When production on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, a horror anthology film based on a series of terrifying children's books by Alvin Schwartz and illustrator Stephen Gammell, was announced earlier this year, fans of the popular series were understandably enthused.
When horror wunderkind Guillermo Del Toro joined as co-writer and producer, that enthusiasm jumped to pure excitement. And now, a release date has been set.
Directed by Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal (Troll Hunter), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will be hitting theaters on August 9th, 2019, courtesy of CBS Films and Lionsgate. A summer release date shows the studio's own enthusiasm in the project, and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts announcing the release only furthers that belief. Principal photography wrapped in late October and an on-set photo (shown above) was released featuring Del Toro, lead actress Zoe Coletti, and Øvredal.
Will the unsettling source material be sanitized for mainstream, summer moviegoing audiences? Judging by the following logline, that doesn't appear to be the case: "Inspired by one of the most terrifying children’s book series of all time, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark follows a group of young teens who must solve the mystery surrounding sudden and macabre deaths in their small town."
We'll find out for ourselves next summer.
