Writer R.L. Stine confirms that the upcoming Goosebumps TV show has found its director. After the success of his Fear Street books, Stine set out to make a series of spooky novels for younger readers. The original Goosebumps book series ran from 1992-1997, spanning a total of 62 books. Stine is still continuing the book series to this day, but the franchise has branched out to other media over the years, including video games, comic books, movies, and TV shows.
The most popular and successful adaptation of Goosebumps was the kid-friendly TV series that was on the air from 1995 to 1998. The show was well-received and effectively brought Stine's bone-chilling characters to life. It's been over 20 years since Goosebumps went off the air, but the franchise has continued to remain relevant in pop culture. Goosebumps was brought to the big screen for the first time in 2015 with Rob Letterman's movie starring Jack Black as R.L. Stine. Sony attempted a sequel in 2018 with a new cast and director, but it didn't do as well as the first financially or critically. The franchise was silent for a few years until a new Goosebumps TV show was announced last April.
There haven't been any updates on the new live-action series since it was announced, but Sony Pictures Television has found a producer and director for Goosebumps according to Stine. When responding to a fan question on Twitter, the Goosebumps author confirmed the show's progress while teasing a future update.
At this point, there is very little known about the new Goosebumps TV show except that it will be live-action. It was previously announced that Neal H. Moritz, who produced Sony's Goosebumps and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, would also produce the new series, but it's unknown whether this is the producer Stine is referring to. It's anybody's guess who could direct the series, but given the critical response of the sequel, Ari Sandel is unlikely to return. There is also a good chance Sony's TV show won't connect to the previous movies, especially since the two films were only loosely connected.
Even though the next Goosebumps installment is shrouded in mystery, having a director attached is a good step forward. Sony hasn't made this announcement official, but Stine's comment carries some weight since he seems to be involved with the show's development. Almost a year has passed since the Goosebumps show was announced. It's unknown if COVID-19 affected the progress of the show, but by the sound of Stine's comment, Sony could have an official update here soon.
Source: R.L. Stine