So I watched *Popeye’s Revenge*—one of three Popeye-the-Sailorman-themed horror flicks released this year, now that Popeye’s officially in the public domain.'n'nI’ve also seen *Popeye the Slayer Man*, which I actually prefer.
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So I watched Popeye’s Revenge—one of three Popeye-the-Sailorman-themed horror flicks released this year, now that Popeye’s officially in the public domain.
I’ve also seen Popeye the Slayer Man, which I actually prefer. It’s got more comedy, more lore—whereas Popeye’s Revenge is just the sailor going on a murder spree in a haunted house. No spinach. No Olive Oyl. Which feels like a missed opportunity.
Anyway, I went down the rabbit hole on the studio behind these films and learned that ITN Studios—no relation to the British news outfit—specializes in low-budget horror built around newly public-domain properties. They’ve already done it with Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, and they’re apparently building a whole shared universe around it. (Popeye hasn’t joined yet.)
They churn out something like 97 movies a year, each made for around $30K, flooding VOD services like Prime Video and Tubi. The math is simple: if even one film hits modestly, they turn a profit.
Some folks get cranky about micro-budget cinema, as if every movie should cost $200M to make. But I see it differently. Just like with games or music, more creators making more stuff is always better than less—and most of these are free to stream anyway.
Next up on my Popeye-themed watchlist: Shiver Me Timbers.
Popeye's Revenge (2025) ⭐ 3.2 | Horror
Popeye's Revenge: Directed by William Stead. With Emily Mogilner, Connor Powles, Danielle Ronald, Bruno Cryan. The legend of Popeye haunts a group of councilors as they intend to open a summer camp.
IMDb (www.imdb.com)
AFM: ITN Boss Stuart Alson on “First Micro Budget Studio” and Releasing 96 Genre Films Per Year
ITN Films boss Stuart Alson on being the “first micro-budget studio” and releasing 96 genre titles per year.
The Hollywood Reporter (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
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So I watched Popeye’s Revenge—one of three Popeye-the-Sailorman-themed horror flicks released this year, now that Popeye’s officially in the public domain.
I’ve also seen Popeye the Slayer Man, which I actually prefer. It’s got more comedy, more lore—whereas Popeye’s Revenge is just the sailor going on a murder spree in a haunted house. No spinach. No Olive Oyl. Which feels like a missed opportunity.
Anyway, I went down the rabbit hole on the studio behind these films and learned that ITN Studios—no relation to the British news outfit—specializes in low-budget horror built around newly public-domain properties. They’ve already done it with Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, and they’re apparently building a whole shared universe around it. (Popeye hasn’t joined yet.)
They churn out something like 97 movies a year, each made for around $30K, flooding VOD services like Prime Video and Tubi. The math is simple: if even one film hits modestly, they turn a profit.
Some folks get cranky about micro-budget cinema, as if every movie should cost $200M to make. But I see it differently. Just like with games or music, more creators making more stuff is always better than less—and most of these are free to stream anyway.
Next up on my Popeye-themed watchlist: Shiver Me Timbers.
Popeye's Revenge (2025) ⭐ 3.2 | Horror
Popeye's Revenge: Directed by William Stead. With Emily Mogilner, Connor Powles, Danielle Ronald, Bruno Cryan. The legend of Popeye haunts a group of councilors as they intend to open a summer camp.
IMDb (www.imdb.com)
AFM: ITN Boss Stuart Alson on “First Micro Budget Studio” and Releasing 96 Genre Films Per Year
ITN Films boss Stuart Alson on being the “first micro-budget studio” and releasing 96 genre titles per year.
The Hollywood Reporter (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
@atomicpoet I have to imagine that AI is going to radically change the economics for these kind of “studios”.
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@atomicpoet I have to imagine that AI is going to radically change the economics for these kind of “studios”.
Michael Gemar As long as it’s public domain, I don’t see the problem. No one’s being stolen from, and nobody is being ripped off. After all, we all own the public domain.
Also, back in the 80s, music sampling created this incredible surge in creativity—brought lots of great works back from the dead. So why not do the same for public domain films?
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Michael Gemar As long as it’s public domain, I don’t see the problem. No one’s being stolen from, and nobody is being ripped off. After all, we all own the public domain.
Also, back in the 80s, music sampling created this incredible surge in creativity—brought lots of great works back from the dead. So why not do the same for public domain films?
@atomicpoet I’m very happy with folks doing this and reclaiming the public domain. I think it will get even easier to do with AI tools (although I’m not sure what the quality might be).
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@atomicpoet I’m very happy with folks doing this and reclaiming the public domain. I think it will get even easier to do with AI tools (although I’m not sure what the quality might be).
Michael Gemar AI, like all things, is only as good as the work you put into it.
That is, if anyone thinks they’ll get quality from a singular text prompt, they’re mistaken.
But if you’re aiming for quality, AI can assist—particularly with aspects that aren’t so creative.
