Goosebumps: The Vanishingshowrunner Hilary Winston and co-creator Rob Letterman tease an upcomingBlair Witch-style episode. Developed as the second TV show and fourth screen adaptation of the series of enormously popular children’s horror novels by R. L. Stine,Goosebumpsdebuted on Disney+ and Hulu in 2023. The series was developed by Letterman and Nicholas Stoller, and, despite ending season 1 on a cliffhanger, has become an anthology;Goosebumpsseason 2will now be known asThe Vanishing.It stars David Schwimmer, Jayden Bartels, and Ana Ortiz, among many others, and is set to release on January 10.
In an exclusive interview withScreen Rant, Letterman and Winston teased aGoosebumps: The Vanishingepisode shot in the style of the cult found-footage horror movieThe Blair Witch Project. Discussing their unique approach to filming the season, and their techniques to avoid budgetary constraints, the duo revealed thattheir limited budget created a need for real-world production value, and prompted them to reach out to Eduardo Sánchez, the co-director, writer, and editor ofThe Blair Witch Project. Check out the duo’s comments below:
Rob Letterman:Yeah, and we’re very location-based. That’s just how we do the show. We don’t have a ton of money, so we try to get our production value out of just being in the real world as much as possible, so that becomes the look. So, there’s certain things that are [key], the look is set and the style is set, and then casting the directors the way we cast the actors. Like, “This is the story. This is this episode. It’s going to be a found-footage episode, so who would be the best found-footage director we can get? Oh, how about the guy who directed Blair Witch Project? Yeah. Okay, that makes sense.” [Chuckles] And suddenly we’re on a Zoom with Eduardo Sánchez.
Hilary Winston:Yeah, Zooming with Eduardo Sánchez and telling him our idea for the episode, and he’s giving us ideas back.
What This Means For Goosebumps: The Vanishing
Viewers Should Expect A Realistic & Inventive Show
Letterman and Winston’s comments should bode well for thecontinuation ofGoosebumps, asThe Vanishingsounds tonally similar to the first season, but has also evolved and reinvented itself. ABlair Witch-style episode is an intriguing prospect, and it will be interesting to see how the creative team pulls off a found footage episode, and how it links to the overarching narrative structure of the show.The addition of Sánchezas director for the episode adds a new dynamic to the series, and brings a more cinematic eye to the franchise, which could set the tone for later seasons.
Goosebumps Season 2 New Cast & Character Guide
Because of the anthological format, Goosebumps season 2 will feature an entirely new cast of up-and-coming actors alongside star David Schwimmer.
The found-footage genre is one that became overly saturated following the success ofThe Blair Witch Project, so having one of the movie’s co-directors attached is a huge coup forGoosebumps.The Vanishingwill look to take the franchise in a new direction, and this could suit the anthology format very well. It is unclear how many nods or references toThe Blair Witch Projectmight be included in the season, but there is a chance it could have a big influence on the overall story, which involves two teens who discover something unsettling in their father’s basement.
Our Take On Goosebumps: The Vanishing’s Blair Witch-Style Episode
The Move Represents A Unique & Interesting Direction For The Series
Goosebumps: The Vanishingwill mark the show’s move to an anthology format and help it to become more narratively experimental, while also broadening its scope to make it a more adult show. Comments suggest there is reason to believeThe Vanishingwill be thematically darker than its predecessor, and the found-footage style episode could feed into this in a gritty and horrifying way. Bringing Sánchez in as a director will help to expand the show’s horror legacy, as well as provide Letterman and Winston with plenty of creative excellence to help fuel their show in the best possible way.
Goosebumps
Cast
R. L. Stine’s horror book series receives its second television adaptation with the 2023 Disney+ series Goosebumps. The new series brings in the creative minds behind the first two Goosebumps films and centers on five teenagers who haphazardly unleash evil supernatural forces on their town. As they attempt to send them back to where they came from, they learn that their parents harbor similar secrets from their younger days.
