Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Writers Have Disappointing Sequel Update

An adaptation of the cult-classic book series Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark landed in theaters back in 2019, and despite there being a wealth of source material to inspire follow-up films, writers Dan and Kevin Hageman have confirmed that the project is seemingly “stalled” and that they’re just as “in the dark” as audiences are. A sequel was originally announced back in 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic understandably causing roadblocks on the project’s development, while last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes also took a toll on the project. Given how few updates have emerged since the announcement of a sequel, it seems unclear if the project will ever move forward.

“I don’t know. I think we’re in the dark,” Dan Hageman shared with Collider when asked for updates about the project, while Kevin added, “It’s stalled right now. We actually don’t know. We wrote a draft, Guillermo [del Toro] had a story direction of where to take it…”

Kevin continued, “No, we can’t get into it, but we wrote something, and that’s the last we know. We know a lot of people liked it, but we also know that nothing’s happening right now. We’re in the dark with you guys.”

The original trilogy of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books were hits with young readers in the ’80s and ’90s, and while similarly popular series like R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books were adapted into TV series and ultimately movies, Scary Stories had a longer journey to live-action. Despite the built-in following of the franchise, the original movie didn’t make a major impact on audiences or critics, which has likely impacted the delays in development.

While horror director Guillermo del Toro had been attached to the project for years, it was ultimately director André Øvredal who brought the movie to life. Øvredal shared last year that he’s still interested in moving forward with a sequel, despite the lengthy wait.

“We have a story. We have a script. We’ve been working on the script as late as last year and even slightly into this year,” Øvredal detailed to IGN back in 2023. “The process obviously stopped with the strike — but it’s alive, for sure. COVID and then [The Last Voyage of the Demeter] eating up two years of my life certainly put a dent in the progress.”    

Stay tuned for updates on the sequel to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

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