Last week we heard the exciting news (depending on your literary habits years ago) that a movie adaptation of R.L. Stine’s popular FEAR STREET book series was in the works. It seemed like uncanny timing for such an announcement, what with the GOOSEBUMPS movie on the horizon, but with that film receiving positive buzz, perhaps the time is right to finally bring the decades-old young adult horror novels to the big screen.
Yesterday, during the GOOSEBUMPS panel at New York Comic-Con, a young fan asked Stine if there was any truth the rumor, and he quickly shot it down, downplaying the news. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to talk to the author immediately afterward, and hoped to get further clarification. Here’s what he said:
I hope it turns out to be true, and I hope to be able in a few weeks to say, yes, we’re doing a Fear Street movie. But at this point, there’s no contract, it shouldn’t have been leaked, it’s not news. It’s just a rumor, really. This Fear Street thing is just ridiculous, someone leaked it because of all the Goosebumps publicity.
Like a lot of movie rumors that hit the net, the FEAR STREET one blasted last week might have been premature. That said, Stine certainly makes it sound like negotiations are taking place. My guess? 20th Century Fox (the studio rumored to be making Fear Street) is waiting to see how GOOSEBUMPS plays with audiences when it hits theaters at the end of the week.
Stay tuned for the full interview with Stine, it should be up in the next couple days.