Last Christmas holiday, horror lovers were treated to a remarkably dark interpretation of Dr. Seuss’ Grinch universe with the release of The Mean One. The movie stood out among a series of recent horror adaptations featuring beloved characters from family-friendly origins, capturing hearts worldwide with a thrilling trailer that took the internet by storm. Now, approximately six months after its theatrical debut, we are learning via The Hollywood Reporter that this horror comedy will be made available on video-on-demand (VOD) courtesy of DeskPop Entertainment.

Taking inspiration from the core storyline and characters from the Grinch universe, The Mean One follows the evil escapades of the titular Christmas-loathing protagonist portrayed by David Howard Thornton. Perched atop the snowy mountains overlooking the village of Newville, he unleashes a reign of terror upon its inhabitants during the holiday season. The Mean One steps into darker territory as the green monster not only steals food and presents as in the original lore but has now added murder to his rap sheet. However, as he plans for his routine Christmas rampage, he encounters Cindy You-Know-Who (Krystle Martin), a courageous young woman determined to confront the haunting memories of her parents’ brutal death at the hands of The Mean One two decades ago. With their fates entwined, a gripping battle looms as Cindy becomes an unexpected obstacle in The Mean One’s quest for chaos.

DeskPop who owns worldwide sales rights to the film will be offering fans a chance to relive the gripping tale from the comfort of their homes. “We’re so excited to bring The Mean One to our amazing fans and audiences around the world with the team at DeskPop,” said the film’s scriptwriter and director, Steven LaMorte. He further added, “Their specialty in working with genre films like ours makes them the perfect partner for our unique brand of Christmas chaos!” DeskPop’s VP Mat Levy in a statement said; “I am thrilled to bring one of the most talked about cinematic experiences of the year to audiences worldwide in time for both Halloween and Christmas, I assure you that your heart will grow three sizes for this film before getting pierced by a delicious candy cane spear.”

Image via XYZ Films

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Who Is Behind The Mean One
The movie’s script was written in a collaborative effort between its director, LaMorte, Flip Kobler, and Finn Kobler. LaMorte had previously worked with Finn Kobler on projects such as Bury Me Twice and Nightwatch. LaMorte also co-produced alongside Amy Schumaker and Martine Melloul. The movie hails from the stables of XYZ Productions, A Sleight of Hand Productions, Amy Rose Productions, and Kali Pictures.

The Mean One will be available on VOD on October 3 just in time for Halloween. Check out the trailer below: