Bride of Chucky#Reception

In Lockport, New York{{Cite web|url=https://wyrk.com/bride-of-chucky-lockport/|title=Famous '90s Movie Took Place in Lockport and We Had No Idea|first=Chris|last=Owen|website=106.5 WYRK|date=29 September 2022 }} in 1998, Tiffany Valentine, Chucky's former lover and accomplice, bribes police officer Bob Bailey into selling her Chucky's remains. After murdering Bailey, she repairs the doll and performs a voodoo ritual to revive him. Her goth admirer Damien Baylock arrives at her trailer; Tiffany is delighted when Chucky animates and suffocates him.

Chucky and Tiffany get into an argument when Chucky laughs at the prospect of marrying Tiffany. She angrily locks him in a playpen, taunting him by giving him a wedding-themed bride doll. Chucky escapes and electrocutes her to death before using a voodoo spell to transfer her soul into the bride doll as revenge.

Chucky explains that if they want to escape their doll bodies, they must retrieve a magical amulet called the Heart of Damballa that was buried with his human body. They decide the best bodies to inhabit are Tiffany's handsome neighbor Jesse Miller and his girlfriend Jade Kincaid. Tiffany calls and asks Jesse to drive the two dolls to Hackensack, New Jersey, where Chucky's body is buried, in exchange for a thousand dollars. Eager to marry Jade and needing money for it, Jesse accepts.

Jade's strict uncle, police chief Warren Kincaid, plants a bag of marijuana in Jesse's van to frame him. Chucky and Tiffany kill Warren, then hide his body in the van. Jesse and Jade begin their trip. The two are pulled over by Officer Norton, who finds the marijuana. When Norton returns to his patrol car to report it, Chucky ignites the car's gas tank, blowing it up and killing Norton.

Jesse and Jade flee and begin to suspect each other of killing Norton. Nevertheless, they marry. While at a hotel, another couple steals Jesse's wallet. Tiffany murders them in revenge. Seeing this, Chucky realizes he's in love with Tiffany. He proposes and they make love.

The following morning, Jesse and Jade flee with their friend David. David informs them that they are the prime suspects for the deaths, but he believes them innocent. After finding Warren's body however, David becomes convinced they are murderers. When Chucky and Tiffany reveal they're alive, a startled David is hit by a truck, killing him.

Chucky and Tiffany steal an RV to evade the police. Jesse and Jade instigate an argument between Chucky and Tiffany. In the commotion, Jade kicks Tiffany into the RV's oven while Jesse pushes Chucky out the window. Chucky forces Jade to take him to his grave. Jade retrieves the amulet from the casket. Jesse appears with Tiffany, now horribly burned.

As Chucky begins the ritual, Tiffany has a change of heart and decides she doesn't want to hurt Jesse and Jade, and tries to kill Chucky. Chucky fatally stabs her. Jesse knocks him into his own grave with a shovel. Private investigator Lt. Preston, arrives and sees Chucky alive in the grave, shocking him. Jade shoots Chucky several times, killing him.

After declaring the couple innocent, Preston sends them on their way. Tiffany springs briefly back to life and starts screaming, giving birth to a baby doll which attacks Preston.

{{div col}}

• Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany
• Brad Dourif as Chucky (voice)
• Katherine Heigl as Jade Kincaid
• Nick Stabile as Jesse Miller
• Alexis Arquette as Damien Baylock
• Gordon Michael Woolvett as David Collins
• John Ritter as Chief Warren Kincaid
• Lawrence Dane as Lt. Preston
• Michael Louis Johnson as Norton
• James Gallanders as Russ
• Janet Kidder as Diane
• Vince Corazza as Officer Bob Bailey
• Kathy Najimy as Motel Maid
• Park Bench as Stoner
• Emily Weedon as Girl at One-Stop
• Ben Bass as Lt. Ellis
• Roger McKeen as Justice of the Peace
• Sandi Stahlbrand as Reporter

{{div col end}}

After the release of Child's Play 3, Don Mancini and David Kirschner decided that the series required a new direction, and decided against returning the character of Andy Barclay.{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/bride-of-chucky-20th-anniversary-don-mancini-childs-play|title=Bride of Chucky 20 years later: Don Mancini looks back at one of horror's boldest sequels|last=Donato|first=Matt|date=2018-10-30|website=SYFY WIRE|language=en|access-date=2019-04-27|archive-date=2020-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029141943/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/bride-of-chucky-20th-anniversary-don-mancini-childs-play|url-status=dead}} Work on the film began in 1996, with the working title Child's Play 4: The Return of Chucky, inspired by the release of Scream. Mancini said, "Like most genres, the horror genre goes in cycles and I think we can thank Kevin Williamson and Scream for reinvigorating the market. Over the years, I had been imagining new scenarios for this series. With his previous successes, we knew it was just a matter of time before we'd be bringing Chucky back and David Kirschner and I both felt that it was important to bring him back in a new way -- we wanted to elevate the series and re-invent it, go beyond what we'd done before. And what we've ended up with is—incredibly—part horror, part comedy, part romance and part road movie. It's a really cool blend of the genuinely creepy and the really funny."{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 1 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990225095446fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/index.html |archive-date=25 February 1999}} Ronny Yu was hired to direct the film after Kirschner and Mancini were "amazed" by his film The Bride with White Hair, and was allowed to use his creative freedom and the ability to hire his collaborators Peter Pau and David Wu from Hong Kong.{{Cite news |last=Sterngold |first=James |date=1998-10-09 |title=At the Movies; On Revealing A Hidden Talent |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/09/movies/at-the-movies-on-revealing-a-hidden-talent.html |access-date=2019-04-27 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=Film > Bride Of Chucky – About The Production {{!}} Katherine Heigl Official Website |url=http://www.kheigl.com/press/chucky-about-the-production/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101073604/http://www.kheigl.com/press/chucky-about-the-production/ |archive-date=November 1, 2011 |access-date=2019-04-27 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 2 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408160243fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about2.html |archive-date=8 April 2000}} The inspiration to create a girlfriend for Chucky came from David Kirschner after he saw a copy of the classic Bride of Frankenstein in a video store. Mancini loved the idea and created Tiffany. He said, "After all, two dolls running around the country together and killing people a la Natural Born Killer Dolls or Bonnie and Clyde is really pretty funny." Mancini chose Tilly as his first choice to play Tiffany, after being impressed with her in Bound and Bullets Over Broadway. Gina Gershon, Tilly's co-star in Bound, encouraged her to take the role.{{Cite web |date=25 October 2017 |title=How "Child's Play" Became The Funniest, Most Reliably Surprising, And Queer Slasher Series |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/louispeitzman/how-childs-play-became-the-funniest-most-reliably |access-date=2019-04-27 |website=BuzzFeed News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2017 |title=How Chucky's Killer Bride Jennifer Tilly Became an Unexpected Horror Icon |url=https://toofab.com/2017/10/04/how-chuckys-killer-bride-jennifer-tilly-became-an-unexpected-horror-icon/ |website=TooFab}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jennifer-tilly-will-be-chucky-movie-end-time-999794/|title = Jennifer Tilly Will Probably be "in Every Chucky Movie till the End of Time"|website = The Hollywood Reporter|date = 6 June 2017}} In retrospect, Mancini commented: "Once we introduced Jennifer Tilly's character [...] that brought a certain comedic camp vibe [to the franchise], which I think is kind of historically a hallmark of gay culture," referring to the increasing use of LGBTQ+ characters in later Chucky films and TV series.{{Cite web |last=Shatto |first=Rachel |date=October 12, 2021 |title=Chucky's Gay Creator Don Mancini on His Queerest Project Yet |url=https://news.yahoo.com/chucky-gay-creator-don-mancini-153643117.html |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=Yahoo! News}} Several months before production actually began on the film, Kevin Yagher and his team began to create animatronic puppets for Chucky and Tiffany. For Chucky alone, nine different puppets were used.{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 4 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about4.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408203921fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about4.html |archive-date=8 April 2000}}

Jennifer Tilly provided Tiffany's voice-over dialogue during a three-day recording session held in tandem with Brad Dourif just prior to the start of principal photography.{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 3 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408183218fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about3.html |archive-date=8 April 2000}} Bride of Chucky was filmed over a twelve-week period in and around Toronto, Canada. Over half of the film was shot on the sound stage. Exterior locations that were utilized included the Clifton Hill strip in Niagara Falls, an art deco motel complex on Toronto's waterfront, an old army camp in Oshawa, and numerous rural areas.{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 7 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about7.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000510013453fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about7.html |archive-date=10 May 2000}}

Each doll required seven puppeteers to manipulate, a computer playback operator, and a puppet coordinator to act as liaison between the operators and the director. Three puppeteers handled the movement of each doll's facial features which were relayed through the use of a radio-controlled transmitter. All of the dolls' other below-the-head movements were cable-operated by the rest of the puppeteers.{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 5 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about5.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000408215354fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about5.html |archive-date=8 April 2000}} The dolls' skin featured a combination of silicone and foam latex, unlike the previous Child's Play films, where the dolls were only made of foam latex, a material that had to be painted in a way that made it very difficult to light.{{Cite web |title=About the Production - page 6 |url=http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about6.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000604175518fw_/http://www.brideofchucky.com/production/about6.html |archive-date=4 June 2000}}

Brock Winkless, who is among the 17 puppeteers who worked on this film, returned as the puppeteer of Chucky for the last time.{{cite news|last=Cheng|first=Cheryl|date=2015-07-30|title=N. Brock Winkless IV, the Puppeteer of Chucky in 'Child's Play,' Dies at 56|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/news/brock-winkless-chucky-puppeteer-dead-812328|access-date=2015-08-23}} Ed Gale and Debbie Lee Carrington performed in-suit as Chucky and Tiffany (credited as Chucky Double and Tiffany Double) respectively{{Cite web |date=January 29, 2015 |title=Chucky Was Played by a Real Person Exclusive Interview with Ed Gale |url=https://www.ihorror.com/know-chucky-played-real-person-exclusive-interview-ed-gale/ |website=iHorror}}{{Cite web |last=Navarro |first=Meagan |date=April 15, 2019 |title=[It Came From the '80s] How Actors and Effects Made a Killer Doll a Horror Icon in 'Child's Play' |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3554839/came-80s-hidey-ho-chucky-childs-play/ |website=Bloody Disgusting}}{{Cite web |date=25 March 2018 |title=Actress Debbie Lee Carrington, 'Total Recall,' 'Bride of Chucky' Dies at 58 |url=https://movieweb.com/debbie-lee-carrington-dead-58-years-old/ |website=MovieWeb}} during the graveyard scene.

1. The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies – "Boogie King"
2. White Zombie – "Thunder Kiss '65"
3. Coal Chamber – "Blisters"
4. Monster Magnet – "See You in Hell"
5. Judas Priest – "Blood Stained"
6. Type O Negative – "Love You to Death"
7. Slayer – "Human Disease"
8. Stabbing Westward – "So Wrong"
9. Powerman 5000 – "The Son of X-51"
10. Bruce Dickinson – "Trumpets of Jericho"
11. Static-X – "Bled for Days"
12. Motörhead – "Love for Sale"
13. Kidneythieves – "Crazy" (Willie Nelson cover)
14. Graeme Revell – "We Belong Dead"

The film's music was composed and conducted by Graeme Revell, who previously composed the music for Child's Play 2. Revell reused the theme from the second film within the music and it was performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony.

On March 31, 2023, Enjoy the Ride Records and Back Lot Music released Revell's complete score on digital and in a limited-edition vinyl pressing. It was produced by Mike Matessino and is a 140-gram vinyl 2xLP album with screen printed D side. It includes a gatefold jacket featuring new artwork created by Garreth Gibson, and Voodoo For Dummies replica double-sided insert.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Derek |date=2023-03-29 |title=Enjoy The Ride Records and Back Lot Music to Release BRIDE OF CHUCKY Limited Edition Vinyl Score |url=https://dailydead.com/enjoy-the-ride-records-and-back-lot-music-to-release-bride-of-chucky-limited-edition-vinyl-score/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329205404/https://dailydead.com/enjoy-the-ride-records-and-back-lot-music-to-release-bride-of-chucky-limited-edition-vinyl-score/ |archive-date=2023-03-29 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Daily Dead |language=en-US}}

{{Track listing

| headline=Original Motion Picture Score - Side A

| title1=Break In (Main Title From The Motion Picture "Bride of Chucky")

| length1=2:28

| title2=Hello Dolly

| length2=1:21

| title3=Incantation

| length3=1:25

| title4=Damien Putz

| length4=3:12

| title5=Captive

| length5=1:57

| title6=That's Our Chucky

| length6=1:16

| title7=Re-United

| length7=1:00

| title8=He Hasn't Changed

| length8=0:48

| title9=A Doll To Play With - You're Dead

| length9=1:44

| title10=Chucky's March/Chucky Attacks/She's Alive

| length10=2:28

}}

{{Track listing

| headline=Side B

| title11=Voodoo For Dummies

| length11=1:41

| title12=Warren Lurking Satan's Little Helper/Fitup

| length12=2:04

| title13=Airbags Can Be Dangerous

| length13=1:16

| title14=Harassment

| length14=1:02

| title15=The Master At Work

| length15=3:14

| title16=Getaway/Warren's Back/The Honeymoon

| length16=1:59

| title17=Death By Mirror

| length17=1:24

| title18=Plastic Love

| length18=2:22

| title19=Housemaid

| length19=1:04

| title20=Dolls Take Charge

| length20=1:39

}}

{{Track listing

| headline=Side C

| title21=Exhumation/Domestic Bliss

| length21=1:23

| title22=What Would Martha Stewart Say

| length22=1:19

| title23=Tiffany Gets Baked/Escaping The Wreck

| length23=2:04

| title24=The Amulet/Hostage Exchange

| length24=4:13

| title25=Tiffany Kills Chucky

| length25=1:46

| title26=Doll Fight/Jade Kills Chucky

| length26=2:34

| title27=Child's Play 5

| length27=1:40

| title28= End Credits (From The Motion Picture "Bride Of Chucky")

| length28=1:19

}}

Bride of Chucky was released in North America on October 16, 1998, and grossed $11.8 million on its opening weekend. It has a total North American gross of $32.4 million and another $18.3 million internationally. It is the highest grossing film of the Chucky franchise and the second most financially successful Chucky film in the US.{{cite web |title=Child's Play Movies |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchise/fr2252836613/ |access-date=June 17, 2023 |website=Box Office Mojo}}

To promote the film, Chucky made an appearance on the October 12, 1998 episode of WCW Monday Nitro as a heel. He interrupted a promo between Gene Okerlund and Rick Steiner and, in addition to asking viewers to watch the film, mentioned that he was hoping for Scott Steiner to win an upcoming match between the brothers.{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Chad E. |date=2017-10-02 |title=Remember When Chucky Made His Professional Wrestling Debut? |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3462372/remember-chucky-made-professional-wrestling-debut/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318090722/https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3462372/remember-chucky-made-professional-wrestling-debut/ |archive-date=2018-03-18 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}}

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 45% based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Bride of Chucky is devoid of any fright and the franchise has become tiresomely self-parodic, although horror fans may find some pleasure in this fourth entry's camp factor."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bride_of_chucky/|title=Bride of Chucky (1998)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=15 October 1998 |access-date=October 5, 2024}} {{Metacritic film prose|1=48|2=17}}{{Cite web |title=Bride of Chucky Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bride-of-chucky/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.metacritic.com |language=en}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com|title=CinemaScore|website=CinemaScore|access-date=October 16, 2017}}

Lawrence Van Gelder, writing for The New York Times, gave the film a mostly negative review, writing that "the novelty of a bloody horror film built around a malevolent doll carrying the soul of a serial killer has worn thin."{{cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/101798chucky-film-review.html|title='Bride of Chucky': Carrying a Torch for a Malevolent Doll|last=Van Gelder|first=Lawrence|author-link=Lawrence Van Gelder|date=October 17, 1998|website=The New York Times|access-date=July 29, 2021}} Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a grade of "D", calling it an "upchucking of cartoonish gore" that "leans heavily on self-referential gags".{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com:80/ew/article/0,,285453,00.html|title=Bride of Chucky (1998) - Movie Review|last=Schwarzbaum|first=Lisa|author-link=Lisa Schwarzbaum|date=October 30, 1998|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=July 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207135115/http://ew.com:80/ew/article/0,,285453,00.html|archive-date=February 7, 2009|url-status=dead}} Xan Brooks of The Independent gave the film a score of two out of five, writing: "Bride of Chucky strings together a series of humorous asides and knee-jerk shock tactics."{{cite web |last=Brooks |first=Xan |date=22 June 1999 |title=Bride of Chucky |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/the-information-new-films-1101886.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707212257/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/the-information-new-films-1101886.html |archive-date=July 7, 2022 |access-date=June 17, 2023 |website=The Independent}}

The Los Angeles Times{{'}} John Anderson wrote that "Ronny Yu milks the utter inanity of Chucky's existence for all it's worth and knows the conventions of the genre well enough that horror fans should feel total gratification--in the levels of both mayhem and grotesque humor."{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-19-ca-33990-story.html|title=Chucky's Baaaaack and Finds a Real Doll|last=Anderson|first=John|date=October 19, 1998|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 29, 2021}} Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that "No one will confuse Bride of Chucky with a classic like Bride of Frankenstein, but anyone looking for nasty laughs will be delighted."{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/A-Match-Made-in-Hell-Bride-of-Chucky-delivers-2984661.php|title=A Match Made in Hell / 'Bride of Chucky' delivers nasty laughs, clever plot|last=LaSalle|first=Mick|author-link=Mick LaSalle|date=October 17, 1998|website=SFGate|access-date=July 29, 2021}} Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle gave the film a score of three-and-a-half out of five stars; he commended its visuals and "witty, pithy script", and wrote: "this fourth entry in the killer doll franchise is by far and away the best, a surprisingly affecting tale of pint-sized love and dismemberment that's remarkably well-done."{{cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1998-10-23/bride-of-chucky/|title=Bride of Chucky - Movie Review|last=Savlov|first=Marc|date=October 23, 1998|website=The Austin Chronicle|access-date=July 29, 2021}}

Brad Dourif has said Bride of Chucky is his personal favorite film in the series.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UMRkrzs_NQ&t=214s|title='Chucky' Stars Talk Why People 'Love' The Character {{!}} EXTENDED |via=YouTube|publisher=ET Canada|date=September 21, 2021|access-date=October 28, 2021|author1=ET Canada|author-link=ET Canada}}

The film garnered a cult following, marked by its distinctiveness and influence, while also establishing a devoted queer fan base and setting the tone for future installments.{{Cite web |last=Hubble |first=Felix |date=2022-05-20 |title="I became Chucky" - Journal |url=https://metrograph.com/i-became-chucky/ |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=Metrograph |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Payeur |first=Jordan |date=2023-08-10 |title=Horror Sequels That Became Cult Classics Despite Poor Ratings |url=https://www.cbr.com/low-rated-horror-sequels-cult-classics/ |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=CBR |language=en}}{{better source|reason=Per WP:RSP/VALNET, we try to not use Valnet published sources|date=March 2025}}

The film was followed by Seed of Chucky in 2004,{{Cite news |last=Leydon |first=Joe |date=November 12, 2004 |title=Seed of Chucky |volume=285 |page=8 |work=Variety |issue=32 |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/reviews/seed-of-chucky-1200529565/ |access-date=June 17, 2023}} Curse of Chucky in 2013, Cult of Chucky in 2017, and the TV series Chucky in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2 October 2021 |title='Chucky' Trailer: The Haunted Doll Wants to Play — on TV! — in New Syfy Series |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/10/chucky-trailer-tv-series-syfy-watch-1234668822/ |website=IndieWire}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{IMDb title|0144120}}
• {{Mojo title|brideofchucky}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|bride_of_chucky}}

{{Child's Play}}

{{Ronny Yu}}

{{David Kirschner}}

{{Portal bar|1990s|New York|Speculative fiction/Horror|United States}}

Category:1998 films

Category:1998 black comedy films

Category:1998 comedy horror films

Category:1990s slasher films

Category:American black comedy films

Category:American sequel films

Category:American road movies

Category:American parody films

Category:1990s English-language films

Category:Child's Play (franchise) films

Category:Films about runaways

Category:Films set in 1998

Category:Films set in New Jersey

Category:Films shot in Toronto

Category:Films shot in Los Angeles

Category:Films set in hotels

Category:Saturn Award–winning films

Category:Universal Pictures films

Category:Films directed by Ronny Yu

Category:Films with screenplays by Don Mancini

Category:Films scored by Graeme Revell

Category:Films set in New York (state)

Category:1990s American films

Category:Films about Voodoo

Category:Slasher comedy films

Category:English-language comedy horror films