Disney+ has officially canceled the Goosebumps series after two seasons, much to the disappointment of fans. The show, based on R.L. Stine’s iconic horror book series, aired its second season titled The Vanishing earlier this year. Despite a promising start when the first season premiered in October 2023 - ranking in Nielsen’s top 10 original streaming shows for four weeks - the second season failed to maintain the same momentum and did not chart on Nielsen’s ratings.
Produced by Sony Pictures Television, Goosebumps was an anthology series featuring different stories and casts each season. The first season starred Justin Long and Isa Briones, while the second featured David Schwimmer in a leading role, alongside Jayden Bartels and Ana Ortiz. To date, the show has amassed over 118 million hours viewed globally, with 75 million hours watched in the US alone.
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Sony shops series to new homes
While Disney+ is stepping away from the series, the future of Goosebumps might not be over just yet. Showrunner Hilary Winston and producer Sony Pictures Television are reportedly exploring options to continue the series elsewhere. With over 200 original Goosebumps stories to draw from, there is ample material for future seasons or spin-offs.
{{/usCountry}}While Disney+ is stepping away from the series, the future of Goosebumps might not be over just yet. Showrunner Hilary Winston and producer Sony Pictures Television are reportedly exploring options to continue the series elsewhere. With over 200 original Goosebumps stories to draw from, there is ample material for future seasons or spin-offs.
{{/usCountry}}Industry insiders reveal that Sony is actively shopping the series to other streaming platforms or networks, hoping to find a new home where the franchise can thrive creatively. The producers are also open to reimagining the property to suit a broader audience or different formats.
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Hope for fans
Goosebumps has enjoyed a long legacy beyond the Disney+ adaptation. The original books by R.L. Stine have inspired several adaptations, including a popular 1990s TV series on Fox and two feature films in the 2010s, with the first directed by Rob Letterman, who also executive produced the recent series alongside Nicholas Stoller.
Though the cancellation is a setback, fans of the franchise can take solace in the continued popularity of the books and the creative team’s determination to keep Goosebumps alive in new ways. For now, the two seasons remain available on Disney+ as Sony looks for fresh opportunities to revive the eerie anthology.