“Beware, you’re about to be scared!” says the narrator. The Goosebumps tales of R.L. Stine are returning to television for the first time since 1998, according to the author. According to Variety, Disney+ has officially ordered a relaunch of the Goosebumps franchise for its streaming service. The first season will consist of a total of ten instalments.
The first Goosebumps books, written by Stine as horror tales for children, were released in 1992. Goosebumps was such a hit with children that it was made into a television series in 1995, which aired on Fox Kids for four seasons before being cancelled. In addition, the original series loosely recreated several of Stine’s storylines and introduced viewers to some of the novels’ recurrent antagonists, such as an evil dummy called Slappy, who appeared in the books (pictured below).
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The new series takes a different approach to Stine’s tales than the previous one. Instead of following five high school students who mistakenly release supernatural monsters and abilities on their community, the programme will follow five high school students who accidentally unleash supernatural creatures and powers on their hometown. Despite their differences, the kids must join together in order to rescue themselves as well as the whole community. They also realise that the secrets of their parents may have a connection to the peril that is emerging.
It seems fitting that Nick Stoller and Rob Letterman will be writing and producing the Goosebumps TV series, since both of them had significant roles in bringing Goosebumps to cinemas in 2015 and 2018. In the first Goosebumps picture, featuring Jack Black as a fictionalised version of R.L. Stine, Stoller produced both films, while Letterman directed the first Goosebumps feature, which was directed by Letterman. Letterman is also set to helm the first episode of the new Goosebumps television series, which will premiere in 2018.
Many of the iconic Goosebumps characters are expected to make cameo appearances on the programme. For example, Goosebumps wouldn’t be the same without Slappy, an evil dummy who comes to life when an enchantment is read aloud in its whole. The initial television series, as well as the first and second movies, all featured him.
Previous collaboration with Stine included the development of a live-action series based on his Just Beyond graphic novels for Disney+ in 2021. In terms of Stine’s franchises, Goosebumps continues to be the gold standard. No specific start date has been set for the new Goosebumps film series.