The Twisted Childhood Universe

The Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) (also referred to as the Poohniverse), is a British film series and shared universe of independent slasher horror films. It was conceived and created by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, and produced by the filmmaker's Jagged Edge Productions film studio. The films center around characters from children's media reimagined as murderous villains; Winnie-the-Pooh and Peter Pan have been featured, with Bambi and Pinocchio planned.

The franchise's first installment, '' Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey'', was met with a negative critical reception, though it turned a profit at the box office. The film's quality was called into question, with criticisms directed at the script, acting, directing, and cinematography; it also received five Golden Raspberry Awards. In response to this, Frake-Waterfield stated he is determined to raise the standard with future films in the franchise. The franchise has grossed over $16.5 million worldwide.

Development

In 2022, after ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' entered the public domain, Jagged Edge Productions began production on a horror adaptation. Upon releasing the first promotional images for the film, the movie became a viral Internet sensation. After the movie's limited release, it was ultimately deemed a financial success, recouping $7 million from its small budget of $100,000. Upon the monetary gain, Jagged Edge Productions announced plans to produce a sequel with a higher budget, while also stating a then-unnamed cinematic universe featuring characters from various children's stories was in development. In February 2023, it was also stated the characters in each of the individual movies will ultimately share the screen in the form of a crossover.

In March 2024, Jagged Edge Productions officially announced the shared-universe franchise will be titled "The Twisted Childhood Universe" while also announcing a full slate of films, culminating in a cross-over movie.

Films

Released

''Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey'' (2023)

The first film in the franchise, ''Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey'', follows the characters Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet as murderous, misanthropic villains. The film began development after the original ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' book entered the public domain in 2022. Originally slated for an October 2022 release date, the film became viral after its announcement, and increased publicity motivated reshoots and a 2023 cinematic release. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2023. It made $7.7 million worldwide on a budget of $100,000.

''Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2'' (2024)

In June 2022, Frake-Waterfield expressed interest in creating a sequel, and stated he wants to "ramp it up even more and go even crazier and go even more extreme". In November 2022, he announced a sequel, titled ''Winnie-the-Pooh 2'', was in development with him returning as director and writer, on a budget five times larger than the previous installment; it would later be confirmed the budget had increased to ten times larger than the first film. In September 2023, teaser images were released, and it was revealed the film will not feature the same cast as its predecessor. The sequel began filming in late 2023, with a limited theatrical run in the U.S. from 26 to 28 March 2024. The film was also released in the United Kingdom on 7 June 2024. It made $7.5 million worldwide on a budget of $500,000.

''Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare'' (2025)

In November 2022, a horror movie centered around the title character from '' Peter Pan and Wendy'' was announced as being in development; with Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Chambers (aka Jeffrey) once again serving as producers. Chambers was later announced to be the director from a script he wrote, with the filmmaker stating the movie will take inspiration from a combination of French cinema, ''High Tension'' and ''The Black Phone''. The plot centers around Wendy's search for her brother Michael, who has been abducted by Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. Frake-Waterfield stated Tinker Bell will be "heavily obese and recovering from drugs", while Jeffrey stated the character is "hooked on heroin and convinced it's Pixie Dust". The film was released in the United States on 13 January 2025, and in the United Kingdom on 24 February 2025. It made $1.2 million worldwide on a budget of £250,000–£310,000.

Upcoming

''Bambi: The Reckoning'' (2025)

In November 2022, a horror film centered around the titular character from ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' was announced as being in development. It will be directed by Dan Allen, from a script written by Rhys Warrington. Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey will once again serve as producers. The plot follows a woman named Xana and her son named Benji, who must fight to survive when they find themselves as prey to a mutated, grieving, killing machine of a deer following a car wreck. Officially titled ''Bambi: The Reckoning'', the movie will be developed by ITN Studios and Jagged Edge Productions. Jeffrey described the film as "an incredibly dark retelling of the 1928 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." The film is set to be released on July 25, 2025 in the United States by Seismic Releasing.

''Pinocchio: Unstrung'' (2025)

In February 2024, it was announced a horror film centered around the titular character from ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' was in development. It was also revealed additional characters from other childhood stories would be part of the story and revealed at a later time. With the announcement of the official title, ''Pinocchio: Unstrung,'' and release of the first promotional concept art, it was made known the plot and the filmmaking crew, including the director and writer, would be announced a later time. The film will focus on James, the son of Geppetto, who meets Geppetto's magical doll Pinocchio and introduces him to the outside world. Pinocchio's naïveté gets the better of him and he embarks on a murderous crusade to eliminate all things bad. In November 2024, Robert Englund was cast in a lead role, while Richard Brake was cast as Geppetto. The movie is slated for a 2025 release.

''Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble'' (2026)

In March 2024, the franchise's first crossover film was announced with the official title of ''Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble'', with the font of the title parodying '' The Avengers'' (titled ''Avengers Assemble'' in the United Kingdom and Ireland) from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The plot will include characters from each of the preceding installments, as the murderous versions of characters from children's fairytales team-up to hunt down the individual survivors of their massacres and seek to take over the world in the process. The team of nightmarish monsters will include returning characters such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Owl, Bambi, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Hook, Pinocchio, and the Cricket; while also introducing Rabbit, Sleeping Beauty, the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, and others to the cast. Rhys Frake-Waterfield will serve as director, in addition to producing alongside Scott Chambers. In December 2024, Scott Chambers announced Mary Poppins will also appear in the movie. The following month he stated she, Peter Pan, and Mad Hatter will be the three most villainous characters of the film.

Principal photography is scheduled to commence in the summer of 2025, with the film tentatively slated to release in October of 2025. Producer Scott Chambers said if production isn't completed on time, the studio will move its release to the first quarter of 2026.

Other projects in development

''Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3'' (TBA)

In March 2024, shortly after the second film's release, it was announced that ''Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3'' had entered development. The film will have a larger budget than its predecessors and will include Heffalumps, Woozles, Kanga and Roo. In January 2025, franchise producer Scott Chambers stated the movie would be a part of the studio's second phase of movies; which will release after ''Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble''.

''Awakening Sleeping Beauty'' (TBA)

After previously being listed on the studio's IMDb production page, Jagged Edge Productions confirmed in March 2024, ''Awakening Sleeping Beauty'' is one of the projects being developed as a part of the Twisted Childhood Universe film franchise. The studio later shared posters for the upcoming installments of the franchise at the Cannes Film Festival, including the Sleeping Beauty movie in May of the same year.

''Snow White Returns'' (TBA)

In May 2024 during the Cannes Film Festival, Jagged Edged Productions revealed the teaser posters for The Twisted Childhood Universe installments; officially announcing ''Snow White Returns'' as a part of the lineup.

''Alice the Mad'' (TBA)

In January 2025, Scott Chambers stated after being featured as one of the primary evils of ''Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble'', the Mad Hatter will feature in an upcoming standalone movie. Later that month, the producer announced the project's official title as ''Alice the Mad'' and explained how the project would center around the franchise's version of Alice, who is pursued by an obsessed Mad Hatter because of her work as an escort for an agency named the White Rabbit. The filmmaker stated the movie will be part of the franchise's second phase of movies, expressing his intentions to direct, while stating other horror movies as creative inspiration including ''Opera'', '' Maniac'', and ''MaXXXine''.

''Tigger's Return'' (TBA)

In January 2025, franchise producer Scott Chambers announced as part of the studio's second phase of movies, a spin-off of the ''Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey'' movies centered around Tigger. The project will enter production following the release of ''Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble''. The producer explained the audience's reception to the character as the reason the character getting his own installment.

Untitled ''Mary Poppins'' film (TBA)

In January 2025, franchise producer Chambers announced as a part of the franchise's future slate of films, Mary Poppins will receive a standalone movie following an introduction in ''Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble''; while also stating the story will depict the character as a kidnapper.

Untitled ''Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare'' sequel (TBA)

In January 2025, writer/director Scott Chambers announced plans for a sequel to ''Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare'', acknowledging that its realization is dependent on the first movie's box office performance. The filmmaker stated he had completed the script with the plot exploring how Neverland is a real location within the continuity of the franchise while the first film depicting Neverland as something Peter Pan explores while he is under the influence of drug abuse.

Reception

Box-office performance

Critical and public response

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Twisted Childhood Universe, The

Shared universes
Mythopoeia
Mass media franchises introduced in 2023
Film series introduced in 2023
Horror film franchises
British film series
Horror films based on children's franchises
British slasher films