Fear Street (film series)

Last updated
Fear Street
Fear Street film series logo.jpeg
Official film series logo
Based on Fear Street
by R. L. Stine
Production
companies
Distributed by Netflix
Release date
2021–present
Running time
330 minutes (Total of 3 films)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Fear Street is a series of American horror films based on R. L. Stine's book series of the same name. Involving slasher and supernatural elements, the films' overall story revolves around teenagers who work to break the curse that has been over their town for hundreds of years. The first three installments were directed by Leigh Janiak from scripts and stories she co-wrote with other contributors, while the upcoming fourth film will be directed by Matt Palmer from a script he co-wrote with Donald McLeary. Produced and developed by 20th Century Studios and Chernin Entertainment, the film's distribution rights were eventually acquired by Netflix following The Walt Disney Company's purchase of 21st Century Fox. [1]

Contents

The first three films were shot back-to-back, and were released on a weekly basis as Netflix Original Films in July 2021 to positive reviews. The series will continue with an upcoming fourth film in development.

Development

In October 1997, Hollywood Pictures struck a deal to acquire the Fear Street series of books, which were set to be developed with Parachute Entertainment as a Scream-like feature franchise. Developments never materialized. [2]

In October 2015, a film based on Stine's Fear Street series was being developed by 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment. [3] On February 13, 2017, The Tracking Board reported that Kyle Killen would write the script for the film. [4] [5] In July, the adaptation was announced as a trilogy, with Leigh Janiak directing, and rewriting the script with her partner Phil Graziadei. Zak Olkewicz was also drafting a script. [6] [7] The films were to be shot back to back, with the intention of releasing them to theaters one month apart. [6] Janiak describes the format as a "hybrid of traditional television content and movies," with each installment intended to both have a satisfying ending and connecting to the larger story. [8]

The series was reported to be centered around a young lesbian couple, navigating their rocky relationship when they are targeted by horrors in their small town. [9] In March 2019, filming began in Atlanta and East Point, Georgia, [10] [11] with some parts filmed at Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge in August 2019. [12] The shoot lasted for 106 days, wrapping in September 2019. [13]

In April 2020, Chernin Entertainment ended their distribution deal with 20th Century Studios and made a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix, resulting in the latter distributing the trilogy. [14]

Films

FilmU.S. release dateDirectorScreenwritersStory byProducers
Fear Street Part One: 1994 July 2, 2021 Leigh Janiak Leigh Janiak & Phil GraziadeiLeigh Janiak, Phil Graziadei & Kyle Killen Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and David Ready
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 July 9, 2021Leigh Janiak & Zak OlkewiczLeigh Janiak, Phil Graziadei & Zak Olkewicz
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 July 16, 2021Leigh Janiak, Phil Graziadei & Kate Trefry
Fear Street: Prom Queen 2025Matt PalmerMatt Palmer & Donald McLeary Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kori Adelson

Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021)

After a series of brutal slayings, a group of teenagers take on an evil force that has plagued their notorious town for centuries. [15]

The film was released on July 2, 2021. [16] Janiak describes it as influenced by 1990s slasher films, especially Scream . [8]

Fear Street Part Two: 1978 (2021)

In the cursed town of Shadyside, a killer's murder spree terrorizes Camp Nightwing and turns a summer of fun into a gruesome fight for survival. [15]

The film was released on July 9, 2021. [16] Janiak states that she was influenced by Friday the 13th . [8]

Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021)

Thrust back to 1666, Deena learns the truth about Sarah Fier. Back in 1994, the friends fight for their lives — and Shadyside’s future.

The film was released on July 16, 2021. [16] Janiak compares it to The New World . [8]

Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)

In July 2021, director Leigh Janiak expressed interest in expanding the film series beyond the trilogy of movies. She had stated to be interested in adapting a slasher film that takes place during the 1950s and centers on Harry Rooker / The Milkman. Cast members similarly expressed interest in returning. [17]

In July 2022, Stine stated that there are discussions ongoing for additional films being developed in the series. [18] Later that month, Bloody Disgusting confirmed this statement with Netflix, stating that official plans would be announced in the future. [19] By December, it was announced that Chloe Okuno will serve as director on the next Fear Street installment, and that Chernin Entertainment would return as one of the production studios. [20] By October 2023, Stine stated that the film series will continue with additional Fear Street installments in development. [21] In November of the same year, Scott Stuber, Head of Film at Netflix, confirmed a fourth Fear Street film that will continue from the initial trilogy was being written. [22] In January 2024, Stine announced that the next movie would be an adaptation of his novel The Prom Queen from the original Fear Street book series. [23] In March 2024, the project was officially announced with the title of Fear Street: Prom Queen. Matt Palmer will direct the film, from a script he co-wrote with Donald McLeary. The plot will take place during 1988; during prom season the girls of Shadyside High compete for dance royalty, though everything changes when an outsider joins the competition one by one people begin disappearing. [24] The cast was announced to star India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Chris Klein, Lili Taylor and Katherine Waterston. [24]

Recurring cast and characters

List indicators

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

CharacterFilms
The Fear Street Trilogy
Fear Street Part One: 1994 Fear Street Part Two: 1978 Fear Street Part Three: 1666
Deena Johnson Kiana Madeira
Sam Fraser Olivia Scott Welch
Josh Johnson Benjamin Flores Jr.
Nick Goode Ashley Zukerman Ted Sutherland Y
Ashley Zukerman O C 		Ashley Zukerman O
Ted Sutherland Y A
C. Berman
Christine "Ziggy" Berman		 Gillian Jacobs O C Sadie Sink Y
Gillian Jacobs O 		Gillian Jacobs O
Sadie Sink Y A
Sarah FierElizabeth Scopel C Elizabeth Scopel
Kiana Madeira
Mary Lane Jordana Spiro
Ruby LaneJordyn DiNatale
Kate SchmidtJulia RehwaldJulia Rehwald A
Simon Kalivoda Fred Hechinger Fred Hechinger A
Martin P. Franklin Darrell Britt-Gibson Darrell Britt-Gibson
Heather Watkins Maya Hawke Maya Hawke A
Ryan Torres
Skull Mask		 David W. Thompson David W. Thompson A
Mrs. FraserLacey CampLacey Camp
Cindy Berman Emily Rudd Emily Rudd A
Alice Hart Ryan Simpkins Ryan Simpkins A
Tommy Slater
The Nightwing Killer		McCabe Slye A McCabe SlyeMcCabe Slye A
Sheila Watson Chiara Aurelia Chiara Aurelia A
ArnieSam BrooksSam Brooks A
JoanJacqi VenéJacqi Vené A
Will GoodeMatthew ZukBrandon Spink Y
Matthew Zuk O C 		Matthew Zuk
Cyrus Miller
The Pastor		Michael Chandler A Michael Chandler

Release

The first film was scheduled to be released theatrically in June 2020, [25] but was pulled from the schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [26] In April 2020, Chernin Entertainment ended their distribution deal with 20th Century Studios and made a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix. [27] By August 2020, Netflix had acquired the distribution rights to the Fear Street trilogy. The films were released exclusively as Netflix Original Films. [28]

In May 2021, the official trailer released by Netflix announced the respective films' credits, release dates, and official titles, as: Fear Street: Part One – 1994, Fear Street: Part Two – 1978, and Fear Street: Part Three – 1666. The trilogy of films is R-rated, with original novel series writer R.L. Stine praising the direction and adaptations of his books. [16]

The films were released over a three-week span: July 2, July 9, and July 16. [16] [29]

Additional crew and production details

FilmComposersCinematographerEditorProduction companiesDistributing companyRunning time
Fear Street Part One: 1994 Marco Beltrami & Marcus TrumppCaleb HeymannRachel Goodlett Katz 20th Century Studios
Chernin Entertainment
Netflix Original Films 		Netflix 1 hr 47 mins
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 Marco Beltrami & Brandon Roberts1 hr 50 mins
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 Marco Beltrami, Marcus Trumpp & Anna Drubich1 hr 53 mins
Fear Street: Prom Queen TBATBATBAChernin Entertainment,
Netflix Original Films		TBA

Reception

Critical and public response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Fear Street Part One: 1994 84% (118 reviews) [30] 67 (20 reviews) [31]
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 88% (108 reviews) [32] 61 (16 reviews) [33]
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 89% (99 reviews) [34] 68 (15 reviews) [35]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
2022 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding TV Movie The Fear Street TrilogyNominated [36]
MTV Movie & TV Awards Most Frightened Performance Sadie Sink Nominated[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. L. Stine</span> American writer and producer (born 1943)

Robert Lawrence Stine, known by his pen name R.L. Stine, is an American novelist. He is the writer of Goosebumps, a horror fiction novel series which has sold over 400 million copies globally in 35 languages, becoming the second-best-selling book series in history. The series spawned a media franchise including two television series, a video game series, a comic series, and two feature films. Stine has been referred to as the "Stephen King of children's literature".

<i>Goosebumps</i> Series of childrens horror novels by R. L. Stine

Goosebumps is a series of children's horror novels written by American author R. L. Stine. The protagonists in these stories are teens or pre-teens who find themselves in frightening circumstances, often involving the supernatural, the paranormal or the occult. Between 1992 and 1997, sixty-two books were published under the Goosebumps umbrella title. R. L. Stine also wrote various spin-off series, including, Goosebumps Series 2000, Give Yourself Goosebumps, Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Goosebumps Triple Header, Goosebumps HorrorLand, Goosebumps Most Wanted and Goosebumps SlappyWorld. Additionally, there was a series called Goosebumps Gold that was never released.

Fear Street is a teenage horror fiction series written by American author R. L. Stine, starting in 1989. In 1995, a series of books inspired by the Fear Street series, called Ghosts of Fear Street, was created for younger readers, and were more like the Goosebumps books in that they featured paranormal adversaries and sometimes had twist endings.

<i>Goosebumps</i> (film) 2015 American film by Rob Letterman

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Hechinger</span> American actor

Fred Hechinger is an American actor. He began his career with supporting roles in such films as the coming-of-age film Eighth Grade (2018), the period drama News of the World (2020), and the psychological thriller The Woman in the Window (2021). Also in 2021, he starred in the Netflix horror The Fear Street Trilogy (2021) and the first season of the HBO anthology series The White Lotus (2021). He has since portrayed Seth Warshavsky in the miniseries Pam & Tommy (2022) and starred in the comedy film Thelma (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Simpkins</span> American non-binary actor (born 1998)

Ryan Simpkins is an American actor, known for her performances in Pride and Glory, A Single Man, Revolutionary Road, and the Fear Street trilogy of films.

Benjamin Christopher Flores Jr., also known as BNJII, is an American rapper & actor. In music, he is known for his song "You Might Be the One" as of 2024, his song “Luv Meh”. In acting, Flores starred as Louie Preston on the Nickelodeon television series The Haunted Hathaways (2013–2015), and as Triple G on the Nickelodeon series Game Shakers (2015–2019).

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<i>Fear Street Part One: 1994</i> 2021 film by Leigh Janiak

Fear Street Part One: 1994 is a 2021 American supernatural slasher film directed by Leigh Janiak. The first installment in the Fear Street trilogy, the film was written by Phil Graziadei and Janiak from a story by Kyle Killen, Graziadei, and Janiak, based on the book series of the same name by R. L. Stine. The film follows a teen and her friends after a series of brutal slayings, as they take on an evil force that has plagued their notorious town for centuries. It stars Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Ashley Zukerman, Darrell Britt-Gibson, and Maya Hawke.

<i>Fear Street Part Two: 1978</i> 2021 film by Leigh Janiak

Fear Street Part Two: 1978 is a 2021 American supernatural slasher film directed by Leigh Janiak. It is the second installment in the Fear Street trilogy, with a script co-written by Janiak and Zak Olkewicz from a story by Janiak, Olkewicz and Phil Graziadei, based on R. L. Stine's book series of the same name. The film centers on the cursed town of Shadyside, a killer's murder spree terrorizes Camp Nightwing and turns a summer of fun into a gruesome fight for survival. It stars Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Ryan Simpkins, McCabe Slye, Ted Sutherland, Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., and Olivia Scott Welch.

<i>Fear Street Part Three: 1666</i> 2021 film by Leigh Janiak

Fear Street Part Three: 1666 is a 2021 American supernatural period horror film directed by Leigh Janiak, who co-wrote the screenplay with Phil Graziadei and Kate Trefry. Based on the book series of the same name by R. L. Stine, it is the third and final installment of the Fear Street trilogy after Part One: 1994 and Part Two: 1978, and stars Kiana Madeira, Ashley Zukerman, Gillian Jacobs, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., and Darrell Britt-Gibson. The film follows the origins of Shadyside's curse in the mid-17th century and the survivors in 1994 who try to put an end to it.

Leigh Anne Janiak is an American film director and screenwriter. She is best known for directing the horror films Honeymoon (2014) and the Fear Street trilogy (2021).

Kiana Madeira is a Canadian actress. She starred as Moe in the Netflix television series Trinkets. Madeira played Deena in the 2021 Netflix horror film trilogy Fear Street.

Olivia Scott Welch, also known as Olivia Welch, is an American actress. She portrayed Samantha "Sam" Fraser in the Netflix horror film trilogy Fear Street and Heather Nill in the Prime Video series Panic.

<i>Fear Street: Prom Queen</i> Upcoming film by Matt Palmer

Fear Street: Prom Queen is an upcoming American horror film directed by Matt Palmer from a screenplay he co-wrote with Donald McLeary, based on the novel The Prom Queen from the Fear Street book series. It is the fourth installment in the Fear Street film series. The film is produced by Chernin Entertainment to be released on Netflix.

<i>Fear Street Part One: 1994</i> (soundtrack) 2021 film score by Marco Beltrami and Marcus Trumpp

Fear Street Part One: 1994 is the film score soundtrack to the 2021 film Fear Street Part One: 1994, the first instalment in the Fear Street trilogy. Composed by Marco Beltrami and Marcus Trumpp, their score consisted of 19 tracks that are released by Maisie Music Publishing and Milan Records on July 2, 2021, with an expanded score being released with its sequels by Intrada Records in August 2024. The score is influenced by horror films from the 1990s, most notably the score for Scream (1996) which was composed by Beltrami himself.

<i>Fear Street Part Two: 1978</i> (soundtrack) 2021 film score by Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts

Fear Street Part Two: 1978 is the film score soundtrack to the 2021 film Fear Street Part Two: 1978, the second instalment in the Fear Street trilogy and a continuation to Fear Street Part One: 1994. The musical score is composed by Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts who produced an orchestral score that resembled of the 1970s horror films. The album was released by Maisie Music Publishing and Milan Records on July 9, 2021.

References

  1. ↑ McNarry, Dave (August 11, 2020). "Netflix Buys R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Trilogy From Disney". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Stine's 'Fear Street' haunts H'wood Pics". Variety. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  3. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (October 9, 2015). "'Goosebumps' Author R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Books Headed to Big Screen (Exclusive)". TheWrap . Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  4. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 11, 2020). "Will 2021 Be The Summer Of Fear? Netflix Eyes That Slot After Landing R.L. Stine 'Fear Street' Movie Trilogy From Disney & Chernin; Leigh Janiak Directed The Trio". Deadline. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (February 13, 2017). "Kyle Killen to Write R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Movie for Fox, Chernin (Exclusive)". The Tracking Board. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Kit, Borys (July 13, 2017). "Fox Developing R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' as Theatrical Movie Series Released Months Apart". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  7. ↑ McNary, Dave (July 13, 2017). "R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' in Development for Three Fox Movies". Variety . Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Wong, Stevie (July 6, 2021). "Leigh Janiak Redefines 'Netflix And Chill' With Horror Trilogy 'Fear Street': It's "A Hybrid Of Traditional Television Content And Movies"". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  9. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (February 27, 2019). "Exclusive: R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Trilogy to Star Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch". Collider. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  10. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (March 12, 2019). "'Fear Street': Benjamin Flores, Jr. Joins Fox and Chernin Entertainment's R.L. Stine Adaptation". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  11. ↑ Williams, Dorjan (March 13, 2019). "East Point has nothing to fear but 'Fear' itself". WXIA-TV . Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  12. ↑ Walljasper, Matt (August 29, 2019). "What's filming in Atlanta now? Coming 2 America, After We Collided, The Underground Railroad, and more". Atlanta . Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Ho, Rodney (October 10, 2019). "Active Georgia TV/film productions drop to 35 vs. 42 in October 2018". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Chernin Entertainment, Netflix Sign First-Look Deal for Film". The Wrap. April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  15. 1 2 Squires, John (February 27, 2019). "Kiana Madeira and Olivia Welch Set to Star in Upcoming 'Fear Street' Movie Trilogy". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Santer, Kristen (May 19, 2021). "First 'Fear Street' Trailer Reveals Netflix's Ambitious Horror Trilogy, Which Will Be Released This Summer". Collider. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  17. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (July 2, 2021). "Fear Street Director and Cast on the Spinoffs They Want to See". Comicbook.com. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  18. ↑ Yahoo! Entertainment Staff (July 15, 2022). "'Goosebumps' at 30: R.L. Stine on the blockbuster book franchise and why he's 'Stephen King for kids'". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  19. ↑ Miska, Brad (July 17, 2022). "'Fear Street' – Netflix Welcomes Fans Back to Shadyside; More Films in Development!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  20. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (December 15, 2022). "Exclusive: Watcher Helmer Chloe Okuno to Direct New Fear Street Movie for Netflix". Above the Line. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  21. ↑ Yandoli, Krystie Lee (October 14, 2023). "'Goosebumps' Author R.L. Stine: 'The World Has Gotten Scarier'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  22. ↑ Devore, Britta (November 9, 2023). "New Standalone 'Fear Street' Movie in the Works at Netflix [Exclusive]". Collider. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  23. ↑ Wu, Valerie (January 13, 2024). "New 'Fear Street' Movie in the Works at Netflix, Author R.L. Stine Says". Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  24. 1 2 Squires, John (March 26, 2024). "'Fear Street: Prom Queen' – Meet the Ensemble Cast of Netflix's Next R.L. Stine Horror Movie (Exclusive)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  25. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (January 25, 2019). "'Fear Street' Movie Based on R.L. Stine Book Snags Director". ComicBook.com . Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  26. ↑ McNary, Dave (August 11, 2020). "Netflix Buys R.L. Stine's 'Fear Street' Trilogy From Disney". Variety . Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  27. ↑ Verhoeven, Beatrice (8 April 2020). "Chernin Entertainment, Netflix Sign First-Look Deal for Film". TheWrap . Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  28. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 11, 2020). "Will 2021 Be The Summer Of Fear? Netflix Eyes That Slot After Landing R.L. Stine 'Fear Street' Movie Trilogy From Disney & Chernin; Leigh Janiak Directed The Trio". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  29. ↑ Kroll, Justin (April 27, 2021). "Netflix Unveils Summer Movie Slate That Includes New 'Bob Ross' Documentary And Footage From Upcoming Films Like 'He's All That' And Kevin Hart's 'Fatherhoood'". Deadline. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Fear Street Part One: 1994". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 29, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  31. ↑ "Fear Street Part One: 1994". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Fear Street Part Two: 1978". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 29, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  33. ↑ "Fear Street Part Two: 1978". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Fear Street Part Three: 1666". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved November 29, 2022. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  35. ↑ "Fear Street Part Three: 1666". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  36. ↑ "The Nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
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