AVClub reports Netflix picked up a trilogy of teen-friendly horror movies based on R. L. Stine’s Fear Street novels. These movies will come out next year as part of its Summer of Fear event. Fox produced the trilogy before Disney bought the studio. New executives then postponed the release due to the acquisition and scheduling conflicts. Mouse House now sold its release rights to the streaming service.
The trilogy takes place over different periods in a fictional town of Shadyside. Separate groups of teenagers all face terrible events that originated during the 17th-century witch hunt. An ensemble cast includes Darrell Britt-Gibson (Barry), Benjamin Flores Jr. (Rim of the World), Fred Hechinger (The Woman in the Window), Gillian Jacobs (Love), Kiana Madeira (Dark Matter), Emily Rudd (The Romanoffs), Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), McCabe Slye (Destroyer) and Ashley Zukerman (Succession). All three movies were helmed by Leigh Janiak who in 2014 directed the psychological horror film Honeymoon. Janiak also co-wrote the scripts alongside Phil Graziadei.
R. L. Stine wrote the first Fear Street novel in 1989 intending to reach the teenage market. His slim novels were successful beyond belief, selling over 80 million copies worldwide. Dozens upon dozens of Fear Street titles followed as well as several spinoffs. On top of that, Stine wrote a series of even more kid-friendly horror novels called Goosebumps.
