"BUDDY" Turns a Children's TV Mascot Into Your Next Nightmare [TRAILER]

Written By: Sam Santiago

We always had our suspicions about kids' shows.

Don't get us wrong. We grew up on Sesame Street, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, and Reading Rainbow just like any self-respecting '80s kid. Then the '90s rolled around and suddenly everyone was singing along with a giant purple dinosaur who kept insisting he loved us.

Yeah... we've always been a little skeptical.

We'll save our conspiracy theories about Barney for another day, because there's a new childhood mascot that looks far more interested in spreading nightmares than hugs.

Director Casper Kelly, the wonderfully warped mind behind Too Many Cooks and the V/H/S/Halloween segment, is bringing his latest horror creation, Buddy, to theaters on August 28 through Saban Films.

The film centers on Buddy, a cheerful unicorn mascot and beloved children's television host whose bright, colorful world hides something far more sinister beneath the surface.

The newly released teaser wastes no time pulling the curtain back on that nightmare.

WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR "BUDDY" BELOW

According to the official synopsis:

"Inside the colorful world of It's Buddy!, a group of children spend their days singing, dancing, and helping Buddy spread happiness. But when one child refuses to play along, Buddy is not pleased and cracks begin to appear in this seemingly perfect world."

Leading the cast is Cristin Milioti as Grace, a suburban mother who finds herself pulled into Buddy's increasingly terrifying world. Delaney Quinn plays Freddy, a young girl who refuses to accept Buddy's twisted version of happiness and begins fighting back after discovering his true nature.

Providing the voice of Buddy is Keegan-Michael Key, while Topher Grace, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt round out an impressive supporting cast.

Kelly co-wrote the screenplay with Jamie King (Jessica Jones), and the filmmaker says seeing audiences experience Buddy in a theater was always the goal.

"It's an honor to be partnering with Roadside Attractions and Saban Films, two companies that have built reputations for championing bold films. The theatrical experience means so much to me personally, and I made Buddy to be experienced in a theater. I'm thrilled that audiences will get the chance to see the movie in theaters everywhere."

Saban Films co-presidents Jonathan Saba and Shanan Becker also praised Kelly's unique vision.

"Casper Kelly is one of the most wildly inventive and audacious filmmakers working today, and Buddy is a testament to his singular genius. He possesses a rare aptitude for taking the wholesome nostalgia of our childhoods and flipping it into a brilliantly unhinged, laugh-out-loud nightmare."

One thing's for sure. Between homicidal mascots, creepy puppets, possessed toys, and now a smiling unicorn with anger issues, horror has spent decades reminding us that maybe our parents were right.

Not everything on children's television can be trusted.

Buddy opens exclusively in theaters on August 28.