John August (Big Fish, Dark Shadows) reportedly wrote the script, though the details surrounding the story have not been announced.
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The Wrap reports the del Toro will produce and potentially direct “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark”. “Without spoiling things I will say that the illustrations are an incredibly crucial part of the book and they are an incredibly crucial part of the movie”.
The stories themselves were derived from historic folklore across the globe and spun into a more modern series for children of the “80s and ’90s”.
The trilogy includes “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” (1981), “More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” (1984) and “Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones” (1991). I still remember reading these books as a kid and feeling utterly freaked out long after I’d returned them to the library. The movie needs someone who can replicate that lingering feeling of dread and spookiness, and someone who understands how important the nightmarish visuals are to the stories’ appeal.
Still unclear is the timeline for the project. He is now developing the remake of Fantastic Voyage at Fox, which he hopes to direct. He is also mulling and working on several other projects, including a sequel to his film Pacific Rim.
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Del Toro confirmed the news on Twitter, calling the source material “a favorite book of youth”.
