Steamboat Willie‘s reign of terror is now set to hit the big screen this spring.
Iconic Events Releasing has shifted the U.S. theatrical release date of the Steamboat Willie horror movie “Screamboat” from late January to April. The distributor has also unveiled a first look at the killer mouse, portrayed by David Howard Thornton, best known for his role as Art the Clown in the “Terrifier” franchise.
“I’m so excited to share our mischievous monster mouse with the world. ‘Screamboat’ is my way of paying homage to Disney while putting a sinister, yet comedic twist on the classic,” said writer-director Steven LaMorte. “Watching David Howard Thornton bring Steamboat Willie to life with the magicians at Quantum Creation FX has been nothing short of amazing — he’s hilarious and murderously entertaining. I can’t wait for audiences to meet Willie and experience the chaos we’ve created.”
Per the film’s official description, “‘Screamboat’ follows a group of New Yorkers on a late-night ferry ride that turns deadly when a mischievous mouse begins a rampage, targeting unsuspecting passengers. The unlikely crew must band together to thwart the murderous menace before their relaxing commute turns into a nightmare.”
Several pre-screening events will take place across the U.S. ahead of “Screamboat’s” April release. The productions is also targeting various horror conventions in the coming months to promote the film.
LaMorte — who also helmed “The Mean One,” the 2022 horror parody of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” — directed the Mickey Mouse-inspired slasher film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Matthew Garcia-Dunn. Along with Thornton, the “Screamboat” cast includes Allison Pittel (“Stream”), Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”), Amy Schumacher (“The Mean One”), Jesse Posey (“Teen Wolf”), Jesse Kove (“Cobra Kai”), Kailey Hyman (“Terrifier 2”), Rumi C Jean-Louis (“Hightown”), Jarlath Conroy (George A. Romero’s “Day of the Dead”) and Charles Edwin Powell (“The Exorcist III”), with cameos from Brian Quinn (“Impractical Jokers”) and stand-up comedian Joe DeRosa (“Better Call Saul”).
The practical effects used to transform Thornton into the murderous mouse were designed by Christian Cordella and built by Quantum Creation.
“Screamboat” is produced by LaMorte, Amy Schumacher, Martine Melloul, Steven Della Salla and Michael Leavy. Executive producers include Kali Pictures, Sleight of Hand Productions, Reckless Content and Julien Didon. DeskPop Entertainment, which is managing worldwide sales for “Screamboat,” will also oversee the film’s digital and home video release.
