20-Year-Old Animated Horror Movie Disowned by Rick and Morty’s Co-Creator Hits Peacock’s Top 3 Movies

Monster House has reached No. 3 on Peacock’s U.S. movie chart, twenty years after its 2006 release. However, the animated horror comedy carries a particularly surprising footnote: credited writer Dan Harmon publicly distanced himself from the finished film.

According to Collider’s October 13 report, the movie ranked directly behind Coraline. Meanwhile, it placed above Trolls Band Together and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with Casper also entering the top ten.

Notably, the ranking offers a snapshot of one streaming service rather than a published audience total. Although the timing puts it very close to Halloween, the report does not establish exactly what prompted viewers to watch.

Why Did Rick and Morty’s Dan Harmon Disown Monster House?

Originally, Harmon wrote the screenplay with longtime collaborator Rob Schrab, while Pamela Pettler also received a writing credit. Additionally, Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis executive produced the film, which marked director Gil Kenan’s feature debut.

Within the story, three children discover that a neighbor’s home is a living monster. Together, DJ, Chowder, and Jenny investigate the building before Halloween visitors can wander into danger.

However, Harmon’s objections surfaced publicly in 2010 after author Kelly Oxford said the movie gave her daughter nightmares. In response, he wrote the child a letter explaining why the final version differed from his intentions.

“I never finished writing Monster House before my bosses turned it into a movie,” he wrote. Then, he added, “And then different writers, people I don’t even know, changed the story in lots of ways, and the movie that you saw was not the story I wanted to tell you.”

Specifically, Harmon argued that frightening stories should ultimately leave their audiences feeling safer. His letter stated, “I think a good story, even if it is sad or scary while you’re watching it, should always make you a little less scared after you’ve seen it.”

source https://www.mensjournal.com/news/20-year-old-animated-horror-movie-disowned-by-rick-and-mortys-co-creator-hits-peacocks-top-3-movies