Posted in: Blumhouse, Horror, Lionsgate, Movies | Tagged: film, horror, Imaginary, jeff wadlow, lionsgate

Imaginary Director on Creating the Film's Sinister Teddy Bear

The director of the Lionsgate and Blumhouse horror film Imaginary reveals how they approached Chauncey's sinister, yet child-friendly image.

We all love a good horror movie villain. But when they come in the shape of a small, seemingly harmless doll, there's an added layer of undeniable camp that we love even more. There's been Chucky (in film and a hit television series), Annabelle (a peripheral character who earned her own franchise), M3gan (sequel coming soon), and now, courtesy of the new film Imaginary, it's Chauncey's turn. So, what exactly goes into the conception of a child-friendly slasher icon? The film's director recently revealed some of the key details about the creation of Chauncey, Imaginary's diabolical teddy bear.

Bringing Chauncey to Life in Imaginary

When discussing the character's need to maintain a somewhat innocent appearance despite his wicked tendencies, director Jeff Wadlow reveals to Coming Soon, "I mean, we had a balance. We have two competing agendas. I couldn't make it look like Annabelle; what kid would wanna have a bear like that? And trust me, we had designs where Chauncey looked like Paddington or Winnie the Pooh that were far cuter than what we landed on." The director adds, "Ultimately, the design is a compromise. Even though he's cute, I'm still trying to create a sense of unease in the audience when they look at him, and we did that with asymmetry. So even when he's sat up straight, his ears are off, his eyes are off, things that give the audience a cue that something is not right here."

The official plot summary of Imaginary: Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter, Alice, develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playfully and become increasingly sinister. As Alice's behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.

Currently, the film hasn't proven to be the most popular with moviegoers and critics, but it may earn itself a cult following in the years to come. It wouldn't be the first time a film didn't connect in real time either, so who knows what the future holds for Imaginary and Chauncey! Do you think that Chauncey works as a new addition to the toy slasher collection?

The Blumhouse production Imaginary is in theaters now.

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