The Child’s Play reboot, released in 2019, sparked criticism among franchise fans. It was released only two years after Cult of Chucky, which received positive reviews. Don Mancini, the franchise’s original creator, was also teasing the now-canceled TV series Chucky at the time. So, rebooting a horror franchise that was still going strong was a bold move.
Directed by Lars Klevberg and written by Tyler Burton Smith, Child’s Play did well in its debut weekend, trailing only Toy Story 4. Although critics and audiences did not receive it as well as Cult of Chucky, some reviewers agreed there was still fun to be had, especially if you distance it from the original.
Parks and Recreation star Aubrey Plaza plays Karen Barclay, a stressed-out widow and single mother. She gifts her 12-year-old son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) a Buddi doll, the year’s hottest toy. While the original story centered on a voodoo ritual and soul-transferring, the reboot updated the storyline to be more modern. Chucky is now an AI doll who, unbeknownst to Karen, was tampered with by a suicidal factory worker. The doll imprints on Andy, quickly becoming homicidal towards anything it deems a threat.
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While the legendary Brad Dourif voiced Chucky in the original franchise, he was replaced with fellow legend Mark Hamill. The movie also stars Brian Tyree Henry as a detective working on homicide cases, Tim Matheson as company CEO Henry Kaslan, and David Lewis as Karen’s boyfriend, Shane.
With the success of Blumhouse’s M3GAN, which is getting a sequel, and the popularity of AI-based horror films, it may be time to revisit Child’s Play (2019). If you want to do precisely that, you’re in luck: the film will be available on the free streaming app Tubi starting December 1st.