"Beware The Slenderman" trailer has just been released. The HBO documentary relives the horror made real when two girls lured their friend in the forest to offer her to the so-called "Slenderman".
Two years ago, the world was shocked to hear of the news about two twelve-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, who lured their friend, Payton Leutner, in the woods and stabbed her nineteen times. The victim was able to crawl to a bike path and has survived the attempted murder. When question why the two girls did what they did, they reasoned that they did it to please the "Slenderman".
One of the girls, Morgan Geyser, has been diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia. Both Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier pleaded not guilty to attempted homicide by reason of mental disease. The girls are awaiting trial and will be tried as adults.
"Beware The Slenderman" explores how the obsession of Geyser and Weier with the "Slenderman" and how it led them to almost murder their friend, Payton Leutner. It also follows the reactions and ordeals of the girls' parents and how the case took media by storm.
The HBO documentary also explores the vulnerability of children's minds exposed to a myriad of information available on the Internet today. It also asks the question whether the safeguards parents have erected to shield their children from negative influences online enough to protect them.
The "Slenderman" started from a photoshopped image created by Eric Knudsen for a contest on Something Awful's forum. The photoshopped image depicts the "Slenderman" as a tall faceless figure in a business suit with two young children on both of its sides. The "Slenderman" is thought to have supernatural abilities and has sinister ideals towards children. The "Slenderman" became an internet meme that spawned fan art, fan fictions, cosplays, and the popular video game, "Slender: The Eight Pages".
"Beware The Slenderman" is directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky. It will air on HBO this coming January 23, 2017.
