R.L. Stine’s book series Goosebumps is headed for the television screen once again, and it’s looking spookier than ever!
The newest TV adaptation of Goosebumps, premiering on Disney+ and Hulu on Oct. 13, follows five high schoolers as they investigate the death of Harold Biddle, a teen who died 30 years ago. But, as they plunge deeper into the mystery, they unearth dark secrets about their parents’ past.
Justin Long leads the cast as Mr. Nathan Bratt, the new English teacher who moves to the old Biddle house.
“I did hear the horrible story about the boy who used to live there,” he tells Nora ( Rachael Harris) in the trailer, cryptically referring to Harold and his unfortunate end.
“Yeah, I hear it’s haunted,” Nora responds. “Have you seen anything strange happening there?”
Nathan shakes his head no, and adds, “Not anything that I can think of.”
But little does he know, that’s all about to change.
The trailer then cuts to the teenagers — James (Miles McKenna), Margot (Isa Briones), Isaiah (Zack Morris), Isabella (Ana Yi Puig) and Lucas (Will Price) — exploring the Biddle home before what appears to be Harold’s ghost is seen consuming and posessing Nathan.
As the teens’ investigation takes them through their school, the woods and the depths of caves, they face supernatural threats they’re ill-equipped for. “Some weird stuff has been happening,” one points out as another says in the trailer, “Something’s clearly wrong.”
But not all of them are believers of the supernatural forces as James confidently tells Isaiah, “There’s no such thing as a curse, dude. That isn’t real!”
When they slowly begin to realize that the threats are a serious matter, the group of friends vow to take action and fight against it. “This is all connected,” says Margot in the trailer. “He’s getting revenge for what our parents did to him.”
“We have no choice,” adds Isaiah. “This ends now.”
In a chilling final moment, Nathan’s voice can be heard saying, “It’s time for them to learn the truth. Come with me.”
Based on Stine’s books series of the same name, which has sold more than 400 million copies in print in 32 languages, the 10-episode show draws from five novels in particular, including Say Cheese and Die!, The Haunted Mask, The Cuckoo Clock of Doom, Go Eat Worms! and Night of the Living Dummy.
“If you haven’t read the books it’s going to be just as entertaining, if not more so, because a lot of these stories will be a total surprise,” Long told Entertainment Weekly pre-SAG strike. “There are big scares, big laughs, and even a few tears — sometimes all within the same scene.”
“R.L. Stine’s ‘Goosebumps’ franchise is a pop culture phenomenon that holds a special place in the hearts of people of all ages,” Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, added in a statement. “We are delighted to bring this spooky new series to audiences everywhere in a big way on Disney+ and Hulu, which we hope will not only captivate new audiences with its elevated thrills and chills, but also lifelong fans nostalgic for the stories that are a staple of their generation.”
Goosebumps’ first five episodes premiere Friday, Oct. 13 on Disney+ and Hulu. New episodes will drop weekly.
