New ‘Popeye’ Horror Film First-Look Would Make Robin Williams Close His Other Eye

Fans of Popeye the Sailor, that “Ekekeking”, spinach-eating seafarer – who strangely did very little sailing – may want to look away as the first glimpse of the upcoming Popeye horror movie has been unveiled. This is probably as far away from the fun-loving character that was previously captured in live-action by Robin Williams, as, per Bloody Disgusting’s exclusive images, the new take will use all the powers of the public domain to turn the beloved character into a dark, blood-soaked slasher flick.

Being called a “grindhouse-inspired slasher comedy,” the new movie will join other similar public domain-plundering films set for release in 2025. While there are many people who have flocked to see recent offerings such as Winnie the Pooh: Bloody and Honey, this has seemingly kickstarted a new trend of taking wholesome characters that are no longer bound by copyright laws, and exploiting them for all they are worth. Whether the trend will last as long as the planned list of movies by various independent filmmakers, which also feature Mickey Mouse’s Steamboat Willie, Peter Pan, Bambi, and more, is something that seems highly doubtful.

Despite being created by different filmmakers to the “Poohniverse” series of movies, Popeye’s horror-learning movie seems to be relying on the same main selling point – the shock value of seeing a much loved character turning into some kind of inhumane monster. Slated by some as nothing more than low-budget cash-grabs, the movies released so far have captured some interest, but when it comes to brutal horror, they have a long way to go to match the recent success of Terrifer 3, which has turned its completely original villain, Art the Clown, into a cultural icon, and turned a $2 million movies into an $80 million box office. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned there.