The film was released on November 9, 1988 to positive reviews and became a moderate success. It has since developed a cult following among fans of the horror genre. The film is the first in the Chucky franchise, and is the first movie to feature the killer doll Chucky. It was the only film in the series released by MGM/UA, as the rights to the series were sold to Universal Studios in 1990, right before production on Child's Play 2 started.