From Ryan Cordaro

There’s been a little phenomenon happening in low-budget horror movies recently, and it focuses on the idea of copyright laws. We’re now starting to hit that point where the copyright laws on classic characters are starting to expire, so some independent filmmakers are trying to cash in on classic characters like the original Mickey Mouse that appears in Steamboat Willie, in a more recent example. What really set this off, though, is Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, a British independent film. Regardless of the reception of the movie and how good or bad people thought it was, it ended up being a surprise hit when it came out early last year. During its limited theatrical run, it made a little over $5 million on a budget of $100,000, so that’s a pretty huge success. It’s no wonder that we’re getting a sequel, honestly.

Blood and Honey 2 has a pretty straightforward plot. After the events of the first film, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, and Owl find their home and lives endangered after Christopher Robin reveals their existence. Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, the group decides to embark on a rampage through the town of Ashdown and get their revenge on Christopher Robin once and for all. I couldn’t find what the budget is for this movie, but just from watching the trailer, the costumes for the members of the Hundred Acre Wood look much better than in the first one. I can give it the benefit of the doubt, but Pooh and Piglet just looked like big guys in suits in that and it admittedly made it pretty funny. That’s not the case here, though, and it’s actually pretty cool.

None of the cast members from the first film return, so the sequel’s cast includes Scott Chambers (McKellen: Playing the Part, Chicken), Ryan Oliva (Angel Has Fallen, the upcoming The Experiment), Tallulah Evans (The Full Monty, Son of Rambow), Eddy MacKenzie (the upcoming Flux), Lewis Santer, Marcus Massey, and Simon Callow (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Witcher).

Blood and Honey 2 doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s expected to release at some point this year.

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