similarities.
Are you intrigued by the addition of Tigger? Does it tempt you to rewatch or check out the original film for the first time and give the upcoming sequel a chance?
Mark your calendars for the Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey 2 release in February 2024. In the meantime, explore our list of upcoming horror movies or, if you prefer something less spine-chilling, look at our 2023 new movie releases to plan your next cinema outing.
