The success of Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare has cemented one of horror’s most peculiar trends: reimagining beloved childhood stories with a dark twist. The trend gained momentum with Jagged Edge Productions’ original film, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. The success of that film has birthed what’s now known as the Twisted Childhood Universe of upcoming horror movies. Scott Chambers’ latest addition to the Tcu has been a surprising hit in theatres, as it explores Peter Pan’s darkest roots by turning him into a psychotic child kidnapper who longs for Neverland.

Reviews for Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare praise it for perfectly balancing its twisted premise with realistic undertones, all elevated by Chambers’ stylistic and other-worldly cinematography. Peter Desouza stars in Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare as Michael, brother to the flawed heroine, Megan Placito's Wendy Darling. The franchise’s third box office success suggests the reimaginings of...