Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was a hit back in 2019, so much so, that a sequel was greenlit almost immediately. But where is it? According to some publications it may have hit a snag and not just because of the pandemic.
According to the genre publication JoBlo, a screenplay for the follow-up has already been penned by Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman, who worked on the first film. They took ideas from a story written by producer Guillermo del Toro. Furthermore, the original’s director André Øvredal confirmed all of this a few months ago.
But the Hageman’s gave an update on the project during an interview with Collider’s Lead News Editor Maggie Loveitt a few days ago, and it isn’t exactly clear when, and if, we are ever going to see a sequel. The writers we very hesitant to talk about it, but didn’t call it dead. In fact, they admitted they couldn’t “speak definitively” about the project only to say that it has experienced a few “hiccups” bolstered by the writer’s and actor’s strikes.
Dan did say something cryptic, which might indicate there has been pushback from the studio, “All I’m saying is we’re in conversations talking about how to keep this franchise alive. We’re fighting a good fight for it so that hopefully someday we’ll see it.”
It’s no secret that the box office is suffering since the pandemic hit. Low ticket sales are collateral damage taken from the explosion of streaming services. Modern moviegoers get to weigh whether they want to go to the theater to see a title or wait until streaming. Obviously, studios want that box office money so in this day and age they must weigh their options too. Those choices are probably going to hinge on production cost, star power, and brand recognition.
That’s not to say this is the reason why Scary Stories 2 is delayed, but since Hollywood has become more “business” than “show,” it is something to consider.
We will keep you updated on this story as more information becomes available.
