‘Hellboy’ and ‘Crimson Peak’ helmer Guillermo del Toro has revealed, via Twitter, that he is looking to develop a feature adaptation of ‘Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark,’ based on the wildly successful trilogy of books by Alvin Schwartz.
I start development on a film based on a favorite book of youth: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark! pic.twitter.com/yu31FkCz4K
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) January 14, 2016
Written by Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell, ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ is a horror anthology that draws heavily from folklore and urban legends. Schwartz’s trilogy of short story collections have sold more than seven million copies worldwide, resulting in at least as many nightmares.
From the moment the first book was published in 1984, the ‘Scary Stories’ series was one of the most banned from placement by the American Library Association, as the collections were considered to be too scary for children. The ensuing controversy only helped to fuel sales, and the trilogy has remained a cultural phenomenon ever since.
John August (‘Dark Shadows,’ ‘Big Fish,’ ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ ‘Corpse Bride’) is on board to provide the script. Del Toro will produce the film alongside Sean Daniel, Jason Brown and Elizabeth Grave, with an eye toward directing.