Many childhoods have already been ruined this year by the news that Winnie the Pooh​​: Blood and Honey – a horror movie about A A Milne’s teddy bear embarking on a twisted rampage – is coming to our screens.

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Now, the team behind the slasher movie – ITN Studios and Jagged Edge Productions – are preparing to ruin another childhood classic: this time, Bambi.

The beloved fawn and his woodland pals Thumper and Flower, who were first brought to life in Felix Salten’s 1923 novel Bambi, a Life in the Woods, have retained a sweet and child-friendly image thanks to the 1942 Disney film. But now that Salten’s novel has entered the public domain, that looks about to change.

Filmmaker Scott Jeffrey has teamed up with Rhys Frake-Waterfield, who wrote and directed Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, to reimagine Bambi as a "vicious killing machine".

"The film will be an incredibly dark retelling of the 1928 story we all know and love," Jeffrey told Dread Central. "Bambi will be a vicious killing machine that lurks in the wilderness. Prepare for Bambi on rabies!"

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So, read on for everything you need to know about the upcoming horror film, including when we can expect it to land in cinemas.

Bambi: The Reckoning release date

Disney/ YouTube

Bambi: The Reckoning is currently scheduled for a one-night theatrical release on 15th February 2023, so there shouldn't be *too* long to wait.

Production is set to kick off in January 2023.

Bambi: The Reckoning plot speculation - What could the horror film be about?

Disney's 1942 animated remake of Bambi. Disney/ YouTube

No further plot details have been revealed as of yet.

However, the 1928 story follows the young deer Bambi as he navigates life in the forest after his mother is shot to death by hunters, telling a sweet tale of friendship.

However, given how many children were traumatised by the death scene, we're guessing this will be central to Bambi's transformation into a monster in the new take.

Speaking to Dread Central, director Jeffrey also revealed that the movie is inspired by Netflix horror movie The Ritual, which follows four men as they’re tormented by a mysterious creature while hiking through the Swedish wilderness.

Who could be in the cast of Bambi: The Reckoning?

Unfortunately, the cast of Bambi: The Reckoning hasn't been revealed at this stage.

Is there a trailer for Bambi: The Reckoning?

Not yet, but we'll drop it here as soon as it's available!

In the meantime, here's the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which is expected to land in February 2023.

Visit our Film hub for more news and features, or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide. or Streaming Guide.

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