Child's Play (franchise)


Child's Play is an American horror franchise that comprises eight slasher films created by Don Mancini. The films mainly focus on Chucky, a notorious serial killer who frequently escapes death by performing a voodoo ritual to transfer his soul into a "Good Guys" doll. The original film, Child's Play, was released on November9, 1988. The film has spawned six sequels, a remake, comic books, a video game, tie-in merchandise, and an upcoming television series. 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. It also won a Saturn Award for Best Horror Franchise.
The film series originally started out as straight horror with the first installment Child's Play, which appears to have more psychological horror elements, while the next two installments are straightforward slasher films with elements of dark humor. As the films progressed, they became satirical and campy, until the series briefly became a horror comedy, with 1998's Bride of Chucky and 2004's Seed of Chucky. In 2012, the series returned under the title Curse of Chucky and was released on direct-to-video. Unlike Bride and Seed, Curse of Chucky is a full-fledged horror film much like the original three installments, but it does maintain the campy humor to a small degree. The seventh installment to the series, titled Cult of Chucky, was released on October3, 2017.
Several short films have been made featuring the Chucky character: on the DVD release of Seed of Chucky, a short film entitled Chucky's Vacation Slides, set after the shooting of the film, was included, and a series of short films inserting Chucky into the events of other horror films entitled Chucky Invades was released in the run-up to the release of Curse of Chucky. On television, Chucky has appeared in commercials and also on Saturday Night Live, with a separate voice actor voicing the character. Chucky appeared in a pre-taped segment during an October 1998 episode of World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro program as a heel, taunting wrestler Rick Steiner who was a face at the time and promoting Bride of Chucky.

Films

''Child's Play'' (1988)

Child's Play is the first and only in the series to be distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists before the franchise was sold to Universal Pictures. The film is directed by Tom Holland. The story was also written by Holland, John Lafia, and Don Mancini, and starring Catherine Hicks as Karen Barclay, Chris Sarandon as Officer Mike Norris, Alex Vincent as Andy Barclay, and Brad Dourif as Charles Lee Ray and the voice of Chucky. The film was released on November 9, 1988. Set in Chicago, a serial killer and voodoo practitioner named Charles Lee Ray, or "Chucky" is mortally wounded after being shot in the chest by an officer and transfers his soul via a voodoo ritual into a child-sized 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. Karen's friend Maggie is killed by an off-screen assailant, with a toy hammer, before she stumbles and falls from the kitchen window to her death. Karen does not believe Andy when he says "Chucky did it!". The next day, Andy skips school with Chucky to find Chucky's old partner who abandoned him a few nights back, Eddie Caputo. He breaks into Eddie's house and kills him by turning off the stove flame, and turning on the gas. Eddie fires his gun at the stove, thinking there is an intruder, and the house blows up, killing Eddie. After Andy is committed for his accusations against the doll, Karen notices that Chucky never had batteries placed in him, proving Andy right. After she threatens to throw him in the fire, Chucky panics, springs to life in her hands, biting her on the arm, and escaping the building to find and exact revenge on Mike Norris, the officer who killed Chucky the other night. As time goes on, Chucky realizes he has to get his soul out of the doll before it turns human and the transfer becomes permanent, and thus he has to possess the first person he told his secret to... Andy. He is eventually beaten in three ways: He is burned to a crisp, but survives, and then he is shot to pieces but somehow still survives. Finally, he is shot in the heart, at last, killing him. As Andy, Karen and Mike, all go to the hospital, Andy looks at Chucky's remains, knowing the fight isn't over yet, before the film goes to a freeze-frame and then fades to black.

''Child's Play 2'' (1990)

Child's Play 2 is the second film in the series and the first film produced by Universal Pictures. The film is directed by John Lafia and written by Mancini. Alex Vincent reprises his role as Andy Barclay and Brad Dourif returns as the voice of Chucky, respectively. The film was released on November 9, 1990. The movie takes place in 1990, two years after the events of the first film. While Andy is now living in foster care, the doll's manufacturer has taken a positive corporate stance and rebuilds the doll to prove there is nothing wrong with the Good Guys brand. After a freak electrical malfunction brings Chucky back to life in a new Good Guys doll, he continues to follow Andy in order to transfer his soul from his doll body before it will once again become his permanent form. He infiltrates the foster home in order to spy on Andy. He eventually follows him to school, sabotages his school work and Andy gets detention. When Andy escapes back home, Chucky brutally kills her with a yard stick. A while later, Chucky attempts to transfer bodies with Andy before Kyle comes in through his window after a date with her boyfriend and unties Andy. Chucky, after being thrown into the basement, notices that he is getting a nosebleed, indicating he is turning human as time goes on. He tries one last time to get into Andy's body after he kills the foster mom and attacks Kyle, forcing her to drive him to Andy's new location. When Kyle and Andy meet up, foster center manager Grace Pole takes Chucky from Kyle. Chucky makes his sinister presence known to her and kills her. As Andy and Chucky both get onto the back of a mail truck, Kyle follows them in the car. They eventually get to the Play Pals factory, and Chucky knocks Andy out to swap bodies with him once and for all. Chucky says the chant, but finds that he has wasted all of his time in the doll and is trapped in it forever. Now with no option, he decides to kill Andy. He chases Andy and Kyle throughout the factory before his arm gets caught in a latched door. He pulls it off and replaces it with a knife. After being stapled onto a board, Chucky tries to reason with Andy before being sent into a machine, cutting the doll in half at the waist. Chucky escapes the machine and, while scooting around on a cart, tells Andy he wants to kill him. Andy notices a vat of molten plastic, and Chucky begs for him not to open it. When Andy does, Chucky screams in pain as his plastic skin is burned and melted, presumably killing him. When the two look over his body, Chucky leaps up, trying to attack Kyle. Andy hands her an air hose, and Kyle shoves it into Chucky's mouth, resulting in his head filling with air and exploding, killing him once again. As the two leave the factory, Andy asks where their home is and Kyle says that she doesn't know. In the televised-only alternate extended ending, the vat of plastic is shown, revealing a chunk of Chucky's head fell in after he was killed. It sinks to the bottom, resulting in a new head being made. It gives an evil smile, and the film ends.

''Child's Play 3'' (1991)

Child's Play 3, is the third film in the series, and the last film to be titled as Child's Play, before the title changed into Chucky. The film is directed by Jack Bender, written by Mancini, and had Dourif reprise once again his role as Chucky, while Alex Vincent was replaced as Andy Barclay by Justin Whalin as an older version of Andy and a supporting cast of Perrey Reeves and Jeremy Sylvers. The film was released on August 30, 1991. Set in 1998, eight years after the events of the second film, the Good Guys factory has re-opened after the negative publicity, and as Chucky's remains are removed, some blood from his destroyed human-doll body drips into a vat of melted plastic being used to re-mould the Good Guys 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 events of the first two films. While attempting to reach Andy, Chucky finds a new boy, Ronald Tyler, who he shares his "secret" with. A new Good Guys doll body brings with it the possibility of possessing a new human body, and Chucky attempts to restore his soul to its human form through Tyler as Andy attempts to stop the killer Good Guys doll once and for all.

''Bride of Chucky'' (1998)

The film picks up a month after the events of Child's Play 3. Unlike the first three films, this film focuses entirely on Chucky and Tiffany. Charles Lee Ray's former girlfriend and his 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, Jesse and Jade, to bring them to Ray's grave, where Chucky plans to use a voodoo amulet to finally get a new body. In the end, the Tiffany doll gives birth to a new form of life as it flies out of a now-dead Tiffany and attacks a detective. No one knows whether the detective is dead or alive as the screen cuts to black and closing credits roll.

''Seed of Chucky'' (2004)

Seed of Chucky is the fifth installment, and the first film other than the original Child's Play not to be distributed by Universal Pictures. Chucky and Tiffany's child Glen finds his parents six years later, in 2004, 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. In an epilogue set five years later, in 2009, one of Chucky's severed arms is mailed to the home of his family, where it attacks the now-human Glen.

''Curse of Chucky'' (2013)

Curse of Chucky is the first direct-to-video film in the series and the sixth installment. In 2013, nine years after the events of the fifth film and four years after its epilogue, 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 and responsible for Nica's disability. Nica survives, but is institutionalized, and blamed for the murders. Chucky is collected by Tiffany, who delivers him to Alice. Chucky successfully transfers his soul into Alice's as he does the soul ritual and the camera moves to reveal Alice's grandmother emerging from the basement, with a plastic bag around her head, slowly dying. Six months later, Chucky is mailed to his next victim, who is revealed to be none other than his longtime original nemesis from the original first three films, Andy Barclay, who points a shotgun at Chucky and shoots him through the head.

''Cult of Chucky'' (2017)

The second direct-to-video film and seventh installment in the franchise, it is set in 2017, four years after Curse of Chucky. Chucky returns to terrorize Nica at the mental institution where she is admitted. Chucky goes on yet another murderous rampage, killing disbelieving employees and tenants at the institution with various dramatic tricks. When a now-vigilante Andy Barclay figures out Chucky's plan, he breaks into the institution in an attempt to disarm his newly created voodoo plot. But in the end, Nica ends up being possessed by Chucky, which causes her to gain the ability to walk and leaves with Tiffany.

''Child's Play'' (2019)

The 2019 version of the film is a remake of the 1988 film, putting a modern spin on the origin story of Chucky. Rather than a Good Guys doll taking on the soul of a dead serial killer, this Chucky is a piece of rogue AI who becomes self-aware and violent after a disgruntled sweatshop employee disables all of his safety features as an act of spite. Andy Barclay is now portrayed as a 13-year-old boy living with his mother Karen in a new apartment building in Chicago, who finds use in him as a tool to scare his mother's detestable boyfriend, if nothing else. While using the Buddi Chucky having fun with his new friends Falyn and Pugg, it attaches itself to Andy at the hip, and with his violence inhibitors turned off, begins to kill those Andy dislikes. Once the doll murders his mother's boyfriend and delivers his skinned face to Andy's room, he realizes it is evil and has to be destroyed – but Buddi proves much easier to find than to lose. With no one believing his story about the doll turning evil, Andy has to take on Chucky himself and stop his murderous rampage in its tracks.

Future

In October 2017, Don Mancini stated that he intends in having Glen and Glenda from Seed of Chucky return in a future film, and acknowledged that most references to that character had been cut from Cult of Chucky. In February 2018, a Child's Play television series was announced in the works, to be intended as a continuation of the film's story arc. Mancini also stated that following the TV show, feature films will continue to be developed in the future.
In an interview with Bloody Disgusting Mancini discussed the potential of a Child's Play film set on a train as well as revealing plans for a crossover film with A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, tentatively referred to as Child's Play on Elm Street.
I would like to do Freddy and Chucky, just because I think they would be a fun double act. I'm more really interested in the characters. My pitch for Freddy vs. Chucky is Child's Play on Elm Street. Chucky ends up in some kid's house on Elm Street, and Chucky and Freddy inevitably meet in the dreamscape. Chucky sleeps. Why not? Chucky sleeps, Chucky dreams. And they have this admiration for each other. But they realize quickly that Elm Street isn't big enough for the two of them, so in a riff on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels they have a contest: who can kill the most teenagers before the sun comes up?

In September 2017 in a separate interview with Cinema Blend, Mancini confirmed his intent to make the crossover film, describing it as "cool and doable", confirming that the film would be titled Child's Play on Elm Street and that he was currently in discussion with New Line Cinema about the film. The foundation for a crossover film was previously laid in Bride of Chucky, in which Freddy Krueger's bladed glove had appeared in the Lockport police evidence depository at the beginning of the film.

Short films

''Chucky's Vacation Slides'' (2005)

On the home media DVD and Blu-ray release of Seed of Chucky in 2005, a short film entitled Chucky's Vacation Slides was included in the special features. The short, set after the shooting of Seed of Chucky, follows the movie stars Chucky, Tiffany, and Glen after having returned from a family vacation. While browsing through their photographs of their vacation on a slide projector, Tiffany notices various corpses in the background of certain photographs, realizing that Chucky has been killing people again. Tiffany leaves, with a distraught and sickened Glen, while Chucky continues to view the photographs. After a delivery man arrives with a pizza, Chucky leads him to his garage and kills him off-screen. Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly and Billy Boyd all reprise their roles from the films.

''Chucky Invades'' (2013)

Leading up to the DVD release of Curse of Chucky in 2013, a series of short film videos were released. The clips showed Chucky interrupting the events of several other horror films. Brad Dourif and Edan Gross reprised their roles as Chucky and the Good Guys Doll, respectively.

''Chucky'' (2021)

In February 2018, a television series was announced to be in development with involvement from franchise creator Don Mancini, and producer David Kirschner. The show will share continuity with the original film series, and be a continuation of that story. Mancini stated that besides the TV series, feature films will still continue to be developed. By June of the same year, it was confirmed that Brad Dourif would return for the 10-part series to voice Charles Lee "Chucky" Ray.
In January 2019, Syfy Wire announced that the series will air on Syfy with Mancini writing and executive producing the series with David Kirschner and Nick Antosca. Antosca revealed that the current working title of the series is Chucky. Mancini announced that the series will be released in 2020.
A year after its announcement, Syfy greenlit the show straight-to-series with Mancini set to direct the first episode; he also wrote the pilot. Filming is set to commence on July 6th and wrap on November 13th. On Friday, July 17th 2020, the first teaser was released regarding the TV Series.
In that same month, the official synopsis was released:

Cast and crew

Principal cast



  • A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's presence in the film has not yet been announced.
  • indicates an appearance through archival footage taken from a previous film of the franchise.
  • indicates an appearance as the human form of an occasionally non-human character.
  • indicates an appearance in onscreen photographs only.
  • indicates a cameo appearance.
  • indicates a voice-only role.

Crew

Reception

Box office performance

Critical and public response

Controversies

The following crimes have been associated with the Child's Play films:
In December 1992, four people who tortured and killed 16-year-old Suzanne Capper were said to be influenced by one of the Child's Play films. During the torturing of the girl, the perpetrators taunted her by playing her a song, by 150 Volts, featuring samples from the film Child's Play.
In 1993, two 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.
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.
Elena Lobacheva, a Russian serial killer arrested in 2015, was reportedly obsessed with the film Bride of Chucky, which she cited as being an inspiration for the murders that she and her gang committed throughout Moscow.
In August 2019, billboards and posters promoting the 2019 Child's Play'' reboot were pulled in New Zealand after a complaint was submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority for being inappropriate. The complaint was made mostly with concern for the region of Canterbury, claiming the advertisements are potentially traumatizing among children by reminding them of that region's high suicide rates, the various earthquakes that occurred, and the Christchurch mosque shootings. The ad depicted Chucky with red glowing eyes and a knife, the latter being intentionally obscured by the title. The poster was deemed not to cause any harm among the population, but the ASA concluded it would be frightening for children.

Music

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.

Other media

Comics

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.
Chucky and his bride Tiffany also have a cameo appearance in Brandon Santiago's webcomic Erma, along with other horror icons.

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 was 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.

Universal theme park attractions

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. In 2017, Chucky was the host of the Hollywood event's Terror Tram, joining Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface in terrorizing guests as a promotion for the then-new Cult of Chucky film. The following year, he featured in his own scarezone at the Orlando event.