Disney has finally released the Ray Bradbury-penned horror movie Something Wicked This Way Comes from its vault. The October-themed 1983 horror treat was dropped on the entertainment giant’s streaming service on October 3, just in time for Halloween. This release comes after the film spent years in obscurity.
The movie is about two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, who live in the small town of Green Town. Each of the locals has a deepest wish, from the greedy cigar shop owner to the barber, the bartender, and even the boys’ schoolteacher. When a sinister carnival run by the mysterious Mr. Dark comes to Green Town, the boys sneak in and witness evil befalling their little haven. This makes them targets of Mr. Dark and his minions.
Something Wicked This Way Comes featured amazing performances from Jason Robards, Sir Jonathan Pryce, Pam Grier, and even character actor Royal Dano. It was directed by veteran Jack Clayton, who previously directed horror classic The Innocents. Its concept came from the imagination of Ray Bradbury.
Something Wicked This Way Comes Was Supposed To Star Legendary Performer Gene Kelly
The acclaimed author wrote the screenplay in 1958 for Gene Kelly, but failed to garner interest from a studio. He penned the novel in 1962, but it wasn’t until Disney showed interest in it in the 1980s that the project came to the big screen.
It was further plagued with issues and delays, with the studio demanding multiple rewrites to offset the dark themes. This caused some critics to label the movie as inconsistent, offended the author, and probably contributed to the high production cost. The movie made $8.4 million against a budget of almost $20 million, which is considered a box office failure.
Saved By Cable And VHS
However, Something Wicked This Way Comes had a few cable and home video releases in the 1980s and terrified children as a wholesome introduction to the horror genre. If there’s one thing Gen Xers and Xenniels enjoy, it is nostalgia, which explains how the movie kept a cult following all these years. It was also briefly released on Blu-ray in 2021.
This weekend’s release on Disney+ marks the first time the movie has been dropped for streaming on any platform, which is big news for its fans. It has been very hard to find over the years. Now, new generations can be introduced to it while its fans relive the horror, reminding themselves through the thrills that this is a Disney movie.