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Lookout Entertainment has announced that it is developing a TV series based on R.L. Stine’s ‘The Babysitter’ series of teen horror novels. Stine’s bestselling books include the popular ‘Goosebumps’ series which were adapted into a TV series and two recent movies starring Jack Black. His ‘Fear Street’ brand is being turned into a trilogy of theatrical films which will be released in a unique monthly schedule… at some point, when the world gets back to normal. (If that happens.)
Lookout Entertainment made the announcement via Twitter:
Lookout Entertainment is working with Chernin Entertainment on a new series based on R.L. Stine’s “The Babysitter” book series. Check it out! https://t.co/C7Nk6rrxCH
— LookoutEntertainment (@LookoutEnt) July 23, 2020
There are four ‘The Babysitter’ books, which were originally published from 1989 to 1995. The main character in all four books is sixteen-year-old Jenny Jeffers. In the first book, she receives menacing phone calls after putting her charge, a boy named Donny Hagen, to bed. After the events of the first book, Jenny begins seeing a psychiatrist, but goes back to babysitting. Her newest kid is a brat with a genius IQ, who she suspects of playing hurtful pranks on her. The third book introduces Jenny’s cousin, Debra who is also a babysitter, and begins receiving menacing phone calls of her own, while Jenny is visiting her. In the final book, Jenny tries to put her dark past behind her, but reluctantly begins babysitting again, and, predictably, it doesn’t go well.
The scared babysitter is a popular trope in horror, with ‘Halloween’ being the biggest example. And the concept of getting scary phone calls is not only a popular campfire ghost story, but was brilliantly brought to life in the movies ‘Black Christmas’ and ‘Scream’.
No network or streaming service was mentioned, nor were any specific writers, directors, or producers, so we’ll have to wait and see how this develops. This project appears to be in the very earliest stages of development, so it may be years before this comes to fruition.
Are you a fan of the ‘Babysitter’ novel series? What do you think about a TV series based on it?