Director and co-writer Rhys Waterfield addressed reports that a Miami teacher showed fourth graders his film “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”
“I think it’s crazy,” Waterfield told Variety. “Because when you watch the film, there is no way you can mistake it for a child’s film, literally in the first 10 minutes, crazy stuff’s happening.”
Waterfield questioned how the screening went on for 20 to 30 minutes, pointing out that his characters “look scary.” He wondered if the teacher left the classroom while his film was playing or if the students tricked their teacher into turning on the movie, according to the outlet.
“Hopefully we haven’t ruined these kids’ childhoods,” Waterfield said.
Trailer Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 😨pic.twitter.com/VAaOby79xk
— Habis Nonton Film (@HabisNontonFilm) September 1, 2022
Parents complained after Miami Springs charter school students were shown a portion of the horror film featuring beloved character “Winnie the Pooh” on Oct. 2. They placed blame on the teacher, who was ultimately responsible for vetting the film’s content. (RELATED: Winnie-The-Pooh Teaches Kids How To Survive School Shooting)
“Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” portrays Pooh bear as a homicidal maniac who embarks on a murderous rampage. Scenes include instances of “stabbing, face-ripping, neck-slicing, arm-snapping, whipping, eyeballs popping out and nudity,” according to Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization that screens media products for their sustainability for children.
Waterfield announced a sequel to the horror film to be released on Feb. 14, 2024. He said “everything’s stepped up massively” in the sequel, noting that there will be approximately “30 deaths,” more kills than the first film.