Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a horror anthology book series for children that’s gained a fervent fan base thanks to the series’ dark subject matter and equally nightmarish and now-iconic illustrations by Stephen Gammell. It’s also a book series that’s getting a big-screen adaption with director André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Trollhunter) behind the camera and Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, The Shape of Water) producing. That combination alone should excite fans of the book. Del Toro is also credited with writing the screen story while Dan and Kevin Hageman (The Lego Movie, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia) get credit for the screenplay. 

During Super Bowl LIII last night, four teasers for the upcoming film dropped, showcasing some of the book series’ frightening creatures brought to real life—and damn do they look creepy. With del Toro involved, it’s a safe bet that the creatures will be downright haunting in their designs as the famed director relies heavily upon practical effects. 

The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark movie follows a group of teens who discover a book series of scary stories that start becoming all too real. The four teasers don’t reveal much other than some of the creatures the group of teenagers will likely face. While the movie adaptation of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will take some liberties with the story—as books often do—it appears del Toro and team have nailed the creature designs, which should please fans of the book. 

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark stars Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, Austin Zajur, and Natalie Ganzhorn. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark hits theaters August 9, 2019. 

Plot Synopsis

It’s l968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time—stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying tome.