When Bambi: The Reckoning was first announced, many assumed it was a prank.
The idea was so bizarre that it might well have been a parody generated by an AI.
But no, it’s very real.
And come July 25, 2025, this horror reimagining of a beloved childhood classic will be stalking into theaters.
Since we can't display the full promotional posters for gore reasons, you can click here and here to get a glimpse of what the visual for the movie will look like.
The movie will be the latest entry in what is now officially being called "The Twisted Childhood Universe" (or the "Poohniverse," if you’re feeling cheeky).
Fairy Tales Gone Wrong
Bambi: The Reckoning is directed by Dan Allen, a UK-based filmmaker known for his work on microbudget horror titles such as Unhinged, and It Came from Below.
Allen has been vocal about his intent to make this more than just a meme-worthy slasher flick.
In an interview with SFX Magazine, he argued that his version of Bambi is
“thematically about the loss of innocence and the death of childhood,”
adding that he believes this horror take is more faithful to Felix Salten's original novel than Disney’s widely beloved adaptation.
The screenplay is penned by Rhys Warrington, a relatively new but ambitious screenwriter who previously collaborated with Allen.
The premise of the movie is being described as follows:
The film centers on Xana (Roxanne McKee) and her son Benji,.After the mother and son survive a car crash deep in the wilderness, they find themselves hunted by Bambi, a mutated, grief-ridden deer, that is mourning the loss of his mother.
According to producer Scott Jeffrey, this will be “an incredibly dark retelling” of Bambi, drawing visual inspiration from Netflix’s cult horror The Ritual – asupernatural psychological folk horror that tells the story of a group of friends on a hiking trip who encounter an old evil presence in the forest.
If the trailer and description are anything to go by, we can expect a beastly Bambi that resembles an ancient forest entity.Watch the Trailer here and see for yourself: Bambi: The Reckoning - Official Trailer
Why Is This Movie Happening?
The short answer? Public domain.
The originalbook Bambi: A Life in the Woods by Felix Salten (the one, that Disney's movie was based on) entered the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2022.
While Disney’s 1942 adaptation (and its visual style, characters, and music) remains under copyright protection, Salten’s novel is fair game.
And with that loophole wide open, horror producers have wasted no time.
Bambi isn't the only childhood fairytale to get a horror-makeover.
Rhys Frake-Waterfield, the one behind the production, along with Jeffrey, plan to build a low-budget horror empire out of twisted versions of childhood tales that entered public domain.
The first installment of the "Poohniverse", Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, was widely criticized by reviewers, but it made enough of a profit to justify continuing the series.
The franchise already includes Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, and future entries like Pinocchio: Unstrung are on the horizon.
Reimagining Bambi’s Legacy
Of all the classic Disney children's stories, Bambi might already be one of the most psychologically haunting.
The shocking death of Bambi’s mother traumatized generations of viewers.
But does that emotional weight translate into effective horror?
That remains to be seen.
Should You Watch It?
Honestly? It’s so bizarre, you might just have to.
Whether Bambi: The Reckoning will manage to avoid the campy shortcomings of its predecessor remains to be seen.
However, horror fans are feeling cautiously optimistic after the promise to improve production standards following negative reviews of previous movies.
If nothing else, it’s a fascinating commentary on how pop culture continues to repackage the old stories we thought we knew.
Just don’t expect Thumper to show up and lighten the mood.
Are you ready to see Bambi go full beast mode? Or do you think old franchises should be left alone?
Tell us in the comments!