The details to George A. Romero's unmade Goosebumps script have been revealed. Romero is the iconic filmmaker behind a number of big horror classics. While often credited as one of the most influential figures in the horror genre, he's particularly known for his work on zombie films. He started what is now known as the Night of the Living Dead franchise. It started with the 1968 film of the same name, which was followed by Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985).

Author R.L. Stine published a popular series of horror books for children named Goosebumps. The original franchise of books ran from 1992 to 1997, which inspired two spin-off series, a Goosebumps television series, merchandise, and feature films. The first installment of the book series is titled Welcome to Dead House. The story tells the adventure of Amanda and Josh as they move into a strange town called Dark Falls. Little do they realize, the townsfolk are the living dead. Each year, they must eat a new family to maintain their undead status quo.

Related: All 10 Goosebumps Books That Were Inspired By Classic Horror Movies

Romero's unmade screenplay was discovered by the University of Pittsburgh Library System's Horror Studies. The timeline of the project isn't apparent, but it was written in the 1990s. Romero's script kept to the basic premise, although he added more depth to it with the use of social commentary. Read below for more on his adaptation:

“Romero retains the basic scenario and all of the major character names but tweaks the story in revealing ways. In the Stine book, the zombification comes, a la Return of the Living Dead, because of a mysterious gas that escapes from a local factory. Romero makes the capitalistic origins more emphatic: the town patriarch, the wealthy Foster Devries, has in death possessed the town. The state of living death experienced by the residents stemmed from a supernatural power that Devries has now shared with/imposed on the town. 

"Romero re-imagines Dark Falls as the ultimate company town, in which the townspeople are wholly reliant on their boss for their continued undead existence, but the scope of their new “eternal lives” are highly circumscribed, limited entirely to what Devries allows. That means remaining within the city limits and feeding him a new family every year. Unlike in the Stine version, the threat here is not that the inhabitants will simply kill them and drain their blood, but that they will be forced to join the town and “live” according to the requirements of the town. That means a loss of independence, no possibility for self-determination."

George A. Romero Night Of The Living Dead Zombies

Having passed away in 2017 from lung cancer, Romero's last film was an installment of his Night of the Living Dead franchise, titled Survival of the Dead in 2009. No one can deny that Romero left his mark on both the film industry and pop culture in general with his horror films. While he was primarily known for his Night of the Living Dead franchise, he also made well-known films such as The Crazies and Creepshow.

It would have been really interesting to see this perspective of the original Goosebumps book on the silver screen. While it maintains the basic plot of the original story, it adds a fascinating twist incorporating a message on the horrors of capitalism gone wrong. It completely fits within Romero's zombie horror wheelhouse. However, if this script was commissioned by the studio, it's not too surprising that it would have been turned down at the time. It would have been fascinating to see his take on the story with full creative control.

Next: Dawn of the Dead: What George Romero Thought of Zack Snyder's Remake

Source: University of Pittsburgh Library System's Horror Studies