Three Films, Three Time Periods: R.L. Stine’s “Fear Street” Brings Halloween Early For Netflix

This is a nightmare 300 years in the making. Coming from the brilliant mind of R.L. Stine, you’d think Fear Street would be more for kids like the Goosebumps series. You’re sorely mistaken there. The logline for the entire trilogy goes like this:

In 1994, a group of teenagers discover the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected — and they may be the next targets. Based on R.L. Stine’s best-selling horror series, FEAR STREET follows Shadyside’s sinister history through a nightmare 300 years in the making.

All three parts to the trilogy: Fear Street 1994, 1978, and 1666 are directed by Leigh Janiak. Here’s what she had to say about the trilogy.

As a filmmaker making Fear Street, but also just as a movie lover, I was so excited to pay homage to some of the great eras of horror movies. For 1994, Scream stood above all rest — it’s peak ’90s horror and, I think, one of the most brilliant movies ever made, period. Then for 1978, I got to look at the heyday of slasher films — Friday the 13th, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street. For 1666…I found the best inspiration for me lay in the beautiful world made rotten of Terence Malick’s The New World.

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 Details

The first part, set in 1994, starts off our story. Here’s the logline:

A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300 years. Welcome to Shadyside.

Phil Graziadei & Leigh Janiak wrote the screenplay for this first part. It stars:

• KIANA MADEIRA
• OLIVIA SCOTT WELCH
• BENJAMIN FLORES JR.
• JULIA REHWALD
• FRED HECHINGER
• ASHLEY ZUKERMAN
• MAYA HAWKE
• DARRELL BRITT-GIBSON
• JORDANA SPIRO
• JORDYN DiNATALE
• JEREMY FORD

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 releases on Netflix, July 2nd.

Fear Street Part 2: 1978 Details

The second part’s logline goes like this:

Shadyside, 1978. School’s out for summer and the activities at Camp Nightwing are about to begin. But when another Shadysider is possessed with the urge to kill, the fun in the sun becomes a gruesome fight for survival.

Zak Olkewicz and Leigh Janiak handled the screenplay for this section of the story. It stars:

• SADIE SINK
• EMILY RUDD
• RYAN SIMPKINS
• McCABE SLYE
• TED SUTHERLAND
• JORDANA SPIRO
• GILLIAN JACOBS
• KIANA MADEIRA
• BENJAMIN FLORES JR.
• ASHLEY ZUKERMAN
• OLIVIA SCOTT WELCH
• CHIARA AURELIA
• JORDYN DiNATALE

The second part releases July 9th, 2021.

Fear Street Part 3: 1666

Now we’re going way back in time.

The origins of Sarah Fier’s curse are finally revealed as history comes full circle on a night that changes the lives of Shadysiders forever.

Phil Graziadei & Leigh Janiak and Kate Trefry wrote the screenplay for this third and final section. It stars:

• KIANA MADEIRA
• ASHLEY ZUKERMAN
• GILLIAN JACOBS
• OLIVIA SCOTT WELCH
• BENJAMIN FLORES JR.
• DARRELL BRITT-GIBSON
• SADIE SINK
• EMILY RUDD
• McCABE SLYE
• JULIA REHWALD
• FRED HECHINGER
• JORDANA SPIRO
• JORDYN DiNATALE

The third and final section to Fear Street debuts on Netflix, July 16th, 2021.

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