Unmasking the Spine-Chilling Secrets: Goosebumps Books that Inspired Disney's TV Show

Summary

The 2023 Goosebumps reboot blends self-aware comedy and anthology-style storytelling, following a group of teens targeted by cursed items at a Halloween party.

The show takes inspiration from R.L. Stine's timeless Goosebumps novels, including notable adaptations like "Say Cheese and Die" and "The Haunted Mask." With a fresh reboot, the series puts a unique spin on these beloved tales, delving deeper into their eerie narratives and examining the challenging situations that the characters encounter. Prepare to witness a time loop and unexpected superpowers obtained from devouring worms.

The 2023 Goosebumps reboot on Hulu features a fresh new storyline but still draws inspiration from the classic novels by R.L. Stine. Originally starting as a series of children's horror books in the 1990s, Stine's Goosebumps novels have stood the test of time and gained immense popularity. This led to a 1990s TV show, two live-action movies in the 2010s, and numerous spinoff book series that continue today. Now, Hulu has brought back the franchise with a reboot in 2023.

The 2023 Goosebumps TV show on Hulu introduces a new twist to the franchise. While the 2010s movies were comedic and self-aware, and the '90s TV show followed an anthology format similar to "Tales from the Crypt" with a more family-friendly approach, the 2023 reboot combines these elements. The show follows the story of a group of teenagers - Isaiah, Margot, Isabella, James, and Lucas - who encounter cursed items at a Halloween party held at an apparently abandoned house. As the season progresses, their connection to the mysterious stranger unfolds, while each episode is based on one of Stine's novels.

5 Say Cheese and Die

Say Cheese and Die is a notable book in the Goosebumps series for several reasons. Firstly, it was one of the early installments in the original series, being the fourth novel. Additionally, the book's cover art, featuring animated skeletons at a barbecue, has become an iconic symbol of the series. Furthermore, the Goosebumps TV adaptation of Say Cheese and Die featured a young Ryan Gosling before he gained fame. Therefore, it's no surprise that the first episode of Goosebumps' 2023 season, titled "Say Cheese and Die," used this captivating story as the basis of its eerie plot.

In the original novel, the protagonist Greg discovers a camera that seemingly has the ability to predict forthcoming disasters. However, Greg soon realizes that anyone he photographs with the camera ends up experiencing the grim fate depicted in their picture. Determined to free his friends from the camera's malevolent influence, Greg embarks on a mission to destroy it. The 2023 episode "Say Cheese and Die" tells a similar tale, but delves even deeper into the concept.

This time, the camera is stumbled upon by Isaiah, a talented quarterback, during a party at the seemingly deserted Biddle house. Isaiah is horrified when the camera predicts the near-death experiences of his friend Margot. Later on, Isaiah's own picture is taken by his friend James, resulting in him breaking his arm during a football game.

4 The Haunted Mask

Isaiah suffers a broken arm early on in the 2023 reboot of Goosebumps. He can attribute this to his curious nature, as he takes the cursed camera from the Biddle basement. However, in the next episode, the protagonist Isabella is not as fortunate. Isabella is a quiet and shy girl who leads a secret life as an online troll, targeting popular kids who ignore her. In episode 2, titled "The Haunted Mask," Isabella decides to turn the tables on her tormentors by borrowing the haunted mask from the Biddle basement during a Halloween party.

Initially, the mask boosts Isabella's confidence, allowing her to enjoy herself at the party. However, when her classmate Lucas breaks her expensive drone, the mask persuades her to attack and harm him. The mask begins to take control of Isabella, causing havoc in her house and attempting to harm her brother. Despite this, Isabella manages to overpower its influence. This storyline closely mirrors the original plot of R.L. Stine's eleventh book in the Goosebumps series, "The Haunted Mask." While many Goosebumps novels drew inspiration from classic horror films, this particular story, depicting a girl struggling to remove a transformative mask, was influenced by Stine's personal experience of his son getting stuck in a Frankenstein mask during childhood.

3 The Cuckoo Clock of Doom

In Stine's twenty-eighth Goosebumps novel, The Cuckoo Clock of Doom, a twelve-year-old boy faces torment from his younger sister. However, his life takes a surreal turn when he becomes trapped in a time loop caused by the mysterious clock. Despite growing younger with each loop, he discovers that his sister remains a nightmarish presence, posing a bigger problem than the time loop itself. Eventually, the protagonist successfully breaks the cuckoo clock and achieves a dark ending by erasing his sister from existence. The 2023 Goosebumps reboot only adopts the title of this book.

In episode 3 of Goosebumps 2023, titled "The Cuckoo Clock of Doom," James experiences a Groundhog Day-style loop after accidentally falling into the cuckoo clock at a Halloween party. James seizes the opportunity to win the affection of his crush, but the revelation that each loop spawns an evil duplicate of himself horrifies him. These clones subsequently trap James in an abandoned mine and take delight in ruining his life. However, their scheme unravels when one of James's friends accidentally discovers that the clones disintegrate into goo upon impact.

2 Go Eat Worms

Zack Morris, Ana Yi Puig, Miles McKenna, Will Price, and Isa Briones in Goosebumps

1 Night of the Living Dummy

Go Eat Worms served as the twenty-first installment in the renowned Goosebumps series authored by Stine. The narrative revolves around a young protagonist whose fascination with worms unexpectedly transforms into a confrontation when he becomes targeted by the very creatures he once tormented. While the original storyline arguably presented a justifiable consequence for the mistreatment of animals, the reboot takes a peculiar turn. In episode 4 of Goosebumps titled "Go Eat Worms," we encounter Lucas, an audacious thrill-seeker, who undergoes an unusual transformation after devouring a worm in an attempt to impress his crush, Margot. Indeed, the worm in question was discovered during a lively gathering at the Biddle house, and its consumption grants Lucas temporary superhuman abilities.

Just like Isabella's mask and James's time travel, Lucas's magic has its consequences. He becomes aware of this when the worms unite against him, paving the way for the events of Goosebumps episode 5, "Reader Beware." This particular adventure unveils the truth that the enigmatic object Mr. Bratt has been searching for in the previous episodes is none other than the possessed doll, Slappy. Known as one of the most unforgettable villains in the Goosebumps novels, Slappy made his debut in the seventh book of the series, Night of the Living Dummy.