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Bambi: The Reckoning

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Bambi: The Reckoning
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDan Allen
Screenplay byRhys Warrington
Based onBambi, a Life in the Woods
by Felix Salten
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyVince Knight
Edited byDan Allen
Music byGreg Birkumshaw
Production
company
Jagged Edge Productions
Distributed byITN Distribution
Release date
  • 25 July 2025 (2025-07-25) (United States)
Running time
81 minutes[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$196,567[2][3]

Bambi: The Reckoning is a 2025 British independent horror film directed by Dan Allen, from a screenplay by Rhys Warrington. It is the fourth installment in The Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) and serves as a horror retelling of Felix Salten's Bambi, a Life in the Woods. The film stars Roxanne McKee, Tom Mulheron, Nicola Wright, Samira Mighty, Alex Cooke, Russell Geoffrey Banks, and Joseph Greenwood. It follows a mother and her son who become hunted by Bambi after his own mother's death.

First announced in November 2022 as a Bambi-based horror film, the film was subsequently revealed to be set in the TCU shared continuity. It started production in London on 6 January 2024 and wrapped twenty days later.

Bambi: The Reckoning was theatrically released on 25 July 2025 in the United States.[4] The film received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

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In the past, a young fawn named Bambi lives happily with his mother until a hunter kills her. Bambi grows up alone, but meets a doe named Faline, who then gives birth to a fawn. Unfortunately, Faline is fatally run over by a truck carrying toxic waste, and Bambi's offspring disappears. Devastated, Bambi drinks contaminated water from a river, which mutates him into a ravenous creature, determined to get his revenge.

In the present, mother Xana and her son Benji take a taxi to spend Thanksgiving with Xana's husband Simon and his family—his dementia-stricken mother Mary, his brothers Andrew and Joshua, Andrew's wife Harriet, and her teenage son Harrison—while Simon himself promises to arrive before dinner. On the way, Bambi attacks the taxi and kills the driver while Xana and Benji manage to reach Mary's house.

Meanwhile, three hunters, Michael, Tyler, and Eddie prepare to hunt Bambi. Joshua leaves the house, only to be accidentally shot dead by Tyler. Harrison brothers Benji and Mary, who start acting strange, know Bambi's name, and has made several drawings of Bambi around the house. Bambi attacks the house and kills Harriet, forcing the family to flee to a caravan. Andrew tries to remove a log blocking the way, but Benji drives off upon seeing Bambi with only Xana and Mary inside; Andrew is unintentionally dragged along with them and dies from blood loss. Harrison encounters Bambi and gets lost in the forest, where he is mauled to death by a group of mutated rabbits.

Xana, Benji, and Mary find Michael, who takes them to a den where they meet Simon and his co-worker Jo. Simon reveals himself as the one who killed Faline and sprayed toxic waste into the river. During the conversation, Benji finds a garage where Tyler and Eddie have and mistreat a caged fawn. Xana also learns that Simon plans to trap Bambi and kill him, not caring how many lives may be lost along the way. Tyler goes to urinate and ends up being decapitated by Bambi. When Eddie goes to investigate, Bambi rips off his legs and his head.

Benji frees the fawn and runs away; Xana and Simon go after him while Mary encounters Bambi, who abandons her. Jo takes her own life to kill Bambi, but fails. Benji eventually reunites with Xana and Simon, only for Bambi to arrive too. Simon cowardly runs away, but is devoured by the rabbits. Realizing the fawn is Bambi's offspring, Xana and Benji return it to him. Unfortunately, Michael arrives and shoots Bambi, before Mary fatally shoots him back with a shotgun. As Mary recovers from her dementia, Bambi bleeds out in front of Xana, Benji, and his own offspring.

Cast

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Production

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In November 2022, a live-action horror film based on Bambi, a Life in the Woods by Felix Salten was announced as being in development with the title Bambi: The Reckoning. Dan Allen was named as director, with Rhys Frake-Waterfield serving as a producer. The film was produced by Jagged Edge Productions.[7] Scott Jeffrey described the film as "an incredibly dark retelling of the 1928 story we all know and love. Finding inspiration from the design used in Netflix's The Ritual, Bambi will be a vicious killing machine that lurks in the wilderness."[8] The film is set in the same continuity as Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) and its sequel,[9] being teased in the latter film.

Principal photography was originally slated to commence on 31 January 2023 in London, England, with Vince Knight serving as cinematographer, after working on Blood and Honey.[10][11][12] Filming was later rescheduled to begin on 6 January 2024 in England,[5] which Jeffrey confirmed via his social media.[13][14] Filming wrapped on 26 January 2024.[15]

Release

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Bambi: The Reckoning was theatrically released on 25 July 2025 in the United States by ITN Distribution.[4] The film was originally set to be released in late 2024.[5]

Reception

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Box office

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Bambi: The Reckoning grossed $170,278 in the United States, and $24,789 in various international territories, for a worldwide total of $195,067.[3][2]

Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of 16 critics' reviews are positive.[16][17]

References

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  1. ^ "Bambi: The Reckoning [MA 15+]". Australian Classification Board. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Bambi: The Reckoning – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Bambi: The Reckoning". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b Ntim, Zac (15 April 2025). "'Salvation': Thriller Starring Thomas Jane & Skeet Ulrich Lands U.S. Distribution Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Squires, John (15 December 2023). "Bambi: The Reckoning Exclusive Update: Cast and Director Announced for Bambi Horror Movie". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Squires, John (5 March 2025). "'Bambi: The Reckoning' Trailer – The Poohniverse Gets a Rabid New Monster This Summer". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  7. ^ Zhan, Jennifer (26 November 2022). "Please, Was the Original Bambi Not Horrifying Enough?". Vulture. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. ^ Fuge, Jonathan (25 November 2022). "Bambi Horror Movie to Transform the Disney Character Into a Vicious Killing Machine". MovieWeb. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. ^ Ritman, Alex (8 February 2023). "'Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey' Director Plans to Create Low-Budget "Twisted" Childhood Horror Universe With Bambi, Peter Pan and More". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Bambi: The Reckoning". Film & Television Industry Alliance. 12 December 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  11. ^ Oganesyan, Natalie (26 November 2022). "Bambi to Be Reimagined as a 'Vicious Killing Machine' in 'Dark Retelling' of Classic Disney Film". TheWrap. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  12. ^ Ritman, Alex (18 May 2023). "Cannes: Bambi Slasher Adaptation From Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Creators Sells Wide (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  13. ^ Allen, Dan [@DanAllenFilms] (6 January 2024). "It begins...#BAMBItheReckoning" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ @scottjeffreyproducer; (12 January 2024). "#BambiTheReckoning 1 week into shooting… 🦠🩸🦌☠️" – via Instagram.
  15. ^ Greenwood, Joseph (26 January 2024). "Bambi: The Reckoning". Joseph Greenwood - Official X. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Bambi: The Reckoning". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Bambi: The Reckoning". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
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