Famed Goosebumps author R.L. Stine's The Babysitter series is being adapted for TV by Lookout Entertainment in collaboration with Chernin Entertainment. Originally published in 1989, The Babysitter was R.L. Stine's first horror YA novel and was followed by 4 sequels. The last of which, The Babysitter IV, was published in 1995.
Lookout Entertainment tweeted the news last week but so far have yet to announce any cast or crew. The Babysitter adaptation comes alongside a resurgence of interest in R.L. Stine's work with a new Goosebumps game, TV series Just Beyond in development for Disney+, and a trilogy of films based on Fear Street currently in production.
Goosebumps was a hugely popular YA horror franchise with the first book, Welcome to Dead House, published in 1992. The books, which have sold in excess of 400 million copies worldwide, would go on to be adapted for a TV series that lasted from 1995 to 1998, as well as a series of video game and two spin off films. While Goosebumps was full of fun, spooky thrills, The Babysitter is a full-on psychological thriller that followed protagonist Jenny Jeffers, a 16 year old girl who receives a series of menacing phone calls while on her babysitting job.
Production company Chernin Entertainment has produced a wide range of TV shows and films across many genres including New Girl, the recent Rise of the Planet of the Apes trilogy, and Ford V Ferrari.
Again, no details on potential stars or distribution network involved but this sounds very promising. A young adult orientated psychological thriller is certainly a more relatable, and creepier, prospect than R.L Stine's better-known Goosebumps series. A modern day adaptation could tackle social media and how it can be used by stalkers to follow their victims every move. Hopefully more details will be forthcoming soon.
Source: Geektyrant