Every Upcoming Horror Movie Based on Classic Disney Movies

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As a critic, I’ve been watching with some amusement (and a little horror!) as the public domain status of classic characters has shaken things up. Steamboat Willie officially became public domain in 2024, and almost immediately we started seeing films borrowing Mickey’s iconic *look*. It’s worth remembering his *voice* didn’t enter the public domain until 2025, as he was silent in the original Steamboat Willie, but spoke in 1929’s The Karnival Kid. This led to a wave of… let’s call them “Mickey-esque” slashers, like 2024’s The Mouse Trap and 2025’s Screamboat, Mouse of Horrors, and Mouseboat Massacre – and honestly, it’s a list that’s only going to get longer. I’ve even heard one of those mouse-themed murder-fests is getting a sequel! And it’s not just Mickey; with Popeye the Sailor Man entering the public domain in 2025, he’s started appearing in some scary scenarios too, just like Mickey and Winnie-the-Pooh before him.

I’m really excited about what’s coming up in 2026! It looks like Betty Boop, Nancy Drew, and even Disney’s Pluto the dog are potentially going to get the horror treatment. Will we see horror movies starring them? It seems pretty likely, though nothing is officially confirmed yet. But here are the lovable characters who are definitely becoming bloodthirsty killers on the big screen!

11) Aladdin: The Monkey’s Paw

Just like the other films on this list, Disney’s Aladdin isn’t currently available for public use. It won’t enter the public domain for another 63 years, so it will be quite a wait.

The original story of Aladdin from A Thousand and One Nights is now free to be adapted, as the book was first put together in the 12th century. This classic tale of Aladdin and the genie is getting a darker twist with Aladdin: The Monkey’s Paw, a horror film that will include supernatural themes and take place in London. Bradley Stryker is directing the movie and will also appear as an actor in it.

10) The Mouse Trap 2: Welcome to the Mickeyverse

While the initial Mickey Mouse horror film, The Mouse Trap, isn’t widely celebrated, a follow-up is currently planned for release on August 1, 2026.

Rumors are circulating about a follow-up to Screamboat, which makes sense given the first film’s ending scene suggested Minnie Mouse would appear – she also entered the public domain along with characters from Steamboat Willie. The same applies to The Mouse Trap 2: Welcome to the Mickeyverse. If there’s going to be someone dressed as Mickey, it seems there will be an equally disturbed character dressed as Minnie. Apparently, this will launch a whole new cinematic universe.

9) Pinocchio: Unstrung

The remaining films listed are part of the Twisted Childhood Universe. The creators have announced plans for several movies over the next few years, and it’s expected that other similar, Disney-inspired horror films will be quickly produced and revealed. What’s next for the TCU? Pinocchio: Unstrung (the title might be a reference to Django Unchained?).

The TCU (The Christopher University) has become increasingly influential. The initial Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey was largely seen as one of the poorest and cheapest films of 2023. Creator Rhys Frake-Waterfield then worked to improve the quality, and Blood and Honey 2 achieved a 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare earned a 42%, and Bambi: The Reckoning became the first film in the series to be labeled “Fresh” with a 63% rating. Will Pinocchio continue this positive trend? Only time will tell, but it certainly features two well-known horror actors. Barbarian’s Richard Brake is playing Geppetto, and A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Robert Englund will portray the Cricket – a character quite different in the original 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio than the Jiminy Cricket created by Disney.

8) Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble

Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble is clearly a tribute to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The font used on its teaser poster is remarkably like the one featured on the many The Avengers posters.

Similar to 2012’s The Avengers, Poohniverse is the sixth installment in the series and brings together everything that has happened previously. The film is also introducing several well-known characters, such as Winnie-the-Pooh‘s Rabbit, Sleeping Beauty, and Alice in Wonderland‘s Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat. Plus, even though he isn’t a Disney character, it’s been revealed that Tintin, who inspired 2011’s The Adventures of Tintin, will be making an appearance.

7) Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3

The first Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey was famously bad, so the sequel essentially ignored it and rewrote the story. The movie was presented as a film *within* the sequel, and the characters openly made fun of it.

That’s understandable, as each film following the original Blood and Honey has clearly improved in terms of quality. Hopefully, that trend continues with Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3, which will continue the story after Poohniverse and introduce characters like the Heffalumps, Woozles, Kanga, and Roo. Filming for Blood and Honey 3 is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with the movie expected to be released either in late 2026 or early 2027. This third installment, considered the start of “Phase Two,” aims to be as important to the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) as Iron Man 3 was to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

6) Awakening Sleeping Beauty

Announced in March 2024, Awakening Sleeping Beauty is the second movie in the TCU’s “Phase Two.” Currently, very little is known about the story. So far, all that’s been released is the logo, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. It was revealed along with Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, Bambi: The Reckoning, Pinocchio: Unstrung, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, and the next film on our list.

5) Snow White Returns

Snow White is the first Disney character whose story will become freely available for anyone to use, but not for another seven years. Because of this, The Twisted Childhood Universe’s take on the character will probably be inspired by the original 1812 story written by the Brothers Grimm. However, if films like these are still being made in 2032, we can anticipate seeing many variations such as “Snow Red” or “Snow White: Blood in the Snow.”

Snow White Returns was revealed in May 2024, but a release date hasn’t been announced yet. However, many anticipate the film-which is already generating some debate-will arrive in 2027, featuring a darker and more intense reimagining of the classic story.

4) Alice & the Mad Hatter

The fourth movie in the TCU’s second phase, Alice & the Mad Hatter, will bring back the Mad Hatter after he first appeared in Poohniverse. Naturally, this film will also introduce us to Alice. In this story, Alice works as an escort through an agency called the White Rabbit.

Alice & the Mad Hatter is a new film that will be both written and directed by Scott Chambers. He previously directed Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare and is also set to direct the next installment, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3. Chambers even appeared as Christopher Robin in Blood and Honey 2. For this project, he’s mentioned that films like MaXXXine have served as inspiration.

3) Tigger’s Return

Along with Mickey Mouse, Tigger’s copyright expired in 2024 because he first appeared in the 1928 book, The House at Pooh Corner. Similar to Winnie-the-Pooh, the Tigger used in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 wasn’t the Disney version. It was the original design from the A. A. Milne book – but with a lot more teeth and wearing a shirt.

Piglet has been part of the TCU since it started. He and Winnie were the main villains in the first Blood and Honey movie. Tigger didn’t appear until Blood and Honey 2 (along with Owl). Although Winnie, Tigger, Piglet, and Owl are all going to be in Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble, the fact that they’re making Tigger’s Return suggests that Tigger was the most popular character in the Blood and Honey sequel.

2) A Mary Poppins Horror Movie

Similar to characters like Rabbit, Sleeping Beauty, the Mad Hatter, and the Cheshire Cat, Mary Poppins will appear in Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. Scott Chambers, a co-producer on the franchise, has stated that she’ll be one of the movie’s main villains, joining Peter Pan and the Mad Hatter.

Following this, she will star in her own film, though the release date hasn’t been announced yet. If the studio maintains its current pace of releasing two films each year, we can expect Poppins’ solo adventure (which seems to center around a kidnapping plot) around 2029, but it could arrive sooner than that.

1) A Sequel to Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare

As planned, with releases happening twice a year, the next installment after Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare will be the first movie released in 2030. Scott Chambers, who originally introduced the story at TCU, is expected to direct it.

Chambers has finished writing the script for the sequel to Neverland Nightmare. He explained that the new story will show Neverland as an actual location, contrasting with the first film where it was presented as a hallucination caused by drugs.

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2025-10-02 02:42