‘Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween’ Gets A New International Trailer
I’m honestly surprised that this new trailer for Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween didn’t feature Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Goosebumps (2015) was a pleasant surprise. I may not have loved the film, but I had a surprisingly enjoyable time watching it in theaters. At the very least, it was a good kid-friendly horror film, which is something we rarely see anymore. With the positive word-of-mouth that the movie received, and with the amount of money it earned against a mere $58 million budget, it’s no surprise that Sony decided to green light a sequel. We got our first look at a teaser trailer last month, but the latest international trailer for Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween shows off more of the film’s plot.
As one can see, this new film no longer features Jack Black as author R.L. Stine. Which is unfortunate, seeing as how Black was probably the best part of the first movie. In fact, none of the original cast appear to be back. Instead, Haunted Halloween focuses on an entirely new group of characters. The credits on the film even list a completely new set of crew members, from the director, writer, and music composer, to the editor and cinematographer. The only similar threads from Goosebumps to Goosebumps 2 seems to be the studio and producers Deborah Forte and Neal H. Moritz.
Yet, for wiping the slate clean on both cast and crew members, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween sure does look like more-of-the-same. A group of kids discover a lost R. L. Stine manuscript, and his creatures are unleashed upon their local town. The only difference is that the story takes place on Halloween itself. But to be honest, upon reflection, I wouldn’t have been able to recall that the first film didn’t take place on Halloween.
It’s also a shame that the quality of CGI doesn’t seem to have improved. It may be fun seeing Slappy the Dummy on screen again, but the visuals on every other creature look quite underwhelming. But perhaps I’m being too critical on a property that is aimed at a younger audience. I wasn’t looking forward to Goosebumps after all, and that film ended up being a delightful surprise. Maybe Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween will end up surprising me as well.
Helmed by Ari Sandel (director of The DUFF) Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween will be released in theaters on October 12, 2018. Just in time for Halloween.
