Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2: What Tales The Sequel Could Adapt

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2 is officially in the works, but what stories will they adapt for the upcoming sequel? There are numerous tales to choose from, but there are some in particular that will likely be included based on how they can further the original movie’s premise and the goals of its next installment. Here are the tales that could be featured in Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2. 

The movie is based on the original stories by Alvin Schwartz, which were taken from historically significant folklore from across the world and urban legends that have stood the test of time. The three books were highly contested when they were released and distributed across the United States during the 1980s and 1990s. They were commonly found in middle school libraries and available to children. Parents and faculty were highly concerned about their contents which include conversations on death, sexuality, puberty, murder, cannibalism, and other morbid topics. Despite the attempt to remove them from public libraries, they continue to circulate across the nation. They’ve even garnered a cult following with fans who deeply favor the original illustrations by Stephen Gammell and favored more horrifying tales than what R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps could provide.

In 2019, the Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark movie released with six of their most popular tales utilized to craft its story. It was directed by André Øvredal and produced by Guillermo del Toro, both known for their impeccable works of horror. The PG-13 rating of the movie was somewhat a cause for concern for longtime fans of the original stories. It had the potential to be an R-rated flick that would appeal to an older generation that grew up reading Alvin Schwartz’s tales of terror in groups and by themselves. Regardless, the heart of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is its intention of appealing to young readers and viewers with the promise of genuinely entertaining horror stories as well as spark interest from a new generation. Based on these factors, there are some tales that may be considered over others for the sequel — here’s what we hope to see.

The Dead Hand

In “The Dead Hand,” a young boy named Tom Pattison doesn’t believe in the creatures that are rumored to live in the nearby swamp. One day, his friends dare him to go deep into it while it’s dark out. Tom feels invincible. As such, he takes the dare and goes into the swamp without a single ounce of fear. Much to his surprise, there is something in the swamp that attacks him by the old willow snag. When his arms are stretched out in front of him to fight off whatever is threatening his life, a moldy, dead hand appears to be gripping him tightly. His friends leave the woods without him and he goes missing for weeks until, one day, his mother finds him speaking gibberish and missing a hand.

It’s possible that they will utilize this story in Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2 based on the fact that children are heavily involved and they dare a friend to do something dangerous — this fits the tone of the first movie. While a dare can appear to be a childlike game, this one turns dangerous in a matter of seconds.

Maybe You Will Remember

At the end of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, Stella Nichols (Zoe Colletti) leaves town with her father and Ruth “Ruthie” Steinberg (Natalie Ganzhorn). There is no telling where they are headed on their search for those they’ve lost to the book, but they may have to make a pitstop at a hotel. In Alvin Schwartz’s third book in the series, there’s a story called “Maybe You Will Remember”, which could offer the perfect setting for the sequel.

The story takes place at a hotel in Paris where horrifying events take place. While it is mostly about the plague in Paris, the atmosphere created by “Maybe You Will Remember” sets up the perfect opportunity for the sequel to utilize the setting of an eerie hotel that’s full of untrustworthy people. There needs to be a framing story, just like the first movie used “The Haunted House”. For Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2, the hotel could be a brand new location that unearths more horror for Stella, her father, and Ruth.

Clinkity-Clink

The sequel intends on utilizing the illustrations more than the first movie, which may be just enough cause to use the haunting woman featured in the story “Clinkity-Clink.” This classic tale is about a woman who died and has coins placed on her eyes in order to pay the toll as she travels to the other side. When they are taken from her, she hunts down the robber to steal back her silver dollars. She could pose as a spirit similar to “The Big Toe”, which is about a man who wanders the halls searching for his missing toe. If someone just so happens to take silver dollars not knowing their importance to the dead, she could pose as a major threat for the characters in Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2. 

The Voice

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark used six stories in total from the original books. Some played a much bigger role than others, but even the small stories made a lasting impact on the characters and whether they would survive. In the second book, “The Voice” is a one-page story about a girl named Ellen who hears a voice. The voice tells her that it is coming up the stairs, walking towards her room, and then right beside her bed. Once she shouts for someone to come save her, the voice disappears.

This short story could be used in the same way that “The Red Spot” was utilized for Ruth’s storyline in the first Scary Stories movie. No matter where the characters go, the voice could manifest anywhere. It’s also the ideal story to strengthen an even bigger story with a more malevolent spirit or monster — perhaps even an original one. While there are countless stories to pick from out of Schwartz’s creations, but these four make the most sense to be used in Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2 in order to expand on Stella, her father, and Ruth’s story moving forward.

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