Bloody Crayons
Bloody Crayons is a 2017 Filipino slasher film based on the book of the same name by Wattpad writer Josh Argonza. Directed by Topel Lee, the film features an ensemble cast including Janella Salvador, Jane Oineza, Maris Racal, Ronnie Alonte, Sofia Andres, Diego Loyzaga, Yves Flores, Empoy Marquez, and Elmo Magalona.
Development began in April 2015 when Star Cinema picked up the film rights of the book, originally billed by Jane Oineza, Joshua Garcia and Manolo Pedrosa. It was announced to be released in 2016 but undergone numerous recasting as well as the departure of the film's initial director Quark Henares, and production was pushed back beyond the said release date. A final cast was teased on the social media site Twitter late December 2016 but a change was again made early February 2017 replacing Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia, with Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona. Production has pushed through and was released on July 12, 2017.
Plot
Nine graduating students travel to a remote island to shoot a short film for their final school project. The group includes timid Eunice; her best friend Olivia; Olivia’s boyfriend Kenly; Kenly’s best friend Justin; party-girl Richalaine; classy Marie; jokester Gerard; shy photographer Kiko, who admires Eunice; and newcomer John, who also likes her. They stay at Olivia’s parents’ summer home, where they meet Mang Pedring, the eerie caretaker.Tensions arise when Olivia discovers Kenly has been cheating on her with Marie; and Eunice knew but stayed silent. After a heated confrontation, Olivia forgives the group the next day, and they begin filming. A storm interrupts the shoot, and that night, they play a game called "Bloody Crayons," a twisted version of truth or dare involving a box of colored crayons, each representing a challenge or consequence. Red crayons involve mixing a drink the last drawer must consume.
As the game escalates, Olivia draws a blue crayon and reveals she slept with Kenly, reigniting conflict. Marie draws the final red crayon and drinks the mixture, but she suddenly vomits blood and dies. Panic spreads. Olivia runs, and Kenly chases her. Olivia falls off a cliff to her apparent death, and suspicion turns on Kenly. Kiko and John tie him up. Later, they find Kenly murdered, his throat slit. Justin grabs a gun, accusing others. A fight breaks out, and Gerard is accidentally shot. Richalaine grabs the gun and flees upstairs. Justin corners her but slips and knocks himself out. Eunice finds her friends as John disappears into the woods.
Gerard dies from his wound. Richalaine and Eunice are later chased by someone in costume. They escape but Justin, now deranged, attacks them with a knife. In the struggle, he and Richalaine fall down the stairs and die. Eunice and Kiko reunite and encounter John, who claims to have found a boat. Kiko becomes suspicious after learning John has Mang Pedring’s keys. John says the caretaker died in a trap. They fight, and John falls into a pit but survives and discovers it leads to the cliff where Olivia fell; yet her body is gone.
Reaching the shore, the trio finds a boat, but Olivia’s voice comes over Eunice’s walkie-talkie. They return to the house and find her alive. Kiko grows suspicious; Olivia appears unharmed. He tries to warn Eunice but is stabbed by Olivia, revealing she orchestrated the deaths. Olivia hunts Eunice through the woods, ultimately cornering her at the cliff. Olivia confesses she planned to kill only Kenly, Marie, and herself but claims the others' deaths were not her fault. The two fight. Just as Olivia is about to kill Eunice, John’s drone crashes into her, knocking her off balance. Eunice tries to save her, but Olivia lets go and falls to her death.
John, alive thanks to a bullet-stopping dog tag, helps Eunice. They hear Kiko’s weak voice on the walkie-talkie and escape the island together by boat.
Cast
; Main cast- Janella Salvador as Eunice Nicolas
- Elmo Magalona as Kiko Rivera
- Jane Oineza as Olivia "Liv" Mendez
- Ronnie Alonte as John Jose Abrillo
- Empoy Marquez as Gerard Anderson
- Maris Racal as Richalaine "Rich" Alcantara
- Sofia Andres as Marie Ragma
- Diego Loyzaga as Kenly Sy
- Yves Flores as Justin Ybanez
- Nanding Josef as Pedring Mendez
- Marc Abaya as Paolo Abrillo
- Sarah Abad as Benilda Nicolas
- Lance Lucido as young Kiko Rivera
Production
Production stopped after the departure of the director and no further news was announced. On December 21, 2016, a picture circulated on the social media site Twitter. It was the cast for the film with the exclusion of some, and the return of Joshua Garcia to the roster as well as the addition of Empoy Marquez and Ronnie Alonte. In February 2017 a new batch of photos were posted on Twitter. It was a look test for the film with Julia Barreto and Joshua Garcia replaced by Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona.