Mr. Crocket

Mr. Crocket
Directed by	Brandon Espy
Screenplay by	Brandon Espy Carl Reid
Based on	Mr. Crocket by Brandon Epsy
Produced by	David Brooks Jenna Cavelle Josh Feldman Jesse Ford Sean King O'Grady Arbi Pedrossian Carl Reid
Starring	Elvis Nolasco Jerrika Hinton Ayden Gavin Kristolyn Lloyd Alex Akpobome
Cinematography	Powell Robinson
Edited by	Alex Familian
Music by	Alex Winkler
Production companies	Hulu Originals WorthenBrooks
Distributed by	Hulu Disney+
Release date	October 11, 2024 (2024-10-11)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Mr. Crocket is a 2024 American supernatural horror film directed by Brandon Espy in his feature directorial debut from a screenplay he co-wrote with Carl Reid. Based on Espy's 2022 short film of the same name, the film stars Elvis Nolasco as the title character, with Jerrika Hinton, Ayden Gavin, Kristolyn Lloyd, and Alex Akpobome in supporting roles. It follows a mother who embarks on a quest to rescue her son from a demonic children's television series host who is kidnapping children.

The film was first announced in July 2024 as a full-length version of Epsy's original short that he directed for Hulu's Bite Size Halloween series. Nolasco and Hinton were attached to star in the film, with Nolasco also acting as associate producer. Principal photography took place in August 2024 in New Jersey.

Mr. Crocket premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 26, 2024, and was released by WorthenBrooks as a Hulu original film in the United States and on Disney+ internationally on October 11. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics.

Plot

In 1993, young Darren Harper became obsessed with Mr. Crocket's World, a children's television series hosted by the titular Mr. Crocket and his puppets Boogaloo Blue and Squawky Bird. The show's VHS tape was in a free library outside his home. During dinner, Darren's stepfather Kevin verbally abuses him until Mr. Crocket emerges from the television. He kills Kevin and disappears with Darren, leaving his mother Rhonda horrified by the gruesome scene.

One year later, Summer Beverly struggles to manage her disobedient son Major in the wake of her husband Jerrel's death. Rhonda, now a homeless woman, warns Summer about Mr. Crocket. The free library with the Mr. Crocket's World tape appears outside Summer's home and she gives it to Major, who quickly becomes obsessed with the show. Meanwhile, Mr. Crocket kills drug abuser Bill and kidnaps his daughter Carey while she is watching the same tape.

One day, as Summer tries convincing Major to go outside, Major throws a tantrum. Summer snaps at him about wanting to quit as his mother. That night, Mr. Crocket emerges from the television and takes Major with him through a portal created with his magic marker. Summer learns about Bill's death and connects Carey's kidnapping to Major's. She researches Mr. Crocket and learns that his full name is Emmanuel Crocket, a local children's show host who was killed in a police shootout after he had allegedly kidnapped young Anthony Williams in 1979.

Summer meets Eddie Briggs, a man who believes in her story after Mr. Crocket kidnapped his daughter a few months ago. They realize that Rhonda might know about Mr. Crocket's next abduction and track her to an encampment surrounded by televisions. Rhonda reveals that Mr. Crocket's powers are tied to airwaves and she has telekinetically tapped into them to locate where he will be. The trio confronts Mr. Crocket and he proceeds to attack them, stabbing Rhonda while Summer and Eddie enter through his portal to a nightmarish version of the Mr. Crocket's World set where Major, Darren, Carey, and several other children are under his control.

While monstrous versions of Boogaloo Blue and Squawky Bird restrain Summer, Mr. Crocket recounts how he killed his abusive father and made it look like an accident. Motivated to help other neglected children, Mr. Crocket grew up as a children's entertainer and created his show. During a taping, he met Anthony and realized he suffered abuse. Mr. Crocket took him to his house, but police officers considered it a kidnapping, resulting in the confrontation that killed him. After dying, Mr. Crocket made a deal with the Devil to deliver the souls of abusive parents in exchange for coming back with supernatural powers to protect children.

Eddie reveals that he is actually Anthony and has been manipulating Summer to get back with Mr. Crocket. However, Mr. Crocket rejects him because he is no longer a child and Boogaloo Blue mauls him to death. Mr. Crocket allows Major to decide between him or Summer, to which Major chooses Mr. Crocket and is given a knife to kill his mother. When Summer expresses her love for Major, the knife turns into the marker and Summer uses it to slice Mr. Crocket in half. She exits with Major and the other children to the real world as Mr. Crocket vows revenge.

A still-alive Rhonda reunites with Darren while Summer's relationship with Major improves as both resume their normal lives. Sometime later, Summer learns that Major's aggressive behavior is growing and children at his school are afraid of stories about his new "father". As Summer realizes that Mr. Crocket's influence is still present, Major pulls out the marker to re-open the portal.

Cast

• Elvis Nolasco as Mr. Emmanuel Crocket
• Jerrika Hinton as Summer Beverly
• Ayden Gavin as Major Beverly
• Kristolyn Lloyd as Rhonda Harper
• Alex Akpobome as Eddie Briggs / Anthony Williams
• Jabari Striblin as Darren Harper
• Alex Morf as Bill
• Riley Vinson as Carey
• Akim Black as Kevin
• Jermaine Rivers as Jerrel

Production

Casting

In July 2024, it was announced that Elvis Nolasco and Jerrika Hinton would star in the film, with Nolasco also acting as associate producer.

Release

The film's first trailer was released on September 18, 2024, less than a month before its release, alongside exclusive first look images from the film.

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10.

The film received generally negative and positive reviews upon its release, though some critics tempered their praise due to its horror genre. Some highlighted the film’s "gorgeous practical effects," noting they "worked exactly as intended." Meanwhile, the Heaven of Horror found the film "very predictable," and Dempsey Pillot of The DisInsider described it as "conflicting." He praised Espy's direction and the well-developed characters but remarked that the film draws heavily on familiar tropes from other works.

Tyler Nichols of JoBlo.com noted, "Jerrika Hinton delivers a solid performance, but her character can be a bit frustrating. Her treatment of her child and actions that enable Crocket to take him make it difficult to find her sympathetic. However, I didn’t mind this aspect, as the film made it enjoyable to root for the villain." He also expressed disappointment that some of the creative elements weren't fully explored throughout the film's entire runtime. Matthew Donato of Collider rated Mr. Crocket 6 out of 10, describing it as a "decent all-ages thriller" that leans into its adults-only rating. While Espy's debut effectively expands on an existing concept, it struggles with stretching a short-form idea to feature length. The film's intense practical effects and fast pacing help balance its thinner storytelling, showcasing a Mister Rogers-like character who snaps and turns supernatural. Though unlikely to become a horror icon, Espy has crafted an entertaining film with charm and energy.

External links

• Mr. Crocket at IMDb
• Mr. Crocket at Rotten Tomatoes