Fact Check: 'Mister Rogers' a Serial Killer in New Horror Movie?

Claim:

The late children’s television host Fred Rogers’ personality will be adapted for a horror film called “Rogers” in which his character is a serial killer.

Rating:

Labeled Satire ( About this rating? )

On May 23, 2024, a Facebook post from the page YODA BBY ABY claimed that comedy actor Fred Armisen will star in a horror movie about iconic children's television host Fred Rogers of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," except it would turn Rogers into a serial killer.

The post , which had more than 5,000 likes and had been shared almost 3,000 times as of this writing, showed Armisen dressed like Rogers, while wielding a knife. The post also claimed the movie would be released in October 2024.

The caption read :

MR. ROGERS - ROB ZOMBIE!!!
In the twisted vision of Rob Zombie, ROGERS reimagines the beloved neighborhood icon in a chilling new light. Fred Armisen stars as Mr. Rogers, whose warm smile and gentle demeanor mask a terrifying secret life as a serial killer. As the facade of his idyllic world unravels, a hidden trail of horror and mystery emerges, plunging his unsuspecting neighbors into a nightmarish struggle for survival. "ROGERS" promises a haunting and thrilling journey, arriving just in time for Halloween 2024.

https://www.facebook.com/YodaBBYABY/posts/pfbid0mkdhEj73hc4G9YsCdpnX8t3PiXdxZXFDKLdUn1ajR15tKAMVUxCZ9yPYSkK2eZJZl

However, the above claim was fabricated and there was no evidence that such a movie was actually being made. If this were the case, there would have been mainstream news coverage and a promotional campaign involving the main stars. A search of Fred Armison's IMDb page found there was no upcoming movie with him in the role.

A Google reverse-image search also yielded no authentic sources for the poster in the post.

The post originated from a Facebook page that is satirical in nature. YODA BBY ABY describes everything it posts as satirical. According to its Facebook introduction : "I'm just here to eat frogs, lift rocks and be satirical. The page is 100% satire and fake news."

Given this disclaimer is on the page, we rate this claim as "Labeled Satire."

This is not the first time we have fact-checked posts from this page. Previously, a post promoted a fake poster for a "Hocus Pocus" prequel series.

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources:

Evon, Dan. "Snopes Tips: A Guide To Performing Reverse Image Searches." Snopes, 22 Mar. 2022, https://www.snopes.com//articles/400681/how-to-perform-reverse-image-searches/ . Accessed 29 May 2024.

"Fred Armisen | Music Department, Actor, Writer." IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0035488/ . Accessed 29 May 2024.

Ibrahim, Nur. "'Hocus Pocus' Prequel Series in Works at Disney?" Snopes, 23 May 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/hocus-pocus-prequel-disney/ . Accessed 29 May 2024.