5 Disney characters that will be featured in horror films

Disney became responsible for popularizing several fairy tale characters on the big screen, bringing inspiring versions of these figures in stories full of magic, as well as presenting unique characters that marked the studio’s history, such as Mickey Mouse, who became one of the symbols of the company co-founded by Walt Disney.

Still, many of these cute characters have been transformed into bizarre creatures from horror films, as with Mickey himself, who was transformed into a killer in the plots of “Mickey’s Mouse Trap” and “Mickey’s Mouse Trap”. Mickey vs. Winnie”, independent films that do not yet have a release date.

This happens because, on January 1st of this year, the version of Mickey seen in “Steamboat Willie”, from 1928, entered the public domain in the United States, since there, legislation advocates that protection be terminated 95 years after registration. .

From then on, anyone can reproduce, distribute, adapt or publish content featuring the black and white version of the most famous mouse in the world without paying anything!

More than that, other characters that became widely adored by several generations of children when they were released on Disney will also be given dark versions in horror feature films, as their original works are about to complete a century of release.

With that in mind, RECREIO brought together 5 of them in the list below [lembrando que nenhum dos filmes abaixo é recomendado para crianças por conterem cenas sensíveis]; check out:

1. Winnie the Pooh

“Winnie The Pooh” by AA Milnewas released in 1926 and in 1961 Disney obtained the rights to the story, causing the adorable figures to appear in animated films and television series, through the studio’s label.

However, on January 1, 2022 it entered the public domain and that same year, it was confirmed that the central characters of the English author’s story would star in the slasher ‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’, produced by Jagged Edge Productions and ITN Studios .

Written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield the film premiered in 2023 and on March 26, 2024 it received its first sequel where Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Owl and Tigger are presented as bloodthirsty killers. The narrative already has a third feature film confirmed.

2. Ariel

The animation that features Ariel as the mermaid princess who wants to live among humans was developed by Disney through ‘The Little Mermaid’, a tale of Hans Christian Andersenreleased by the studio in 1989, as the story was already in the public domain at the time, as it was published in 1837.

But in addition to Disney, another studio also took advantage of the freedom to adapt Ariel’s plot: MSR Media International, which will present the mermaid in a way that is far from that of the novel and animation, since in the plot she is a great threat to humans.

The synopsis reads: “Dr. Eric Prince, an archaeologist, makes a dramatic discovery on a small Caribbean island – finds proof of an ancient and advanced prehistoric society. While his dig is underway, he meets the mysterious and beautiful Aurora Bey and falls in love. Her arrival coincides with several mermaid sightings and strange disappearances.

When Eric’s friend and mentor, Dr. Ashley, arrives on the island, Ashley discovers Aurora’s true identity and the dangers of evil hidden within the dig site. Will Eric heed his friend’s advice, or will he be blinded by the mermaid’s love and power, allowing the world to fall into the hands of evil?”

The film, which will be directed by the filmmaker Leigh Scott and starring Lydia Helen, Mike Markoff It is Jeff Dentondoes not yet have a release date.

3. Cinderella

Not even your favorite princess Walt Disney escaped the macabre versions! The version of Cinderella presented by Casa do Mickey is an adaptation of the novel written by the author Charles Perraultpublished in 1697, therefore, it is also another title that can be reproduced without the need for legal authorization.

In this way, the princess can be seen in “Cinderella’s Curse”, an adaptation by ChampDog Films that will bring the character in a vengeful version, since, after suffering at the hands of her half-sisters and from her stepmother, she will ask her fairy godmother for a dark wish so that she can get rid of everyone who has ever harmed her.

The plot opens on June 20, 2024 in US cinemas, but is not recommended for children under 17, who, if they want to watch, must be accompanied by their parents.

4. Peter Pan

Just like Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan no longer belongs to Disney this year, so the boy who doesn’t want to grow up will star in the feature film “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, since, at the beginning of this year, the theatrical version of the figure created per JM Barrie entered the public domain in the United States, as despite being released in 1904, the play’s script was not ‘published’ for copyright purposes until 1928.

“Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare” (‘Peter Pan’s nightmare in Neverland’, in literal translation), should start filming this month to follow Wendy as she searches for her brother, Michael, kidnapped by an extremely evil version of Peter Pan.

With direction from Scott Jeffreythe feature film is part of a shared universe that began in ‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’, and should arrive in theaters in October this year, featuring Megan Placitoas Wendy Darling; Green Kitlike Tinker Bell; Peter DeSouza-Feighoneylike Michael Darling and Charity Kase like James.

5. Bambi

“Bambi: The Reckoning” is the title of the film that will also belong to the universe of ‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ and will follow Xana (Roxanne McKee) and his son Benji (Tom Mulheron), after they are involved in a car accident and begin to be hunted by the cruel killing machine: Bambi, as revealed in the synopsis.

The film does not yet have a confirmed release date, however, the adaptation became possible as Bambi’s version of Felix Satenfell into the public domain in 2022, just like Winnie the Pooh.