Horror Movie News Report
Some parents have reportedly brought young children to theatrical screenings of Buddy, the R-rated horror comedy centered on a giant orange unicorn. According to accounts shared by theater employees and moviegoers, families have appeared at screenings during the film’s first two weekends, with some children described as being around 8 years old.
The reports primarily come from Reddit posts and have not been independently verified. The accounts do not include a confirmed headcount, receipts or other data establishing how frequently children have attended the movie. They do, however, draw attention to the contrast between Buddy’s colorful presentation and its content rating.
Buddy is rated R for bloody violence, some drug content and language, with the rating information specifying that the material involves children. The film takes place within a seemingly wholesome children’s television program called It’s Buddy!, hosted by an enormous orange unicorn voiced by Keegan-Michael Key. The story begins to turn when a child refuses to participate in the show’s activities.
The movie’s advertising uses bright colors, cheerful lettering and a friendly-looking unicorn, an approach that appears intended to mimic the visual language of children’s programming. The cast includes Cristin Milioti, Patton Oswalt, Michael Shannon, Topher Grace and Delaney Quinn.
Casper Kelly directed Buddy and co-wrote it with Jamie King. The film’s approach reflects Kelly’s interest in taking familiar television formats and turning them into something more unsettling. The source report also notes that children’s programming, including Barney & Friends, was among the inspirations for the project.
Buddy premiered in the Midnight section at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year before opening theatrically through Roadside Attractions and Saban Films on August 28. The Associated Press reported that the film earned another $5.7 million during its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to approximately $14.3 million after two weekends. The second-weekend figure reportedly exceeded the opening-weekend result.
Those box-office results indicate that Buddy has attracted a sizable theatrical audience, while the reported incidents involving children underscore the importance of checking the film’s rating and content information before purchasing tickets.
