Marcus Theatres Won’t Show Slender Man Movie In Waukesha or Milwaukee Counties

Slender Man movie poster

WISN 12 News reports that Marcus Theatres will not be showing Slender Man in Waukesha or Milwaukee counties.

“Like many people across the United States, Marcus Theatres was deeply concerned and saddened when the Slender Man phenomenon touched Southeastern Wisconsin in such a profound way, changing the lives of many families forever,” a statement said. “After careful consideration, and out of respect for those who were impacted, we have decided not to play the upcoming Slender Man movie in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. We will show the film at select other Marcus Theatres locations.”

Other theaters in the area have also taken similar positions on showing the film.

Responses to these decisions have been mostly positive, with many people expressing disgust and outrage that the movie was even made at all.

“Make me sick to my stomach!” one commenter wrote on WISN’s Facebook post. “What kind of sick person would make a movie after something so horrific and real. Haven’t these poor families suffered enough?! Beyond ridiculous!!”

“Funny to see all these people acting like the movie should have never been made because a couple of mentally ill girls, committed a crime, and used this story as a convenient alibi,” another said.

The fictional Slender Man character existed long before 12-year-olds Anissa Weir and Morgan Geyser attempted to murder their friend in the shocking 2014 case. The popular “creepy pasta” was created by Eric Knudsen and first appeared online in 2009 as part of a creative challenge on the Something Awful forums.

Slender Man had already become the subject of art, fiction, games, and Youtube videos years before mental illness drove these two Wisconsin girls to murder.

The new film doesn’t even seem to be related to the Wisconsin stabbing at all.

From the synopsis on IMDB:

In a small town in Massachusetts a group of friends, fascinated by the internet lore of the Slender Man, attempt to prove that he doesn’t actually exist – until one of them mysteriously goes missing.

Watch the Slender Man trailer:

What do you think of Marcus Theatres’ decision to not show the Slender Man movie in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties? Share your opinion in the comments below.