Marcus Theatres Won't Show 'Slender Man' Movie in Two Southeastern Wisconsin Counties

Marcus Theatres released a statement August 8th declaring that the new movie Slender Man won't be shown in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. The movie follows a group of students who investigate the Slender Man phenomenon after one of their friends goes missing.

"Like many people across the United States, Marcus Theatres was deeply concerned and saddened when the Slender Man phenomenon touched Southeastern Wisconsin in such a profound way, changing the lives of many families forever. After careful consideration, and out of respect for those who were impacted, we have decided not to play the upcoming Slender Man movie in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. We will show the film at select other Marcus Theatres locations," read the statement.

Slender Man gained wide mainstream notoriety in Wisconsin--and nationwide--after two 12-year-old girls from Waukesha went on trial for the attempted murder of their classmate in 2014.

Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier lured the classmate into the woods during a slumber party, where Geyser stabbed the girl 19 times while Weier urged her on--all in the name of pleasing the creepypasta character Slender Man. The girl survived, and Geyser and Weier are currently serving decades-long sentences in mental health facilities--Geyser for attempted first degree intentional homicide and Weier for being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide.

Bill Weier, father of Anissa, told the Associated Press last January that he hoped the film would not be shown locally.

“It’s absurd they want to make a movie like this,” Weier said. “It’s popularizing a tragedy is what it’s doing. I’m not surprised but in my opinion it’s extremely distasteful. All we’re doing is extending the pain all three of these families have gone through.”

Slender Man was released in theaters outside of Milwaukee and Waukesha counties on August 10th.