A CHRISTMAS horror film that sparked so much controversy that it was pulled from cinemas, has made a big screen return after 41 years.
The 1984 flick became one of the most infamous movie roll-outs of all time, after audiences and advertisers were outraged by its Santa-suited killer plot.
The original movie, released in 1984, caused public outrageCredit: Alamy
But the festive horror has made its way to the big screen after 40 yearsCredit: PA
Silent Night, Deadly Night the 2025 remake has been released this weekendCredit: YouTube
But despite the public outcry from its original release, Silent Night, Deadly Night, has been remade and modernised to suit today’s audiences, with the slasher-themed festive released in cinemas this weekend.
The film’s plot centres around Billy Chapman, who witnesses his parents murdered by a man dressed as Santa Claus as a child.
The horrifying experience traumatises him, leading to an abusive stint in a Catholic orphanage – where he learns “naughty” kids are punished.
His dark experiences go some way in explaining his horrifying future actions, where as an adult working in a toy shop, he dresses in a Santa suit himself and embarks on his own killing spree on Eve.
Billy decides to enact his revenge by targeting those who he deems “naughty”, with his main target being Mother Superior at the orphanage.
The film’s original cast featured notable names including Lilyan Chauvin and Gilmer McCormick, and was created on a budget of $750,000 (worth $2.5million in 2025).
But the roll-out for the horror Christmas movie did not go as originally planned.
The film was met with a massive public backlash after its “disturbing” TV adverts were aired on mainstream slots.
It led to powerful groups including the PTA mounting pressure on movie distributors by organising protests outside cinemas across the US.
The controversy led to distributor TriStar pulling the film within a week of its release, following negative publicity.
But the chilling Christmas flick quickly became a cult classic after being pulled from theatres, selling huge numbers after it was released for home viewing on DVD and VCR.
And controversy surrounding the movie, and the subsequent elusiveness of its limited release, has meant it’s kept its appeal four decades after it was released.
Interest around the horror has remained so strong that filmmakers decided to remake the movie for a fresh audience.
It is understood that the remake follows the same premise as the original, but makes room for changes and modifications that make it suitable for a 2025 audience.
The gory Christmas flick features a number of buzzworthy talents in its cast, including Rohan Campbell, actress Ruby Modine and David Tomlinson.
Filming took place in locations around , after being financed by Bondit Media Capital and Royal Bank of Canada.
The original was made on a budget of $750,000 (now $2.5m in 2025) and lasted just a week in cinemas before it was pulledCredit: Refer to source
The remake, which stars Rohan Campbell as Billy Chapman, is expected to follow the same plot as the originalCredit: PA
The movie was picked up for distribution across the US by Cineverse, and across Canada through VVS Films.
But the film was surprisingly snapped up by StudioCanal, for distribution outside of , which includes the UK.
So for those up and down the country who like festive with a bit of fright, the gory horror might be the perfect thrill to seek before Santa comes to town.
Silent Night Deadly Night is out now in select UK cinemas.
It starred American actress Gilmer McCormick, who has starred in a range of horror titles, as Sister MargaretCredit: IMDB
It also featured French-American actress Lilyan Chauvin, who has appeared in blockbusters including Catch Me If You CanCredit: IMDB
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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