Synopsis

As a child, Tim Jensen watches his father vanish into a bedroom closet, leaving him convinced that the boogeyman is real. Sixteen years later, after his mother's death, Tim reluctantly returns to his childhood home. There, old memories and disturbing encounters force him to confront the possibility that the monster haunting his nightmares may not have been imaginary.

Factoids & Trivia

• The screenplay was written by Eric Kripke, who later created the television series Supernatural, another work closely associated with supernatural horror and folklore.

• The film was produced through Ghost House Pictures, the horror company associated with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert. It was released theatrically by Screen Gems, a Sony Pictures label.

• Production took place in New Zealand, which supplied locations for the film's isolated homes, rural settings, and unsettling interiors.

• The nail gun sequence required extensive preparation. Barry Watson reportedly spent six weeks training with field experts and construction specialists, followed by additional work with the manufacturer of the nail gun used in the film.

• Boogeyman opened at number one in the United States in February 2005, earning roughly $19 million during its opening weekend despite arriving to generally unfavorable critical reactions.

• The film received a PG-13 rating for horror, terror, violence, and brief partial nudity, positioning its supernatural premise for a broad young-adult audience rather than the harder-edged market served by many contemporary horror releases.