Bambi: The Reckoningis the latest entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe, which began in 2023 withWinnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. The new film will be a horror-inspired take on Disney’s classicBambistory, directed by Dan Allen with a script by Rhys Warrington. Thestory ofBambi: The Reckoningcenters around a mutated deer who embarks on a journey of revenge.
Thetrailer forBambi: The Reckoningpromises something veering far away from the animated movie, using the same bloody gore and supernatural atmosphere that madeBlood and Honeysuch a widely discussed project upon its release.Bambi: The Reckoningwill also lead directly into next year’s upcoming team-up event,Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.
Speaking withScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns,Dan Allen confirmed that Bambi won’t be the only familiar character in his twisted Disney adaptation. WhileBambi: The Reckoningwill obviously be very different from Disney’sBambi, the filmmaker shared that they included some minor references and returning characters that audiences should recognize. Check out Allen’s comments below:
We really wanted to include the rabbits as a fun, collective threat in there. There’s another slight nod, as well, to Flower on the computer screen at one point, although it’s a slightly different creature, but, yeah, that’s in there, as well. So, it’s a nod, but it’s not a definite.
What Dan Allen’s Comments Mean For Bambi: The Reckoning
The Director Is Paying Homage To The Disney Original
ThePoohniversehas never taken itself particularly seriously, and it’s this willingness to play around with the continuity of the classic films that makes its entries so fun on the surface. They’re certainly not concerned with staying true to the source material, butDan Allen’s comments prove that there’s at leastsomelevel of authenticity to his Bambi adaptation.
Andit’s not just Flower who makes a subtle appearance inBambi: The Reckoning.The director also confirmed that one of the rabbits (“the first one, which is also the one that’s in right at the end”) could potentially be Thumper, although “none of it’s explicit.” While these references are just Easter eggs for now, they could end up being more important in theupcomingPoohniverseteam-up movie.
Our Take On Bambi: The Reckoning’s Disney References
Allen Clearly Understands What Makes These Horror Remakes So Fun
Ultimately,Bambi: The Reckoninghas a very fine line to walk between retelling the story ofBambiand separating itself from the Disney movieto forge its own identity as a horror movie. Including some familiar characters but neverexplicitlynaming them as Thumper, Flower, etc., seems like a very efficient way of doing this.
ThePoohniversehas received mixed reviews so far, but most critics can agree that these projects are at their best when they fully lean into the horror genre and don’t try too hard to replicate the Disney stories. Dan Allen seemingly understands this, so there’s some real potential behindBambi: The Reckoning.
