Screamboat is the latest movie to jump on the trend of turning beloved childhood stories into horrific nightmares, but it won't be the last. Often leaving mainstream audiences turning away in disgust, these horror movies aim to capture a different type of audience, who are tickled by the thought of classic characters and fairy tale heroes breaking bad and… breaking necks.
If you're looking for more movies like Screamboat to stream online, these seven horror movies use over-the-top gore, silly kills, and gallons of the red stuff to tarnish your favorite childhood characters. With free streaming services like Kanopy and Tubi housing no shortage of horror titles, in some cases, you won't even have to fish out your wallet to enjoy these campy popcorn movies at home.
Pinocchio's Revenge (1996)
Let's be real. Disney's adaptation of the famous Italian novel is dark, and those who've read the source material know it's even darker. Within the pages of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, the titular puppet even throws a hammer at the "Talking Cricket" and kills him. All in all, it's easy to see why director and writer Kevin S. Tenney of Night of the Demons (1988) fame used the story for his 1996 film Pinocchio's Revenge.
Also pulling heavy inspiration from Child's Play (1988), the movie centers around a girl and the increasingly violent puppet she received as a gift from her mother. While it might not be intentionally funny, Pinocchio's Revenge has a so-corny-it's-comical vibe going on that steers it well into parody territory. However, it bills itself as a dark psychological thriller, making it a solid selection for those of you who want B-movie thrills without going too far off the rails. Pinocchio's Revenge tries to take itself seriously—and that's the fun of it.
The Gingerdead Man (2005)
Gary Busey gives an over-the-top performance as a serial killer-turned-gingerbread cookie who hacks and slashes his way through a bakery in The Gingerdead Man. The story, of course, pulls from The Gingerbread Man fairy tale, which spotlights the misadventures of a sentient gingerbread after he leaps from an old woman's oven.
At a crisp 75 minutes, The Gingerdead Man is just the type of poorly plotted movie you'd expect to catch on late-night TV while scrolling mindlessly through channels. Despite its shortcomings, it's hard to look away from, and fans of B-movies with absurd stories and crude humor will eat it up. Despite being a critical flop, The Gingerdead Man spawned a franchise thanks to its niche fanbase. With titles like Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008), Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver (2011), and an Evil Bong crossover, the series leans hard into parody and ridiculousness.
The Banana Splits Movie (2019)
The Banana Splits Movie delivers a blood-soaked reimagining of Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits series. Those who loved gathering in front of the television on Saturday mornings to watch the beloved children's variety show can now watch demented parodies of those same anthropomorphic characters rip and tear through a TV studio during a live taping.
Loaded with gory practical effects and absurd characters, The Banana Splits Movie became a quick cult classic after its direct-to-video release in 2019. The combination of childhood nostalgia and brutal horror makes for a delightfully demented watch for more seasoned genre fans. If you're a fan of Five Nights at Freddy's (2023), this one is for you.
The Mean One (2022)
As long as you're not expecting a Christmas classic like A Christmas Story (1983) or Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Steven LaMorte's The Mean One is a fun holiday slasher with rewatch potential, despite its flaws. The unauthorized horror parody of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas follows an adult Cindy, who returns to the movie's version of Whoville to confront the green monster who murdered her parents on Christmas.
Twisting such a beloved tale into a bloody slasher makes for a fantastic premise. However, those itching to see the Grinch slice and dice his way through Whoville should temper their expectations. Off-screen deaths, questionable acting, and a thin plot put this B-movie into Z-movie territory. That said, if you like the Terrifier franchise, you'll find a touch of that whimsical brutality here. As a bonus, Art the Clown actor David Howard Thornton stars as the titular Mean One.
Mary Had a Little Lamb (2023)
Horror's knack for turning the innocent vile is on full display in Mary Had a Little Lamb. While the indie flick is technically a reimagining of the "Mary Had a Little Lamb" nursery rhyme, the absurd exploitation gives it a parody feel. With limited source material, Mary Had a Little Lamb takes massive liberties, delivering a gruesome story about a podcast crew investigating a series of disappearances that lead them to the titular Mary and her bloodthirsty lamb.
Fleece as white as snow is a thing of the past. Here, Mary's lamb has fleece as red as blood, and that's probably the best thing about the movie. It's a relatively generic slasher that earns gold stars for its creative kills and dark twist on nostalgia. Looking forward to titles like Bambi: The Reckoning? Then, consider booting up Mary Had a Little Lamb and giving it a proper watch.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023)
Although horror parodies of children's movies aren't anything new, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey sparked quite the buzz with its announcement back in 2022. Audiences were left divided about whether transforming Pooh and Piglet into sadistic murderers stalking the Hundred Acre Woods was going too far. Based on its bigger and better sequel that followed in 2024, the answer to that is absolutely not.
While the movie very much delivers on its promise of absurdity and gore, it fails to offer much else in terms of story and humor. However, what's a pain point to some is a selling point for others. Blood and Honey is really for audiences who want to see Pooh and Piglet compiling a body count. Fans of those back-shelf, unpolished '80s slashers might even feel right at home here.
Popeye The Slayer Man (2025)
You might be surprised to learn E.C. Segar's famous Popeye cartoon is the subject of not just one but three horror movies. The latest, Popeye The Slayer Man, sends a group of friends into a canned spinach factory to prove if the Sailor Man legend is true, and those wondering how the lovable sailor became a slashing menace will get their answer.
The best thing about Popeye The Slayer Man is that it doesn't take itself seriously. From cheesy gore to cheesy dialogue, there's plenty to like and laugh along with while you watch a spinach-powered Popeye chase down twenty-somethings in a game of cat-and-mouse. Like Blood and Honey, The Banana Splits Movie, and pretty much every entry on this list, this is a popcorn movie meant for mindless entertainment. If you want something deeper, look elsewhere.
Screamboat (2025)
The day after Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie entered the public domain, The Mean One director Steven LaMorte announced Screamboat. The movie delves into full parody territory, chronicling the passengers of a late-night ferry's unlucky encounter with a murderous version of Steamboat Willie.
Like in The Mean One, horror veteran David Howard Thornton plays the title character with a cartoonish darkness worthy of chuckles. While the kills are grisly, the low-budget practical effects and slapstick violence keep the slasher rooted in comedy. LaMorte didn't make this movie for Disney fans. He created it for the insatiable midnight movie crowd. Enjoy your campy slop.
