Cursed (2005 film)

Did You Know?

• Wes Craven had previously been attached to direct a werewolf film for Dimension Films in 1997 called Bad Moon Rising, but it was never made.
• Editor Patrick Lussier stated in July 2021 that a release of the original cut was unlikely because the ending was never shot and the film lacked popularity.
• In 2022, images from the Craven cut were posted on the website Hello Sidney.

Plot

On a seaside pier in Los Angeles, friends Jenny Tate and Becky Morton receive a fortune-telling from Zela, who warns them of a beast that feeds off the moon. Later that night, Ellie Myers drives her younger brother Jimmy home after he had a run-in with bullies and his crush Brooke. En route, they collide with an animal and another car. They try to rescue the other driver, Becky, but a creature attacks, killing Becky and slashing the siblings.

The police attribute the attack to a bear or cougar. The next day, Ellie finds herself attracted to the scent of a coworker's blood. At a party, Ellie becomes annoyed that Jenny is flirting with her boyfriend Jake and leaves. Jenny is later chased and killed by a wolf-like creature in a parking garage.

Jimmy begins to believe the creature was a werewolf, but Ellie dismisses the idea after touching a silver picture frame without being burned. Jimmy grows stronger and more aggressive, easily defeating three wrestlers after being coerced to join the team. He calls out a bully named Bo for making gay jokes, suggesting Bo is repressing his own homosexuality. Ellie meets Zela, who tells her the only way to cure the curse is to end the line of the werewolf that bit her.

Jimmy discovers the picture frame was actually stainless steel after burning himself on a silver cake server. Bo apologizes and confesses he is gay and has feelings for Jimmy, who rejects him. The siblings' dog Zipper, now infected, bites Jimmy and goes on a rampage.

Production

Kevin Williamson wrote the first draft of the script in August 2000, about a New York City serial killer whose lethal tendencies stem from lycanthropy. Sean Hood and Tony Gayton later did rewrites. Wes Craven had previously been attached to direct a werewolf film for Dimension Films in 1997, but it was never made. In October 2002, Bob Weinstein announced that Cursed would reinvent the werewolf genre, with a release date of August 8, 2003.

Craven was in pre-production on Pulse when Weinstein pulled that film and pushed Cursed forward; Craven was reportedly displeased, but Weinstein doubled his pay. Craven felt the script was too similar to his film Vampire in Brooklyn but signed on under studio pressure. In December 2002, Rick Baker was announced to design the werewolves, having accepted on the condition of no studio interference. Jesse Eisenberg was cast on March 3, 2003, with Kristina Anapau and Judy Greer in supporting roles.

On March 13, 2003, Christina Ricci signed on to play Ellie Harper, an associate producer on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. Scott Foley and Omar Epps were cast as Ellie's boyfriend Kyle and animal control chief Ben Taft, respectively.

Release

The original target release date of August 8, 2003, was pushed back to February 13, 2004, then further delayed due to reshoots. In December 2004, Fangoria reported the film would open nationwide on February 25, 2005, with a PG-13 rating. The key art featured Christina Ricci's face, evoking Drew Barrymore's close-up in Scream's poster. The tagline was 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

The first official trailer premiered on January 7, 2005. The DVD release on June 21, 2005, included both the theatrical PG-13 version (97 minutes) and an unrated version two minutes longer. In Canada, Alliance Atlantis released only the unrated version on DVD. Miramax was sold to beIN Media Group in 2016, and in April 2020, ViacomCBS acquired a 49% stake, with Paramount Pictures distributing the film since then. Paramount later included it in the 'Paramount Scares' collection and on Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

Reception

Cursed opened in 2,805 theaters on February 25, 2005, grossing $9,633,085 in its opening weekend, averaging $3,434 per site, and placing fourth at the box office. The following weekend it declined 60% to $3,867,052, finishing seventh. Box Office Guru called its performance 'disappointing.' It ended its theatrical run on May 12, 2005, with a domestic gross of $19,297,522 and a worldwide total of $29,621,722.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 16% approval rating based on 96 reviews, with an average rating of 3.70/10. The critics consensus reads: 'A predictable plot and cheesy special effects make Cursed a less-than-scary experience.' Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 31 out of 100, indicating 'generally unfavorable' reviews. CinemaScore audiences gave it a grade of C−.

The San Francisco Chronicle called it 'a third-rate effort, with a weak script, cheap-looking effects and no genuine frights.' Film Threat declared it the worst werewolf film ever made, surpassing Wolf. Rafe Telsch of CinemaBlend gave it two out of five stars, noting it takes a unique approach but never sets rules for the creatures.