Can you believe “The Babadook” came out 10 years ago? Jennifer Kent‘s directorial debut will be coming back to theaters thanks to IFC Films and Iconic Events Releasing to celebrate its tin anniversary.
“The Babadook” tells the story of Amelia (Essie Davis) who is a widow struggling to parent her 6-year-old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). While being a single parent is difficult under any circumstance, Samuel is also prone to disturbing and violent outbursts. Her son’s imagination soon turns to a murderous monster from a picture book, known as The Babadook. However, this time, it may not all be in his head.
The film also stars Daniel Henshall, Tim Purcell, and Tiffany Lyndall-Knight. It first debuted at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Upon nationwide release, the film grossed more than $7 million on a $2 million budget. Not to mention critical acclaim and a huge fan following.
Second Re-Release
Surprisingly this won’t be the first time this relatively new movie has been re-released. In 2019, IFC partnered with Shout Factory for a limited edition Pride Blu-ray release, where a portion of the proceeds were donated to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
The whole release is based on a meme that sprang up three years prior when Netflix inadvertently added “The Babadook” to its LGBT film selection. This error gave rise to a meme about the creature being a gay icon.
“I’m still trying to work that one out,” Kent said. “I feel it’s really quite beautiful, but I still have no idea why. … I mean, I kind of do.”
“I guess he’s an outsider of sorts,” she added. “It’s funny. It’s charming, I think, that the gay community has latched onto it. It’s really sweet. He’s trying to prolong his life, he’s trying to stay relevant.”
“The Babadook” will return to theaters on September 19th. You can check out the new anniversary trailer below:
