Over the course of the last few months, Rhys Waterfield’s Winne the Pooh: Blood and Honey has been rolling out in theatrical markets all over the world, raking in roughly $4M across engagements in the U.S., the UK, Mexico, Russia and Australia. The micro-budgeted slasher may not have pleased critics (honestly, was there ever a chance it would?), but it’s become a low-key blockbuster for Waterfield and company, who made the film for just $100,000.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, though, the film’s ongoing rollout has just hit a snag. Namely, it’s been pulled from release all over China, just days before Waterfield’s film was due to hit theaters. So, what’s the deal?
Depends on who you ask. Moviematic, which had a sneak peek screening scheduled for today before having it canceled, says they were told “technical reasons” were to blame. Some suggest the film’s gore may have been the issue, but according to THR, a “cut” version of the film that removed much of Blood and Honey‘s gore was previously cleared by Hong Kong censors, and a screening was allowed to take place last week.
There is a third possibility, however, and it’s fittingly bizarre:
“In 2018, Disney’s live-action/CGI feature Christopher Robin — featuring a far more savory version of Winnie — wasn’t approved by authorities in China. While no reason was given at the time, it was blamed on the country’s unofficial crackdown on images of the children’s character after he became a symbol of resistance against the ruling Community Party, with bloggers having drawn comparisons between the pudgy, cuddly bear and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
China has been cracking down hard on dissent and freedom of expression in Hong Kong since it introduced the National Security Law there in 2020, with anything overtly sensitive to the mainland now unlikely to be screened in the territory.”
Yes, over in China, images of Winnie the Pooh have become quite controversial (if not outright banned) after gaining popularity among anti-government activists who noted a resemblance between A.A. Milne’s beloved, cuddly character and China’s president, Xi Jinping. The Winnie the Pooh of Winne the Pooh: Blood and Honey doesn’t quite look like the classic Pooh (he’s got tusks, for starters), but even still – the character’s appearance in Wakefield’s film might’ve been a bit too close for comfort. If this is the case, well, no one’s officially coming out and saying as much.
So, where does that leave Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey? Without any release dates in China, to be sure, but hey: maybe with $4M already in the bank, Wakefield and company will be alright with ’em. Stay tuned for more on this situation should further updates become available.
