We’re living in a golden age of bonkers horror films, where childhood favorites are getting gloriously twisted into nightmare fuel. From the blood-soaked absurdity of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey to the dark maritime terror of Screamboat, these films prove that no beloved icon is safe from a horror makeover. And now, brace yourselves—because it’s Popeye’s turn to take a terrifying plunge into the genre. That’s right, the spinach-loving sailor we all grew up with is set to trade laughs for screams in Popeye the Slayer Man. Forget the heroic underdog; this Popeye is ready to crush more than just canned spinach—and we couldn’t be more excited to see him unleash his twisted wrath!
Popeye the Slayer Man, a new horror feature exploring an alternate backstory for the legendary sailor, will come in early 2025. The first trailer, stills, and teaser art have been released.
The film concerns a group of friends who sneak into an abandoned spinach canning factory to film a documentary on the legend of the “Sailor Man,” who is said to haunt the factory and local docks.
“We can’t wait for audiences to get a load of this gory and scary version of Popeye,” says producer Jeff Miller. “We went old-school and focused on using real practical effects and not relying on CG for the gore. We’re talking with very enthusiastic and interested buyers now. ”
Popeye the Slayer Man stars Sean Michael Conway, Elena Juliano, Mabel Thomas, Marie-Louise Boisnier, Jeff Thomas, and Steven McCormack, along with “scream queens” Angela Relucio (“Code Black,” “The Cabining”) and Sarah Nicklin (“Nun of That,” “The Black Mass”). Jason Stephens plays the title role.
Robert Michael Ryan (“Ouija Witch”) directs from a screenplay by John Doolan (“Remains”). Jeff Miller (“The Toybox”), Cuyle Carvin (“Ouija Witch”), and Ryan also contributed to the story. Producers are — along with Miller, Carvin, and Ryan — Alexander Tucker, Nathan Todaro, and Alysa Blasetti. Korey Rowe was the Director of Photography. R.J. Young supervised the special makeup FX.
The movie was filmed in New York State.
Popeye the Slayer Man is a co-production between Salem House Films, Millman Productions, Ron Lee Productions, and Otsego Media.