Ever since classic children's stories were made available to the public domain, Rhys Frake-Waterfield has certainly seized the opportunity to create terror out of childhood icons, including the likes of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet. With his upcoming slasher film Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey set to hit theaters on February 15, the filmmaker revealed some of the films that influenced his work, as well as the key reference for the potential sequel.

With posters, first-look images, and trailers already available online, it should be obvious at this point that the Winnie the Pooh Blood & Honey is far from the honey-obsessed creature we all grew to love. To avoid copyright infringement issues, Frake-Waterfield has strayed away from Disney's version of Winnie the Pooh, leaving out Tigger in the process. And intending to give beloved characters a sinister spin, the filmmaker revealed via SFX Magazine that he had utilized select slasher classics as an inspiration for Blood and Honey. "The main franchises I was thinking of while making this were Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Wrong Turn. I really like Wrong Turn. It’s not as big as the other ones, but the first one is on my little list of horror movies that I love."

The mentioned horror-thriller classics, regardless of their multiple lackluster installments, have stood the test of time and earned a rightful place in the horror genre, as well as a well-deserved "classic" title. Although the filmmaker did not specify which of the installments from Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Wrong Turn were on his mind while making the film, he was specific about what film he will use as a key reference as they go into the sequel. To which he said: "And as we’re going into the sequel soon, Terrifier 2 is going to be one of my key reference points. I want to make sure I go as big and epic as they went with that. I want to try and push it even more."

Winnie the Pooh - Blood and Honey

Related: 'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey' Director Explains Why Tigger Isn't in the Horror Film

Terrifier 2 was, to say the least, an underdog among other big horror titles in 2022. Despite the fact that the first film underperformed in 2016, the Damien Leone-directed slasher film has generated favorable revenue at the box office. Blood & Honey has already created quite a stir online due to its use of beloved childhood characters transformed into cold-blooded killers. But while it is too early to predict how well the film will perform at the box office, Frake-Waterfield has confirmed that the probable sequel will definitely follow in the footsteps of Art the Clown.

Blood and Honey follows an adult Christopher Robin as he returns to the Hundred Acre Wood, only to discover that his old friends, Piglet and Pooh, have turned feral and ruthless, killing people for survival. The film will hit theaters on February 15, 2023.