Because we somehow still haven’t reached capacity with horror films based on beloved (and public domain) cartoon characters, one of two slasher films based on Popeye the Sailor has arrived with a new trailer turning the one-eyed spinach eater into the latest slasher to hit our screens. Popeye’s Revenge hits our screens this month, starring Steven Murphy as the titular killer, with Bloody Disgusting having officially dropped the first trailer.
The film’s logline is straightforward and simple: “the legend of Popeye haunts a group of councilors as they intend to open a summer camp.” What legend that is, and why there would be a summer camp so close to the open ocean is unknown, but it seems like the folks behind Popeye’s Revenge are taking heavy inspiration from the slasher of all slashers, Jason Voorhees. This Popeye, it seems, has both of his eyes, and takes a liking to killing people with an anchor of all things — it doesn’t get much more on-theme than that.
The character of Popeye was originally introduced in the King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre in 1929, leading to a growth in popularity for the strip going into the 1930s. Created by Elzie Crisler Segar, he eventually moved into cartoon shorts in 1933 courtesy of Max Fleischer, which continued production through 1957. This isn’t the first time Popeye has been brought to life in live-action, however, as Robin Williams first played the sailor in the 1980 film directed by Robert Altman, which co-starred the late horror icon Shelley Duvall as Popeye’s beau Olive Oyl.
This also isn’t the only Popeye-themed horror film set to hit screens this year, either. Popeye the Slayer Man is also set to be released, with a similar premise, though it seems that the folks behind Popeye’s Revenge beat them to the punch.
Popeye’s Revenge will be released this month, though an exact release date has yet to be set. Check out the trailer below:
