‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Sequel Faces Significant Delay Due to Rights Issues
André Øvredal, the director of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, has provided an update on the much-anticipated sequel, and unfortunately, it’s not what fans were hoping for. He revealed that the project remains stalled due to complex rights issues involving multiple studios.
In an interview with /Film, Øvredal described the sequel’s situation as a legal deadlock. He stated, “What I can say is that it’s been stuck in a bit of a copyright ownership hell with two studios that don’t exist anymore, that produced a movie together, CBS Films and EOne, and they don’t really exist anymore. […] The rights spread out to two other companies, and then they have to agree to figure it out between them, and that has taken some time, but there is movement. We do have conversations about it once every couple of months, and there is currently some movement, I’m gathering. But it becomes about legal departments and not about creatives, because we have a story that I love that is just ready to go whenever somebody decides, ‘I own the movie, let’s go make it.’”
The first Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark film debuted in 2019, produced by Guillermo del Toro, who also received a “story by” credit. The film drew inspiration from the classic children’s horror books by Alvin Schwartz, known for their unsettling tales and Stephen Gammell’s iconic illustrations. While some critics felt the movie lacked sufficient scares, it resonated with audiences due to its nostalgic charm and visual appeal.
A sequel was officially announced in 2020, igniting hope among fans for the franchise’s continuation. By 2023, Øvredal confirmed that a script was in the works and undergoing revisions. However, updates have since slowed considerably.
Currently, the main hurdle is not creative development but ownership. The original production companies, CBS Films and eOne, are no longer operational in their original forms. Their rights have been transferred to other entities, which must come to an agreement on how to proceed. Øvredal emphasized that this has turned the project into a legal battle rather than a creative endeavor.
Despite this setback, Øvredal made it clear that the sequel’s story is ready to go as soon as the rights situation is resolved. For now, the future of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2 remains uncertain, hindered not by creativity, but by legal complexities and studio negotiations.
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