Lifetime’s The Bad Seed Returns sequel movie scheduled for premiere this Monday has been delayed in the wake of the Texas elementary school shooting.
The film’s co-writer, executive producer and star Mckenna Grace, who reprises her role as Emma, revealed the news on social media.
“In the wake of the recent tragedy in my home state of Texas, we have decided to delay the release of ‘The Bad Seed Returns.’ Lifetime and everyone involved are in agreement,” Grace wrote. “I don’t feel comfortable promoting the film this week and we don’t think Monday is the right time to release it.
She continued, “I was in first grade when Sandy Hook happened … and it feels like not much has changed since then. I remember my parents teaching me emergency action plans for going to church or the movies.” You can read her complete statement in the tweet below.
Lifetime confirmed the movie will air at a date TBD later this year. The network also informed the Television Academy of the decision, since the film will no longer debut during the eligibility window for the 2022 Emmys, which ends on May 31.
Grace co-wrote the script for the movie with her father, Ross Burge.
Rob Lowe and Grace starred in Lifetime’s The Bad Seed, written by Barbara Marshall and directed by Lowe, which reimagined the cult 1956 psychological horror film that was based on the best-selling novel by William March and its stage adaptation by Maxwell Anderson.
In the sequel, Grace plays 15-year-old Emma, a seemingly typical teenaged girl who is anything but that. Set several years after the murderous events of the first movie which left her father (Lowe) dead, Emma is now living with her aunt Angela and navigating high school. Angela’s husband begins to suspect that Emma may not be as innocent as she appears and suggests sending her off to boarding school. Meanwhile, a new girl at school seems to know Emma’s secrets, leaving Emma no choice but to slip back to her old ways and take care of her enemies by any means necessary.
Grace executive produced along with her father, Ross Burge, her mother, Crystal Burge, and Mark Wolper who executive produced the 2018 movie. The 2018 film’s writer, Marshall, also wrote on the sequel. Louise Archambault (Catastrophe, This Life) directed.
In the wake of the recent tragedy in my home state of Texas, we have decided to delay the release of “The Bad Seed Returns”. @lifetimetv & everyone involved are in agreement. #Uvalde#Buffalo#LagunaWoods pic.twitter.com/5m1ms1OpXF
— Mckenna Grace (@MckennaGraceful) May 25, 2022