
'Screamboat' and 7 Other Horror Parodies That Will Ruin Your Childhood
Screamboat is the latest movie to jump on the trend of turning beloved childhood stories into horrific nightmares. 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 Disney’s classic mouse 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.
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 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 used the story for his 1996 film Pinocchio’s Revenge. Also pulling heavy inspiration from Child’s Play, 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 into parody territory.
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. 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, Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver, 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 Mean One (2022)
As long as you’re not expecting a Christmas classic like A Christmas Story and Miracle on 34th Street, Steven La Morte’s The Mean One is a fun holiday slasher with rewatch potential. 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. Those familiar with the Terrifier franchise’s Art the Clown may also recognize David Howard Thornton 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.
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 murders stalking the Hundred Acre Woods was going too far. 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. And those who embraced the unpolished slasher got a bigger and better sequel with Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey II.
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. Those wondering how the lovable sailor became a slashing menace will get their answer. Still, 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.
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. 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 steer keep the slasher rooted in comedy. LaMorte didn’t make this movie for Disney fans. He created it for the insatiable midnight movie crowd.
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