When you think of classic slashers you might think of characters like Ghostface, Micheal Meyers, and Jason Voorhees, but for fans of slashers who love dark comedy and horror, one particular character might stand out: notorious killer doll Chucky.
I’ll be talking about everything about the Child’s Play franchise, from my favorite movies of the bunch to why this series and this iconic character have stood the test of time through many decades. From Chucky’s very first film appearance to his most recent TV adaptation, it has been evolving right along with time and its audience.
The Origins of Chucky
The Child’s Play franchise started back in 1988 with the original Child’s Play being directed by Tom Holland and written by the brilliant mind of Don Mancini. Originally, Mancini wrote his script under a different name, which was titled Buddy. The franchise started because Mancini wanted to highlight and make fun of consumerism within the toy industry which is normally marketed towards children.
Who would have thought this little idea Mancini had would be the start of one of the most memorable comedic horror franchises?
Child’s Play was released in theaters Nov. 9, 1988, and was loved by many during the time with the movie being a hit making around $44 million in the box office.
Now that you know a little of its origins, what exactly is the first movie about?
Child’s Play first introduces viewers to a serial killer known as Charles Lee Ray played by Brad Dourif. At the opening of the film, he is on the run from the police before he is gunned down at a toy store containing “Good Guy” dolls which he ends up transferring his soul into.
The film then cuts to our child protagonist, Andy Barclay, on his birthday and his mother, Karen Barclay. All Andy wants for his birthday is a “Good Guy” doll, and eventually after some struggle, his mother is able to get him one. But soon, murders start to happen which destroy this little family, all at the hands of a Chucky, who reveals himself to be the killer to Andy and his mother.
Did I mention that he also needs to transfer his soul into the first human he revealed himself to? That person just happened to be Andy.
It’s an action-packed horror movie filled with funny one-liners and slasher kills up to the very end.
Finally, as every horror movie does, the bad guy is defeated, but not without the film being left ambiguous, which left viewers wondering if the bad guy is truly gone.
Spoiler: Of course he’s not!
My Favorites of the Franchise and Their Relevance
Now, I won’t get into all the details of every Child’s Play movie because we might be here for a while when you could watch the films for yourself!
To keep things quite simple, here are my top four films of the franchise:
- Child’s Play 2: Chucky returns to Andy Barclay in a new setting, his foster home. Chucky is determined to transfer his soul into Andy’s and won’t stop until he does.
- Bride of Chucky: This iconic movie is loved by many and takes the franchise to a new level by introducing more comedy and a new doll, Tiffany, who is played by the wonderful Jennifer Tilly.
- Child’s Play: This is known to many as classic and rightfully so. It’s the film that created this classic franchise and started it all.
- Seed of Chucky: This film of the franchise has mixed reviews, but I absolutely love it. It introduces us to a new character, Glen/Glenda, who happens to be the child of Chucky and Tiffany. It’s meta, but has sweet and emotional moments to it with Glen/Glenda’s struggles about their identity.
There has also been a TV series called Chucky, and it ran from 2021 to 2023. It had mixed reactions, but it showed how the franchise has kept up with the times and evolved with its audience. The creator of the Child’s Play franchise, Don Mancini, is openly gay and has not been afraid to bring important topics and themes to his franchise and this continued with the TV series.
With a diverse cast and LGBTQ+ storylines, the franchise can connect with many more of its viewers through its reflection of real-world experiences and themes. This has allowed the franchise to continue to thrive, stay culturally relevant, and just be real.
Chucky is Here to Stay
From its start back in the late 1980s to its most recent TV series adaptation, it seems that Chucky is here to stay and will not be going anywhere anytime soon. Through embracing diversity, humor, casting, and horror, this franchise has stood the test of time and will likely continue to do so for many more years to come.
It’s one of my favorite franchises, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for this slasher doll!