Sony has developed two different screenplays for a sequel to their 2015 film GOOSEBUMPS – one which would see GOOSEBUMPS star Jack Black reprising the role of Goosebumps novel series author R.L. Stine, and one which wouldn't require the return of Black. Just seventeen days ago, the studio still didn't know which version of GOOSEBUMPS 2 they would be moving forward with, although they do have a director in place: THE DUFF's Ari Sandel.
Now it appears that Sony knows which way to go, as Deadline is reporting that Jack Black is coming back for GOOSEBUMPS 2.
The question still remains: which version of GOOSEBUMPS 2 will Black be starring in? Is it the GOOSEBUMPS: HORRORLAND version that was announced back in May? That one would be set in
HorrorLand, a vast theme park which R.L. Stine describes as “the scariest place on Earth.”
Or would it be the other script, which was rumored to be titled GOOSEBUMPS: SLAPPY'S REVENGE? Slappy being the evil ventriloquist dummy that caused a lot of trouble for Stine in the 2015 film.
Given that a production called GOOSEBUMPS: SLAPPY'S REVENGE is reportedly looking for crew members in Atlanta, Georgia, we can probably lean toward that one being the script that makes it to the screen.
Whether it's HORRORLAND or SLAPPY'S REVENGE, GOOSEBUMPS 2 is scheduled to reach theatres on October 12, 2018.
The film had originally been set to come out on September 21st, but Sony moved it for good reason – September 21st is the date Universal has chosen for their own family friendly genre movie starring Jack Black, the Eli Roth-directed THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS.