Movieweb has previously reported on the first look images of Winnie the Pooh becoming a slasher movie villain in Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. Now, in the words of Rhys Waterfield, who wrote, directed, and co-produced the film, we can tell you what the movie is about as well.
After being abandoned and left without any food by a college-bound Christopher Robin, Pooh and Piglet have become feral from having to fend for themselves so much. “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.”
According to Waterfield, the biggest challenge with doing a movie like this, where you have a wacky concept, was striking the right balance between comedy and horror. To cite an example, Waterfield talked about the setup behind one of the released stills. That of a woman relaxing in a hot tub with Pooh and Piglet menacingly lurking in the background.
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“She’s having a good time and then Pooh and Piglet appear behind her, chloroform her, take her out of the jacuzzi and then kind of drive a car over her head. It’s scary, but there’s also funny bits because there’s shots of Winnie the Pooh in a car and seeing him with his little ears behind the wheel and like slowly going over there [to kill her.]”
Other Production Details for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey
While A.A. Milne’s original Winnie the Pooh stories have entered the public domain five months ago, Disney retains exclusive use of their interpretations of Pooh and his friends. Because of that, Waterfield and the other makers of Blood and Honey were careful to make sure the film was only based on the 1926 version of it.
“No one is going to mistake this [for Disney],” Waterfield said. “When you see the cover for this, and you see the trailers and the stills and all that, there’s no way anyone is going to think this is a child’s version of it.”
Because of the copyright concerns, Pooh will not be wearing the little red shirt Disney gave him but a lumberjack outfit, while the film will also dress Piglet all in black. Other characters still under copyright, like Tigger, will also not appear. However, there is a scene featuring a tombstone belonging to Eeyore, who’s been eaten by a starving Pooh and Piglet.
Blood and Honey wrapped earlier this month, with the filming for the film taking place over just ten days in England, not far from Ashdown Forest. The inspiration for Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood. Because of all the buzz surrounding the film after the first images were released, Waterfield says that they will start editing as fast as possible while also making sure that it’s still good.
Jagged Edge Productions, which Waterfield runs with fellow co-producer Scott Jeffery, made the film. Although Waterfield hasn’t revealed the official budget for the film, he has said that audiences “shouldn’t be expecting this to be a Hollywood-level production.” ITN Studios has already signed on to distribute, though a release date has yet to be determined.
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