Gretel & Hansel: Every Horror Movie Based On The Brothers Grimm Story – Screen Rant

Outside of 2020's new folk horror adaptation Gretel & Hansel, there are numerous other movies that adapt the classic Brothers Grimm tale.

There are multiple horror movies based upon the Brothers Grimm story Hansel and Gretel; the most recent adaptation is the 2020 dark fantasy film Gretel & Hansel. The movie, directed by Oz Perkins and written by Rob Hayes, stars Sophia Lillis and Sam Leakey as the title characters, a pair of siblings who wander into the dark woods seeking work and food. Instead, they stumble upon the house of a witch, just as they do in the original fairy tale.

The movie was overall received positively by critics upon its release. Its cinematography, acting, and scares were highly praised, with the main complaint being its pacing. Nevertheless, it ended up grossing $22 million worldwide. Gretel & Hansel is very similar to theBrothers Grimm story, but it does add in its own dark twists and turns to make the teachable tale more of a scary story. It takes out lighter elements of the original tale, like the witch's house being made of cake and the trail of breadcrumbs.

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As is pointed out by its flipped title, the movie also makes Gretel the protagonist. Unlike the book, the movie has Gretel as the older and wiser sibling, taking care of Hansel, rather than the other way around. Their roles in the witch's house, though, remain loyal to the book; Gretel cleans house while Hansel is trapped and fattened. Notably, the movie sprinkles in a few additional characters, like a huntsman and a creepy landowner. Plus, Gretel & Hanselhas a solid ending. As it turns out, Gretel & Hansel isn't theonly horror movie adaptation of the Brothers Grimm tale. There have actually been multiple other movies that are based upon thestory of two siblings attempting to escape the clutches of an evil witch that take on the story in both faithful and extremely unfaithful ways.

The 2007 horror movie Hansel and Gretel is a South Korean adaptation of the Brothers Grimm tale, directed by Yim Pil-sung. The movie centers on Lee Eun-soo (Chun Jung-myung), a young salesmanwho gets into a car crash. He wakes up in a dark forest and meets a young girl who takes him to a place called the "House of Happy Children," where he eventually finds himself alone with the girl and her two siblings. It turns out there's something scary about these children; they have strange supernatural powers and killed their caretaker. In an homage to the original Grimm tale, this movie depicts the protagonist making a trail of breadcrumbs, and shows the children reading Hansel and Gretel.

Paramount and MGM released Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters in 2013. The action horror film was written and directed by Tommy Wirkola, and serves as a continuation to the Grimm fairy tale rather than a retelling. In this movie, the titular characters (played by Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton) are adults who work as witch hunters for hire. Hansel needs a shot of insulin every few hours; after the incident with the witch when they were children, he has diabetes. As the movie goes on, the siblings slay witches.

In homage to the original Hansel and Gretel story, the movie starts off with a flashback depicting the siblings being captured by a witch and outsmarting her, pushing her into an oven. Then the movie picks up 15 years later.While this movie was panned by critics for its script and violence, horror genre aficionados generally enjoyed the movie, and it grossed $226 million internationally at the box office; it remains one of the most famous screen adaptations of the fairy tale to date.

Related: Why Gretel & Hansel's Box Office Predictions Were So Wrong

In 2013, Anthony C. Ferrante directed a horror film titled Hansel and Gretel, produced by The Asylum. Allegedly, this film was made as a mockbuster following the success of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, released the same year. Nevertheless, the movie does a passable jobof offering a modern retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm tale. In this movie, Hansel and Gretel (Brent Lydic and Stephanie Greco) are twins who work at a pie and pastry shop run by a witch. In a moment of need, the twins find themselves knocking at Lilith's cabin door. Eventually, they are trapped in the basement - along with other prisoners - and must fight for their lives.This film was generally panned by critics, with some scolding its brutal torture scenes. Nevertheless, it spawned a sequel two years later.

The Asylum's 2015 movie Hansel vs. Gretel is a sequel to 2013's Hansel & Gretel. It picks up right after the events of the first movie. It centers on Hansel, now a witch hunter, battling his sister Gretel, who is now under a spell and attempting to become the leader of a witch coven. Lydic returned as Hansel for this movie, but Gretel was recast as Lili Baross.Movie critics praised the humor in this sequel, though the story and low-budget effects were often criticized.

Tales of Halloween is a horror comedy anthology film released in 2015. It encompasses ten different segments, each revolving around Halloween. The segment based upon Hansel and Gretel is titled Ding Dong, and was written and directed by Lucky McKee (May, The Woman). This short film is certainly a unique take on the original tale. It centers on a couple - Jack and Bobbie - with marriage problems. They dress up as Hansel and the witch for Halloween. Eventually, things take a disturbing turn when Bobbie actually transforms into the witch from the Grimm tale and melts herself.

It can certainly be argued that 2020's Gretel & Hansel is the best movieversionof the original Brothers Grimm tale. For one, it flips some gender stereotypes on their heads for a refreshing take on the classic story. Plus, it's loyal to the original tale while still adding in its own dark twists and turns, which have seen a resurgence in popularity with the rise of folk horror. While it's unclear whetherPerkins' take will get a sequel, there will likely be others to adapt this dark fairy tale within the horror genre in the future.

Next:Tim Burton's Long Lost Hansel And Gretel Short Is Now Available Online

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Jessica Beebe is a New York-based writer and editor.

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Gretel & Hansel: Every Horror Movie Based On The Brothers Grimm Story - Screen Rant

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero