Prepare for a nostalgia bomb readers over 20. CBS Films has optioned the rights to the children’s book series, “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark” written by Alvin Schwartz. You know, those horror anthologies we used to read late at night under the covers or at sleepovers? According to Deadline, the anthology series is being adapted into a film with Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton providing the screenplay. The Sean Daniel Company’s Jason Brown and Sean Daniel are set to produce Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark alongside 1212 Entertainment’s Elizabeth Grave.
“Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark” was originally published in 1981 and later became a three book series which included titles “More Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark” and “Scary Stories 3: More Tales To Chill Your Bones.”
This spooky addition to Alvin Schwartz’s popular books on American folklore is filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge that will make you jump with fright. There is a story here for everyone — skeletons with torn and tangled flesh who roam the earth; a ghost who takes revenge on her murderer; and a haunted house where every night a bloody head falls down the chimney. Stephen Gammell’s splendidly creepy drawings perfectly capture the mood of more than two dozen scary stories — and even scary songs — all just right for reading alone or for telling aloud in the dark. If You Dare!
The original (incredibly creepy) illustrations from Stephen Gammell were replaced with art by Brett Helquist for a recent 30th anniversary edition of the books. The switch led to some heavy criticism from fans who grew up with the original artists’s truly terrifying images.
There is no word yet on who will be directing the feature or what exactly the film will follow plot-wise. However, if any of the original art comes to life in the film, it will be truly terrifying.
