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FRIENDS TO THE END
IMAGINARY Aspurned childhood friend is out for revenge in Blumhouse’s killer-teddy-bear movie.
The killer-doll subgenre is one of grand horror tradition, extending back to 1945’s Dead of Night, and taking in subsequent icons Chucky, Annabelle and M3gan. The killer teddy bear, however, has yet to break out of the toybox in the same way. Enter Chauncey – the cuddly monster of Blumhouse’s Imaginary. The childhood chum of Jessica (DeWanda Wise, also executive producer), Chauncey isn’t too happy at being abandoned when she leaves her family home. And he’s still there when she returns, years later, with her own family, including stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun), who he quickly latches onto.
This is director Jeff Wadlow’s third Blumhouse collaboration. Where previous films Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island broke the mold somewhat, Imaginary finds the studio in more familiar territory. ‘This is my attempt at making the most classically Blumhouse movie – in that it is about a family in a home,’ he tells Teasers.
Naturally, it’s Chauncey who dominates conversation, in all his forms – including the one hiding behind the stuffed bear. ‘It really is a whole menagerie of imagination that we have created,’ Wadlow teases, hinting at the entity concealed inside the unassuming teddy bear.
However, it was no easy task finding a balance between cutesy and creepy. ‘You have to believe that this kid wants to hang out with Chauncey,’ Wadlow says. ‘No kid would want to have a tea party with Annabelle. But we had some designs that were too cute… that looked too much like Paddington.’
What Chauncey does bear in common with his peers is that sense of fun behind the scares. ‘We definitely touch on some dark themes, but also never lose sight of the fact that it’s a movie about imaginary friends and a stuffed teddy bear!’ Wadlow says.
And what is Chauncey exactly? Killer teddy bear, demonic entity… or something even more malignant? For now, we’ll have to use our, uh, imagination.
Grins Wadlow: ‘If you’ve ever wondered what an imaginary friend is, or how terrifying it might be, you’re going to have a good time.’
IMAGINARY OPENS IN CINEMAS ON 8 MARCH.
De Wanda Wise
How did playing Jessica differ from your experience in Jurassic World Dominion?
I met with Jeff and he said, ‘My only concern is that you can come across as really capable. And Jessica is not, necessarily. She’s not Kayla.’ I told him, ‘Oh, Jeff, I’m tired! I don’t need to be the hero. I want to be dainty and saved!’
Imaginary is your horror debut. What made this project stand out?
Mostly the psychological element – this notion that the most terrifying things are those things in our life we don’t face. If you don’t deal with it, it might deal with you. Chauncey is a stand-in for those things we refuse to confront.
Did you have any childhood experiences that you drew on in your performance?
I grew up in the 90s, so I had a Teddy Ruxpin bear. My older brother, at one point, to terrorise me, he threw Teddy down the stairs, and I almost lost my entire mind. It’s a core childhood memory.
What is it about the ‘evil toy’ subgenre that appeals to audiences? It’s the [same] reason you can take a classic song and ruin it for everybody by making it terrifying. It’s taking something that’s universally iconic and turning it on its head.