WINNIE THE POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY Director Says He Has Received Death Threats Over Making the Movie

Winnie the Pooh is one of the most beloved characters in literary and cartoon history. The adorable bear and his friends from the Hundred-Acre Woods are so iconic, and historically tied to Disney, the books and films that have been previously released hold a special place in the hearts of kids and adults who were raised on them.

So when the rights to Pooh were made public, and writer-director Rhys Frake-Waterfield decided to adapt the property into a horror film titled Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, he had to know there’d be some backlash. But apparently he has endured even more than he bargained for.

During a recent interview with Agence France-Press (via /Film), Frake-Waterfield called the vitriolic response to the movie "mental."

"I've had petitions to stop it. I've had death threats. I've had people saying they called the police."

This is obviously a huge, ridiculous over-reaction. But Frake-Waterfiled has admittedly been embracing the negativity since the very start. When a commenter complained that the movie would ruin people's childhoods, the filmmaker agreed, writing on his Instagram story: "That's what I'm trying to do, ruin everyone's childhood."

Here’s the synopsis:

“Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey will see Pooh and Piglet as the main villains…going on a rampage after being abandoned by a college-bound Christopher Robin. Christopher Robin is pulled away from them, and he’s not [given] them food, it’s made Pooh and Piglet’s life quite difficult.

“Because they’ve had to fend for themselves so much, they’ve essentially become feral. So they’ve gone back to their animal roots. They’re no longer tame: they’re like a vicious bear and pig who want to go around and try and find prey.”

The movie stars Amber Doig-Thorne, Maria Taylor, and Danielle Scott. Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey is released in select theaters, on DVD and on VOD this week. Will you be checking it out?