Exclusive Inside Scoop: Director Breaks 3-Year Silence with Thrilling Update on Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2

Summary

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2 is "alive" with a story and script in development, despite delays caused by the writer's strike and COVID-19.

Director André Øvredal's dedication to his new project, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, had a significant influence on the advancement of the horror sequel.

The fact that Paramount, renowned for their successful blockbuster franchises, provided funding for the sequel demonstrates their expanding fascination with the horror genre and their confidence in Øvredal and his talented team.

With his new Dracula movie now complete, director André Øvredal has an exciting update on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2. The 2019 horror film, based on Alvin Schwartz's novels, focused on a group of teenage misfits as they unraveled the mystery of a local woman with a dark past and a love for horror tales that come to life. Produced by Guillermo del Toro, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark received mostly positive reviews and earned over $104 million at the box office, surpassing its $28 million budget.

During an interview with IGN about The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Øvredal was asked about the progress of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2. He assured that the horror sequel is still in development and explained the three-year gap in updates. Read Øvredal's comments below:

Will Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2's Wait Pay Off?

Our story and script have been in development since late last year, and we have continued working on it until recently. Unfortunately, the strike interrupted the process, but rest assured, it is still very much alive. The past two years have been challenging due to the impact of COVID and the extensive work required for [The Last Voyage of the Demeter], which has significantly slowed down our progress.

Announced in April 2020, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2 came almost a year after its predecessor debuted in theaters, leaving audiences hanging on Zoe Colletti's Stella's quest to reunite with her brother Chuck and friend Auggie. Teaming up with her dad Roy (played by Dean Norris) and her friend's sister Ruth (played by Natalie Ganzhorn), they embarked on a search for a solution. With Paramount Pictures now on board and the original cast, director André Øvredal, and writers Dan and Kevin Hageman returning, fans hoped for a quick release before the pandemic halted Hollywood.

As Øvredal mentions, his attention shifted from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark to The Last Voyage of the Demeter, a movie that had been stuck in development limbo for years before he came on board and successfully brought the Alien-inspired Dracula adaptation to life. If the Demeter proves itself in a box office currently dominated by the Barbenheimer craze, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, and the newly released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, it would be a promising indication of Øvredal's expertise in projects with lengthy development periods.

Another promising aspect is that the same creative team behind Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2 will be leading the sequel, which will now be funded by Paramount. While Paramount is better known for producing blockbuster franchises like Transformers and Mission: Impossible, they have recently made their mark in the increasingly popular horror genre with the revived Scream franchise and the upcoming Smile sequel. Given the consistent success of horror films at the box office, we can hope that Paramount fully trusts Øvredal and his team.

Source: IGN