ABCs of Death (film series)

Lore & Background

The ABCs of Death series began with the 2012 release of an anthology film featuring twenty-six segments directed by what the studio described as 'the world's leading talents' in contemporary indie-filmmaking. Inspired by ABC educational children's books, each director was assigned a specific letter and given creative freedom to choose a word and develop a short exploring a death associated with that letter. The result included provocative, shocking, and comedic explorations of death, showcasing diversity within the modern horror genre. Fangoria described the product as 'a stunning roll call of some of the most exciting names in horror across the world.' Producer Ant Timpson later stated that the movie made significant income from video on demand, though financial figures were not revealed.

Following the financial success of the first installment, ABCs of Death 2 was released in 2014, again featuring twenty-six segments with creative control given to each filmmaker. Though it received more critical praise than the first film, it suffered financially due to illegal pirating. Timpson stated that the movie still made enough income through VOD to continue the series. In 2014, a spin-off titled ABC's of Death 2½ was released straight-to-consumer, compiling the top twenty-six submissions from 541 entries received for the second film's 'M' segment competition. Executive producers Ant Timpson and Tim League chose to release it through Vimeo for rental or purchase, splitting income with the platform.

A potential third installment was teased at the end of ABCs of Death 2 with the statement 'ABCs of Death 3: Teach Harder, coming 2016.' However, by March 2015, Timpson noted that box office performance of the second film was dramatically affected by pirated viewings, and he and Tim League were reviewing financial figures before approaching Magnolia Pictures. In August 2015, they requested fan suggestions for directors and confirmed another amateur filmmaker contest. When 2½ was released, its introductory statement clarified that it 'is not the ABCs of Death 3,' indicating the third movie was still in development.

Reader's Guide

The ABCs of Death series holds significance as a collaborative independent filmmaking project that brought together a wide range of international directors to create a unified anthology centered on the theme of death. Its structure—assigning each filmmaker a letter of the alphabet and granting creative freedom—allowed for a diverse exploration of horror subgenres, languages, and cultural perspectives. The series demonstrated the viability of video on demand as a revenue stream for independent horror anthologies, with producer Ant Timpson noting that VOD income justified continuing the series despite theatrical underperformance and piracy issues. The spin-off 2½ further engaged amateur filmmakers through competitions, highlighting the franchise's role as a platform for emerging talent. Critical reception varied: the first film received mixed reviews, the second was more well received, and the third (the spin-off) was met with mixed reception but acknowledged for fitting praiseworthy aspects of its predecessors. The series' legacy lies in its innovative format and its adaptation to digital distribution challenges.

Did You Know?

• The series was created from an original story concept by producer Ant Timpson.
• For ABCs of Death 2, the studio received 541 submissions from independent filmmakers for the 'M' segment competition.
• ABC's of Death 2½ was released straight-to-consumer via Vimeo, where it could be rented for $2.99 or purchased for $5.99.
• The end credits of ABCs of Death 2 included a teaser for a third installment titled 'ABCs of Death 3: Teach Harder, coming 2016.'