From PG to R-rated, Netflix ’s new adaptation of RL Stine’s Fear Street has surprised fans with a scary new take on the original story.
Fear Street is set in 1994 in the fictionalised city of Shadyside, where a group of teenagers discover that terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected.
The protagonists, played by Stranger Things' Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke, among others, are led to believe that they might be the next targets.
Fear Street is based on the iconic American novelist’s best selling horror series of the same name.
RL’s original novels involve paranormal elements, such as ghosts, but murder mysteries are central to the story as well.
Fear Street is gorier than the author’s famous Goosebumps books, as it describes murders in more gruesome and bloody details.
In an official statement, RL Stine said: "Readers know that the book series is rated PG. But the movies are rated R. That means a lot more thrills — and a lot more terror!
"I have seen Leigh Janiak's epic trilogy releasing on Netflix in July and I can tell you the scares and the SCREAMS are more than I ever expected.
"What fun to see the horrors of Shadyside come to life!"
In the author’s original books, teenagers who are older than the typical preteens featured in Goosebumps encounter malignant and sometimes paranormal, adversaries.
It tells the story of an eerie part of Shadyside’s past where some members of the "Fear Family" survived a mysterious punishment.
The title of the series comes from the name of a fictional street in Shadyside, which was named after the Fear family.
The fictional characters, Benjamin and Matthew “Fier”, had their last name changed to “Fear” following their family being cursed.
Do you think Fear Street looks scary? Let us know if you've watched it in the comments below.
Their curse follows their conviction of an innocent girl and her mother to burn at the stake, as a result of being accused of witchcraft during Puritan times.
Netflix’s version, which will be released in three parts, reportedly draws on various titles in the Fear Street series.
The trailer for Fear Street’s part one entitled “1994” appeared to be taking a cue from The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
As a result, it depicts both this 1976 slasher, as well as the iconic horror movie, Friday the 13th, judging by the appearance of the burlap sack-masked axe murderer.
Fear City's recently released trailer also suggests that the movie will include a story about an ancient witch who returns to the same Ohio town regularly to wreak havoc, likely by possessing teens and forcing them to kill.
As 1994 is set to be released on the streaming platform on July 2, part two, “1978”, will follow shortly after.
"1978" which will be released on July 9, appears to focus on the Friday the 13th inspired theme, as the trailer shows a summer camp accompanied by slasher antics.
Part Three, “1666”, will be released on July 16, and according to the trailer, this final movie will depict the origin story for the entire series.
The trailer showed a bloodthirsty witch, as well as giving an insight into the town's time-spanning older events.
Fear Street follows Netflix’s popular theme of the nostalgic years between the 1980s and the 1990s, under the guidance of Scream: The TV series director, Leigh Janiak.
