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‘The Unknown’ – A Horror Movie Based on the Viral “Wonka Experience” Has Been Announced

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3 months ago

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Willy Wonka horror movie

It’s a longstanding tradition for the horror world to capitalize on trends and turn literally anything and everything into a horror movie, so it’s no big surprise that a horror movie based on the viral “Willy Wonka Experience” has already been announced. It’s titled The Unknown, announced this morning by Scotland-based film production company Kaledonia Pictures.

The unofficial “Willy Wonka Experience” took the internet by storm last week (read all about it here), essentially becoming this year’s answer to the disastrous Fyre Festival. Long story short, AI-generated artwork was employed to lure the unsuspecting Glasgow public into what looked to be an immersive, Willy Wonka-themed experience ripped straight out of the movies, but what they instead found was a warehouse sparsely decorated with dollar store decorations and populated by characters that looked like they were pulled out of, well, horror movies.

One of those characters became known across the internet as The Unknown, who wears a silver mask and has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the Willy Wonka movies.

It seems that character, which terrified children at the aforementioned event and quickly became an ironic fan favorite online, is the inspiration for this upcoming horror movie.

Kaledonia Pictures previews, “The film, gearing up for production and a late 2024 release, follows a renowned illustrator and his wife who are haunted by the tragic death of their son, Charlie. Desperate to escape their grief, the couple leave the world behind for the remote Scottish Highlands – where an unknowable evil awaits them.”

The company tells Bloody Disgusting. “We are excited to begin production and look forward to sharing more with you as soon as possible. We are actually only a few miles from the event, so it is quite surreal to see Glasgow all over social media, worldwide.”

The Unknown is aiming for release in late 2024. Stay tuned for more.

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Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

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Movies

‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Just Had the Highest Domestic Horror Opening of the Year

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7 hours ago

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May 20, 2024

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The bar wasn’t very high to clear, but Lionsgate’s The Strangers: Chapter 1 did manage to break a box office record here in 2024, achieving the highest opening weekend at the domestic box office out of any horror movie released this year… so far. This despite largely negative reviews, once again proving that the horror genre is as review-proof as it comes.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 debuted with $11.83M at the domestic box office in 2,856 locations, just barely topping Blumhouse’s Night Swim to rip the crown off the top of its head.

Here’s the full lineup of domestic opening weekends for horror this year…

  • The Strangers: Chapter 1 – $11.8 million
  • Night Swim – $11.7 million
  • Abigail – $10.2 million
  • Imaginary – $9.9 million
  • The First Omen – $8.3 million
  • Tarot – $6.5 million
  • Immaculate – $5.3 million
  • Lisa Frankenstein – $3.6 million

For further context and comparison, 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night opened to $10.4 million before making $31 million worldwide, a number Chapter 1 may eventually reach.

The good news for Lionsgate is that the production budget for The Strangers: Chapter 1 was a reported $8.5 million, so there’s a good chance this one will soon be profitable. But is it enough to justify theatrical releases for both Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, which will continue Chapter 1‘s storyline and have already been filmed? Or will Lionsgate pivot to a streaming release?

These are the questions we can’t help but ponder today. Stay tuned for more.

Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”), Froy Gutierrez (Hocus Pocus 2), Rachel Shenton (The Silent Child), Ema Horvath (“Rings of Power”) and Gabe Basso (Hillbilly Elegy) star.

Here’s the full official synopsis: “After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive.”

Renny Harlin directed The Strangers: Chapter 1.

The Strangers Chapter 1 review

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