‘Hell Hound’: The ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’ Trailer Is Sparking Strong Feelings, From Warm And Fuzzy To Horror

The first thing that everyone must recall about Clifford The Big Red Dog (of the original animated series that aired on PBS and BBC Two) is that “love” is the reason why he’s so big. Yep, it’s all the fault of his owner, Emily, for having such a massive heart that, somehow, Clifford exponentially increased in size overnight. Ultimately, this is a sweet premise, but still, there was bound to be a “WTF” factor when Paramount Pictures released the trailer for the upcoming live-action/CGI hybrid film. This, of course, is not the studio’s first rodeo with a potential uncanny valley. Back in 2019, people freaked out over the initial Sonic the Hedgehog rendering with prominent teeth before a new design appeased the masses. So, Clifford was bound to stir some controversy in this trailer, too.

My first reaction? I’m warped, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the Venom tongue-reveal after spotting this “cute” tail wagging from underneath a blanket.

From there, the trailer’s a whole lot of this:

At that point, the action devolves into sheer, glorious chaos. Clifford sprints into Central Park, where he tries to “play” with a giant plastic hamster ball with a human inside.

This stunt could have swiftly caused bloodshed, but presumably, the movie will play it PG-safe in theaters. To encourage that vibe, BTS’ “Dynamite” plays throughout, but the action takes a dark turn near the end of this trailer, when Clifford attempts to eat another dog. This puts another spin on a dog-eat-dog world. People did not know what to think of these “unexpected horrors.”

Clifford was swiftly labeled a “Hell Hound,” despite his innocent and playful reactions to the world around him. Mayhem is sure to follow.

All of this, however, should be a good thing, because Paramount declared, “For every Red heart or share the #CliffordMovie trailer gets, we’re donating $1 to Best Friends Animal Society, up to $20,000.”

Still, a deluge of mixed feelings, from nostalgia to excitement to confusion to anger, poured forth on Twitter.

Paramount Pictures’ Clifford the Big Red Dog will arrive on September 17.