Child's Play (franchise)

Child's Play

Chucky: The Complete Collection Blu-ray set
Created by Don Mancini
Original work Child's Play (1988)
Print publications
Comics Comic books
Films and television
Film(s)
Games
Video game(s) Chucky: Slash & Dash

Child's Play is a horror film franchise created by Don Mancini that consists of six slasher films, starring Academy Award nominee Brad Dourif. The first installment, Child's Play, was released on November 9, 1988. The film has spawned five sequels and has gone into other media, such as comic books. The films are all centered on Charles Lee Ray (played by Dourif) aka Chucky, a notorious serial killer known as the "Lakeshore Strangler" whose soul is trapped inside a Good Guy doll following a voodoo ritual to avoid the afterlife and possibly going to hell. The first, second, and fourth films were box office successes with all of the films earning over $182 million worldwide. Including revenues from sales of videos, DVDs, VOD and merchandise, the franchise has generated over $250 million.[1]

The series originally started out as straight horror with the first installment Child's Play, which appears to have more psychological horror elements while its successors are straightforward slasher films with elements of humor. As the films progressed, they became satirical and campy, until the series briefly became a gothic horror comedy, beginning with 1998's Bride of Chucky and 2004's Seed of Chucky. On June 23, 2012, it was confirmed that a new sequel to Child's Play would be made under the title Curse of Chucky and be released direct-to-video. Unlike Bride and Seed, Curse of Chucky is a full-fledged horror film much like the original three installments. However, it does maintain the campy humor to a small degree. Since 1998's Bride of Chucky, titles have no longer been released under the Child's Play brand name and now use the Chucky brand name and will continue to do so with future installments.[2] Chucky has also appeared in TV commercials. It also won a Saturn Award for the Best Horror Franchise.

A seventh installment, titled Cult of Chucky was announced for a 2017 release.[3]

Films

Child's Play (1988)

Child's Play is the first film in the series and only distributed in franchise by United Artists before being sold by Universal Pictures in the franchise. The film is directed by Tom Holland, written by Holland, John Lafia, and Don Mancini, and starring Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, and Brad Dourif. The film was released on November 20, 1988. In film, a serial killer and voodoo practitioner named Charles Lee "Chucky" Ray is mortally wounded and transfers his soul via a voodoo ritual into a child-sized "Good Guy" doll. The doll is found by a homeless peddler and sold to Karen Barclay, who gives it to her son Andy as a birthday gift. As time goes on Chucky has to get his soul out of the doll before it turns human and the transfer becomes permanent, and thus has to possess the first person he told his secret to - Andy. Desperate to leave his doll body, Chucky terrorizes the Barclays in order to restore his soul.

Child's Play 2 (1990)

Child's Play 2 is the second film in the series and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film directed by John Lafia, written by Mancini and Vincent and Doruif repsire their roles as Andy Barlcay and Chucky. The film was released on November 20, 1990. The movie takes place two years after the events of the first film. While Andy is living in foster care, the doll's manufacturer has taken a positive corporate stance and remade it to prove there is nothing wrong with the Good Guy brand. After a freak electrical malfunction brings Chucky back to life in a new Good Guy doll, he continues to follow Andy in order to transfer his soul from his doll body before it's too late.

Child's Play 3 (1991)

The movie picks up eight years after the events of the second film. The Good Guy factory has re-opened after the events of the previous film, and as Chucky's remains are removed, some blood from his destroyed human-doll body drips into a vat of melted plastic used to re-mold the Good Guy line. Chucky returns in a new body, going on a hunt for the now 16-year-old Andy Barclay, who has left to attend a military academy after the results of the first two films. While attempting to reach Andy, Chucky finds a new boy, Ronald Tyler, who he shares his "secret" with. With a new Good Guy doll body brings the possibility of possessing a new human body and Chucky attempts to restore his soul in human form as Andy attempts to stop the killer Good Guy doll once and for all.

Bride of Chucky (1998)

Set exactly one month after the events of Child's Play 3. Charles Lee Ray's former girlfriend and accomplice, Tiffany, acquires Chucky's remains, stitches them together and via a voodoo ritual revives Charles Lee Ray, albeit in a much different form. Chucky kills Tiffany, transferring her soul into a bride doll, and the two maniacs force a young couple to bring them to Ray's grave, where Chucky plans to use an amulet to finally get a new body. In the end, the Tiffany doll gives birth to a new form of life... (Glen/Glenda) As it flys out of a now dead Tiffany and attacks a detective.

Seed of Chucky (2004)

Chucky and Tiffany's child Glen finds his parents six years later and brings them back to life, but is horrified by their murders. Chucky and Tiffany force a pregnancy on actress Jennifer Tilly, which is accelerated by voodoo magic. Glen suffers a split personality disorder, having both a male and female soul in his/her body, and dismembers his father. Tiffany uses the ritual to take over Tilly's body and as Tilly bears twins, Glen's dual personality now has a body each of its own. Chucky survives, however, and mails one of his severed arms to the home of his family to strangle a now human Glen.

Curse of Chucky (2013)

Twenty-five years after the events of the first film and nine years after the events of the fifth film, Chucky is delivered to the family home of Nica and Sarah Pierce, where Chucky terrorizes and kills the family one by one. Chucky is driven by revenge, as Sarah was the one who called the police on him while he was still human, leading to his original death in the first film by detective Mike Norris. Nica survives, but is institutionalized, and blamed for the murders. Chucky is collected by Tiffany, who delivers him to Alice. Chucky fails to transfer his soul into Alice's body when her grandmother emerges from the basement, after Chucky tried to suffocate her. Six months later, Chucky is mailed to his next victim, who just so happens to be none other than his longtime original arch nemesis from the original first three films, Andy Barclay, who points a shotgun at Chucky shooting him through the head.

Cast and characters

Characters Films
Child's Play Child's Play 2 Child's Play 3 Bride of Chucky Seed of Chucky Curse of Chucky Cult of Chucky
1988 1990 1991 1998 2004 2013 2017
Chucky
[[Chucky (Child's Play)|Charles Lee Ray
{{small|
Brad Dourif
Andy Barclay Alex Vincent Justin Whalin, Alex Vincent (Photograph) Alex Vincent
Karen Barclay Catherine Hicks Photograph   Photograph  
Detective Mike Norris Chris Sarandon Archive footage  
Mario Santos Tommy Swerdlow  
Kyle   Christine Elise Photograph  
Mr. Sullivan   Peter Haskell  
Ronald Tyler   Jeremy Sylvers  
Kristen De Silva   Perrey Reeves  
Tiffany
Jennifer Tilly
  Jennifer Tilly
Jesse   Nick Stabile  
Jade Kincaid   Katherine Heigl  
Glen / Glenda   Infant cameo Billy Boyd
Nica Pierce   Fiona Dourif
Alice Pierce   Summer H. Howell

Crew

Role Films
Child's Play
(1988)
Child's Play 2
(1990)
Child's Play 3
(1991)
Bride of Chucky
(1998)
Seed of Chucky
(2004)
Curse of Chucky
(2013)
Cult of Chucky
(2017)
Director Tom Holland John Lafia Jack Bender Ronny Yu Don Mancini
Writer(s) Screenplay by: Don Mancini
John Lafia
Tom Holland
Story by: Don Mancini
Don Mancini
Producer(s) David Kirschner Robert Latham Brown David Kirschner & Grace Gilroy David Kirschner & Corey Sienega David Kirschner David Kirschner & Ogden Gavanski
Composer(s) Joe Renzetti Graeme Revell Cory Lerios & John D'Andrea Graeme Revell Pino Donaggio Joseph LoDuca
Cinematography Bill Butler Stefan Czapsky John R. Leonetti Peter Pau Vernon Layton Michael Marshall
Editor(s) Edward Warschilka
Roy E. Peterson
Edward Warschilka Scott Wallace
Edward A. Warschilka Jr.
David Wu
Randy Bricker
Chris Dickens James Coblentz Randy Bricker
Production company N/A N/A N/A N/A La Sienega Productions Universal 1440 Entertainment
Distributor United Artists Universal Pictures Rogue Pictures (via Universal Pictures) Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Running time 87 minutes 84 minutes 90 minutes 89 minutes 86 minutes 97 minutes 91 minutes
Release date November 9, 1988 November 9, 1990 August 30, 1991 October 16, 1998 November 12, 2004 September 24, 2013 October 3, 2017

Reception

Box office performance

Film Release date Box office revenue Budget Reference
North America Other territories Worldwide Worldwide adjusted
Child's Play November 9, 1988 $33,244,684 $10,952,000 $44,196,684 $83,933,325 $9,000,000 [4][5]
Child's Play 2 November 9, 1990 $28,501,605 $7,262,000 $35,763,605 $64,740,872 $13,000,000 [6][7]
Child's Play 3 August 30, 1991 $14,960,255 $5,600,000 $20,560,255 $35,716,113 Unknown [8]
Bride of Chucky October 16, 1998 $32,404,188 $18,288,000 $50,692,188 $73,581,099 $25,000,000 [9][10]
Seed of Chucky November 12, 2004 $17,083,732 $7,745,912 $24,829,644 $31,099,354 $12,000,000 [11]
Total $126,194,464 $49,847,912 $176,042,376 $289,070,763 $64,000,000(E)
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  • (E) indicates an estimated figure based on available numbers.

Critical reaction

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Child's Play 69% (35 reviews)[12]
Child's Play 2 40% (15 reviews)[13]
Child's Play 3 23% (13 reviews)[14]
Bride of Chucky 44% (34 reviews)[15]
Seed of Chucky 32% (75 reviews)[16] 46 (17 reviews)[17]
Curse of Chucky 81% (16 reviews)[18]
Cult of Chucky N/A N/A
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Music

Joe Renzetti composed the first Child's Play, followed by Graeme Revell, who composed the soundtrack for Child's Play 2 and Bride of Chucky. John D'Andrea and Cory Lerios wrote the score for Child's Play 3, while Pino Donaggio composed Seed of Chucky. Joseph LoDuca composed the score for Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky.

Alleged relation to crimes

The following crimes have been associated with the Child's Play films: In December 1992 four people who tortured and killed a 16-year-old girl, Suzanne Capper, were said to be influenced by one of the Child's Play movies. During the torturing of the girl the perpetrators taunted her with quotes from the movies. In 1993 youths who abducted and murdered a toddler named James Bulger were said to have been influenced by the film Child's Play 3. The supposed link between the murder and the film was denied by film censor James Ferman.[19] According to a relative of two boys aged 10 and 12 who brutally attacked a nine-year-old and 11-year-old boy in Edlington, South Yorkshire in April 2009, the attackers watched horror movies, including Chucky films, from the age of about six or seven.[20]

Comic books

Innovation Publishing

Beginning in 1992, Innovation Publishing released the first comic books based on the films, in the form of a three issue adaptation of Child's Play 2. It was later collected in a trade paperback. The success of the adaptation led to a monthly series of new stories starting in 1991. The series, titled Child's Play: The Series, ended in 1992 after only five issues. This was followed by a three issue adaptation of Child's Play 3.

Devil's Due Publishing

In 2007, Devil's Due Publishing obtained the license to publish Child's Play comics and released a one-shot crossover with Hack/Slash titled Hack/Slash vs. Chucky which takes place after the events of the Seed of Chucky film. This was followed by a four-issue series called Chucky. A second volume began in early 2009 but ceased publication after only one issue.

Video game

Slimstown Studios announced an endless runner video game titled Chucky: Slash & Dash. The game is scheduled to be released on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices. It is the result of an agreement with Universal Partnerships & Licensing to develop and publish the first officially licensed smartphone and tablet Child's Play video game. The gameplay is actually inspired by the second film's climax.

In the game, Chucky is stuck in a never-ending nightmare in which he’s endlessly running through the factory that produces Good Guys dolls. Players control Chucky while sprinting through the factory floor, the catwalks, the warehouse, or even outside, and need to avoid conveyor belts, forklifts, acid pools, barrels and other obstacles. Chucky can also eliminate security guards patrolling the factory using his classic knife or other more outlandish weapons like a cleaver, screwdriver, or hatchet. As they play, gamers collect batteries that can be used to purchase in-game items or power-ups, such as a double battery bonus, a fast start, or extra lives that can extend a run after dying.[21]

The app was released on November 1, 2013.

Future

Cult of Chucky (2017)

Mancini has expressed an interest in making a new line of "scary Chucky films."[22] On December 2, 2013, he had revealed that plans for seventh film is heading into development.[23][24] Don Mancini wrote the script and was set to return as director.[25] In February 2015, Mancini confirmed that the script was being written.[26] A year later, Mancini, Jennifer Tilly and Fiona Dourif confirmed that shooting would begin soon for the film,[27] which was revealed to be entitled Cult of Chucky on January 5, 2017. The film will released on DVD and Blu-Ray for October 3, 2017.

Potential Films

Halloween Horror Nights

Since 1992, Chucky has starred in his own shows at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, entitled, Chucky's In-Your-Face Insults and Chucky's Insult Emporium.

In 2009, the climax of Child's Play 3 received its own maze, entitled Chucky's Fun House. Curse of Chucky has also received its own scarezone in the 2013 lineup.[32]

See also

References

  1. Bryan Alexander (October 8, 2013). "After 25 years, Chucky is both a blessing and a 'Curse'". USA Today. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  2. "New Child's Play sequel, Curse of Chucky, Coming to DVD". IGN. 2012-06-23. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  3. http://ew.com/movies/2017/01/05/cult-chucky-sequel-childs-play
  4. "Child's Play (1988)". Box Office Mojo.
  5. "Child's Play (1988)". The-Numbers.
  6. "Child's Play 2 (1990)". Box Office Mojo.
  7. "Movie Child's Play 2 - Box Office Data". The Numbers.
  8. "Child's Play 3 (1991)". Box Office Mojo.
  9. "Bride of Chucky (1998)". Box Office Mojo.
  10. "Bride of Chucky - Box Office Data". The Numbers.
  11. "Seed of Chucky (2004)". Box Office Mojo.
  12. "Child's Play". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  13. "Child's Play 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  14. "Child's Play 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  15. "Bride of Chucky". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  16. "Seed of Chucky". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  17. "Seed of Chucky (2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved ?. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  18. "Curse of Chucky". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  19. BBC News - "Film censor Ferman dies"
  20. BBC News - Boys' mother 'fed them cannabis'
  21. Webb, Charles. "'Child's Play' Killer Chucky The Unlikely Hero of Endless Runner 'Chucky: Slash & Dash'". MTV. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_tc9xtx5E
  23. http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/341285-chucky-is-going-to-be-back-for-another-sequel/
  24. https://twitter.com/realdonmancini/status/407591894407843840
  25. Child’s Play 7 On Its Way, Says Franchise Creator Don Mancini
  26. Barton, Steve (February 18, 2015). "New ‘Child’s Play’ Still In the Works!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  27. Gallagher, Brian (February 23, 2016). "‘Chucky 7’ Is Shooting Soon, Jennifer Tilly Will Return". MovieWeb. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  28. Gajewski, Ryan (May 10, 2014). "Chucky Creator Wants to Team With 'Annabelle' Doll". The Hollywood Reporter.
  29. http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3319172/childs-play-train-freddy-vs-chucky-don-mancini-dreams/
  30. http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3319172/childs-play-train-freddy-vs-chucky-don-mancini-dreams/
  31. http://movieweb.com/childs-play-8-chucky-in-space/
  32. http://www.fearnet.com/news/news-article/universal-studios-halloween-horror-nights-introduces-chucky-and-purge-scarezones
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