Guillermo del Toro’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark secures financing

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

An adaptation of author Alvin Schwartz's SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK book series has been in the works at CBS Films for a little over four years. After passing through the hands of John August and genre regulars Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the project has wound up in the care of producer/Oscar-winning monster movie maker Guillermo del Toro – and now the project is moving toward production, as Entertainment One has come on boad to co-finance the movie with CBS Films.

In addition to producing alongside Sean Daniel, Elizabeth Grave, Jason F. Brown, and J. Miles Dale, del Toro has also written the screenplay with Daniel Hageman and Kevin Hageman.

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK will be directed by Andre Ovredal (TROLL HUNTER, THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE).

Schwartz's novels were collections of short stories based on folklore and urban legends. The plot of the film adaptation involves 

a group of young teens who must solve the mystery surrounding sudden and macabre deaths in their small town.

Entertainment One's Steve Bertram said the film will be "a chillingly fun ride … sure to leave audiences around the world jumping in their seats." 

Sounds good to me! I don't have any nostalgic connection to the books this film was based on, somehow the SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK series managed to pass me by, but I'm interested to see what a creative team that includes del Toro and Ovredal will do with the set-up.

Filming is expected to take place in Toronto, Ontario this summer. CBS Films will be distributing the movie through Lionsgate in the US, with Entertainment One distributing in Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Benelux, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland. eOne will be partnering with Sierra/Affinity to secure distribution in other international territories.