Mickey And Winnie Go Head To Head In New Trailer For Public Domain Horror Showdown

Step aside, Alien vs. Predator! Move along, Freddy vs. Jason! Get outta here, Godzilla vs. Kong! It's all about Mickey vs. Winnie, now, as today brings a new trailer for the first ever public domain horror crossover showdown (aka, the cinema event of the year).

In The Dark Domain: Mickey-vs-Winnie, two iconic childhood figures, Steamboat Willie’s Mickey and A.A. Milne’s original Winnie-the-Pooh, are reimagined into bloodthirsty killing machines. If you've been following the public domain craze, you get the gist.

Directed by Glenn Douglas Packard, The Dark Domain: Mickey-vs-Winnie stars Fayna Sanchez (Abraham's Boys, House of Ashes), with Daniel Wilkinson playing Dark Mickey, described as “Pennywise meets Freddy Krueger”, and Dark Winnie, who is apparently like if “Jason Voorhees levels up into the Predator”, played by Givanni Gotay. A full synopsis reads:

A century ago, two convicts disappeared into Hell Forest, a place feared for its dark legends and whispers of a malevolent curse. Their mysterious vanishing marked the beginning of tales about a sinister force lurking within the forest, feeding on those who dared to enter.

In the present day, a group of childhood friends, each haunted by their own unresolved traumas and fears, feels an inexplicable pull to return to the reform school they once attended. Nestled in the center of the forest's dark heart, the abandoned hell-camp stands as a decaying monument to their lost innocence. Its walls echoing with secrets and forgotten horrors. Each of them is drawn by a force they cannot understand, as if the forest itself is calling them to confront the darkness of their anxieties, regrets, and unhealed wounds.

The forest takes shape in the grotesque forms of twisted versions of two beloved childhood figures: Dark Mickey and Dark Winnie. These monstrous entities, born from the darkest corners of the group's psyche, embody their worst fears and regrets—Dark Mickey, a sinister manipulator and bloodthirsty force of chaos, and Dark Winnie, a feral predator who thrives on destruction.

As the two clash in a violent, unrelenting battle, their fight becomes more than just a physical confrontation. These twisted incarnations, born from the group's own inner demons, force them to face not only the nightmarish creatures but also the darkness within themselves.

Here's what Packard has to say about “elevating” the public domain genre:

“As a director, I was committed to creating the most authentic and intense atmosphere possible. We even brought in a body-piercing suspension artist. It was an intense experience for the cast, a few even vomited. When it was all said and done, we knew we’d done more than just pay homage to public domain horror, we elevated it. We gave horror fans exactly what they’ve been craving from this sub-genre. It’s a first-of-its-kind crossover showdown between two childhood icons, the gore is real, the terror is relentless, and the nostalgia is twisted beyond recognition.”

The Dark Domain: Mickey-vs-Winnie is expected to release sometime in 2026 via Untouchables Entertainment. Will it nab a Best Public Domain Resurrection nomination at next year's FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards? Check out the new teaser trailer below: