Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey - What We Know So Far

While the start of a new year is not a period in which high-quality films are typically released, at least a few hyped horror movies will nevertheless hit theaters near the beginning of 2023. Among some of the most anticipated horror releases of Winter 2023 are viral dancing robot slasher "M3GAN," M. Night Shyamalan literary adaptation "Knock at the Cabin," sixth "Scream" franchise entry "Scream 6," and the deliberately childhood-tarnishing "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey."

Once news of a horrific take on classic "Winnie-the-Pooh" stories first began circulating online, one key tidbit plenty of reports were quick to mention is the fact that such a project is possible thanks to "Winnie-the-Pooh" entering the public domain in January of 2022. The original "Winnie-the-Pooh" IP, then, can now effectively appear in any context without the need to pay royalties to a copyright holder.

The director of "Blood and Honey," therefore, struck while the iron was still hot, moving forward with his edgy "Winnie-the-Pooh" story the same year its very existence became legal. Here's what we know about "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" so far, in advance of its Winter 2023 premiere.

The general public first learned of "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" around May of 2022, at which point filming had already wrapped according to an early profile that Variety published around that time. The "Blood and Honey" team, it turns out, was able to conclude filming in just 10 days. Fittingly, the project was filmed near the Ashdown Forest located on the outskirts of East Sussex, England, which once served as inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood in which "Winnie-the-Pooh" takes place. Then, after receiving positive responses to early still photos of "Blood and Honey," its creators decided to expedite its release in order to make the most of the growing momentum behind it.

As a result of this quick turnaround, "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" will hit theaters in the United States on February 15, 2023, albeit with a caveat — "Blood and Honey" will premiere as a single-day theatrical engagement, so those interested in catching it in theaters will have to plan to see it that very day. "Blood and Honey" will also screen in the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and some additional countries, though whether or not it will remain in theaters for a longer period of time worldwide has yet to be announced.

In June of 2022, shortly after its core concept went viral online, Dread Central — who published the initial story that tipped the public off to its existence about a week prior — spoke with the director of "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" in order to learn more details about the film that had horror fans buzzing at that time. In response to the publication's first couple of questions, its director provided some plot details that serve as a basic synopsis of just what to expect in "Blood and Honey."

First, he specified that its versions of Pooh and Piglet are not humans in masks but a humanoid bear and a humanoid pig just as in the source text. Their reason for becoming violent is that Christopher Robin fed them when he was younger, before growing up and leaving them to fend for themselves without a proper source of food. They hunt and kill humans, then, both for sustenance and out of anger at their lot in life. Eventually an adult Christopher returns with his finacee, which enrages Pooh and Piglet, setting them off on a killing spree that drives the balance of the film.

As its creators have specified throughout the film's making, "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" is a decidedly independent production, so its cast is largely comprised not of marquee names but actors whose past experience consists predominately of other independent horror projects.

Craig David Dowsett stars in "Blood and Honey" as the titular Winnie-the-Pooh. Dowsett's past work is limited to a single horror film, titled "The Area 51 Incident," likewise helmed by the director of "Blood and Honey." Meanwhile his partner in crime Piglet is portrayed by Chris Cordell, whose filmography spans a handful of horror projects through 2021 and 2022, also including "The Area 51 Incident." Rounding out its stable of legacy characters is another relative newcomer, Nikolai Leon, as Christopher Robin.

Playing Pooh and Piglet's victims, meanwhile, are Amber Doig-Thorne, Maria Taylor, Danielle Ronald, Natasha Tosini, May Kelly, and Natasha Rose Mills. Paula Coiz plays Christopher's fiancee Mary, who is presumably also a part of this group.

As its director, Rhys Frake-Waterfield is the mastermind behind "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey." Prior to the advent of his viral "Winnie-the-Pooh" project, Frake-Waterfield served as a producer on a large number of horror movies, most of which were released between 2021 and 2022 and draw from similarly over-the-top premises. These include films with names like "Dinosaur Hotel," "The Legend of Jack and Jill," "Kingdom of the Dinosaurs," and "Curse of Jack Frost."

Meanwhile, as a director, Frake-Waterfield's past work consists of three releases: a short titled "Go Viral," alien horror film "The Area 51 Incident," and cheeky Christmas slasher "Demonic Christmas Tree." Furthermore, Frake-Waterfield's name is attached to a number of upcoming released beyond just "Blood and Honey," including "Dinosaur Prison," "Firenado," and "Rise of Loch Ness," all of which seem to indicate their premises in their titles.

Frake-Waterfield is also planning to adapt Thor and Peter Pan for future projects, though these are both currently just ideas and not yet confirmed.

The first trailer for "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" premiered in August of 2022, providing viewers with their first look at its murderous versions of Pooh and Piglet in action since still images of the characters debuted in May.

Upon the trailer's opening, an adult Christopher Robin introduces his fiancee Mary to the Hundred Acre Wood, where he spent his childhood taking care of Pooh and company. Christopher, however, has trouble locating his old friends, and even stumbles upon a makeshift gravestone for Eyeore. Pooh seemingly dispatches Christopher and Mary with ease, before directing his and Piglet's murder spree toward a group of college-aged women staying at a rural cabin, where the balance of the film looks to take place.

Naturally, the trailer concludes on glimpses of horrified and sometimes bloody faces, teasing the kills that will drive "Blood and Honey," given that twisting beloved childhood characters into deranged serial killers is its raison d'être. Those interested this unique take on a childhood classic can check out "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" once it premieres in theaters on February 15, 2023.