The upcoming tv series based on popular children’s book series “Goosebumps” just got a new star. The original series consisted of 62 books penned by R.L. Stine, but that number skyrockets to 200 books when you count in spin-offs like “Goosebumps HorrorLand,” all of which are published by Scholastic Publishing.
Justin Long (“Tusk,” “Jeepers Creepers“) will star in Disney+’s live-action adaptation!
Each book tells a different tale of children finding themselves in different spooky but age-appropriate situations. The original tv series ran from 1992 to 1997, and stories centered around everything from monsters and masks to ventriloquist dummies. The new series is a partnership between Scholastic Entertainment (a media division of the Scholastic brand), Neal H. Moritz who is a producer on the film adaptations “Goosebumps” and “Goosebumps 2,” and Sony Pictures TV.
The Disney+ “Goosebumps” series aims to be a mash-up of the teen comedy, horror, action-adventure, mystery, and psychological thriller genres. It will follow 5 high schoolers who unleash supernatural forces upon their town. They must all work together, despite the typical teen drama, to save it. In the process uncovering many secrets from their parent’s youth. Disney+ intends to center the series around 5 of the most popular “Goosebumps” books.
Long will be playing the recurring character, Nathan Bratt. Bratt is a new school teacher who ends up developing a terrifying connection to a decades-old supernatural murder. Frankly, we are just happy he is no longer a walrus.
“Goosebumps” has Nick Stoller and Rob Letterman attached to write as well as executive produce, alongside Kevin Murphy who also pulls double duty as showrunner. Pavun Shetty, Conor Welch, Iole Lucchese, and Caitlin Friedman of Scholastic Entertainment are also executive producers. Letterman directed the first film adaptation, and will direct the first episode of the new show.
The “Goosebumps” and “Goosebumps 2” feature films were released in 2015 and 2018 respectively. Collectively they grossed over $250 million at the box office. Not bad considering the books have more than 400 million English-language copies that are now in print. Not to mention the 32 different languages the series is translated into.
Stay tuned to Nerdbot for updates on Disney+’s “Goosebumps” as they develop.
