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Watch trailer
2019, Horror/Mystery & thriller, 1h 51m
233 Reviews 5,000+ Verified RatingsWhat to know
Like the bestselling series of books that inspired it, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark opens a creepy gateway into horror for younger genre enthusiasts. Read critic reviewscritics consensus
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Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Videos
5:12
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: B-Roll
1:00
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Trailer - Season of the Witch
1:37
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Trailer - Jangly Man
2:24
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Trailer 1
1:39
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Teaser Trailer 1
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Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Photos
View All Photos (27)
Movie Info
The shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large in the small town of Mill Valley for generations. It's in a mansion that young Sarah Bellows turns her tortured life and horrible secrets into a series of scary stories. These terrifying tales soon have a way of becoming all too real for a group of unsuspecting teens who stumble upon Sarah's spooky home.
Rating:
PG-13 (Disturbing Images|Brief Sexual References|Thematic Elements|Language|Racial Epithets|Terror/Violence)
Genre:
Horror, Mystery & thriller
Original Language:
English
Director:
André Øvredal
Producer:
Guillermo del Toro, Sean Daniel, Jason F. Brown, J. Miles Dale, Elizabeth Grave
Writer:
Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman
Release Date (Theaters):
Aug 9, 2019 wide
Release Date (Streaming):
Aug 27, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA):
$68.7M
Runtime:
1h 51m
Distributor:
eOne, Lionsgate Films, CBS Films
Aspect Ratio:
Scope (2.35:1)
Cast & Crew
Zoe Margaret Colletti
Stella Nicholls
Michael Garza
Ramon Morales
Gabriel Rush
Auggie Hilderbrandt
Austin Abrams
Tommy Milner
Dean Norris
Roy Nicholls
Gil Bellows
Chief Turner
Austin Zajur
Chuck Steinberg
Natalie Ganzhorn
Ruth Steinberg
Lorraine Toussaint
Lou Lou
Kathleen Pollard
Sarah Bellows
Deborah Pollitt
Mrs. Steinberg
Victoria Fodor
Mrs. Milner
Marie Ward
Mrs. Hildebrandt
Mark Steger
Harold the Scarecrow, Pale Lady
Javier Botet
Big Toe Corpse
Troy James
Jangly Man
Kyle Labine
Deputy Hobbs
David Tompa
Doctor
Karen Glave
Claire Baptiste
Stephanie Belding
Reception Nurse
André Øvredal
Director
Dan Hageman
Screenwriter
Kevin Hageman
Screenwriter
Guillermo del Toro
Producer
Sean Daniel
Producer
Jason F. Brown
Producer
J. Miles Dale
Producer
Elizabeth Grave
Producer
Peter Luo
Executive Producer
Alex Ginno
Executive Producer
Joshua Long
Executive Producer
Roberto Grande
Executive Producer
Roman Osin
Cinematographer
Patrick Larsgaard
Film Editing
Marco Beltrami
Original Music
Anna Drubich
Original Music
David Brisbin
Production Design
Brandt Gordon
Art Director
Patricia Larman
Set Decoration
Ruth Myers
Costume Design
News & Interviews for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Weekend Box Office Results: Angel Has Fallen, But Not Far, With $14.8 Box Office Win Over Labor Day
Weekend Box Office Results: Scary Stories Has Scary Good Opening, But Hobbs & Shaw Stays No. 1
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Is a Ghoulish Good Time
View All
Critic Reviews for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
All Critics (233) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (180) | Rotten (53)
Full Review… Stephen Romei The AustralianFull Review… Sandra Hall Sydney Morning HeraldFull Review… Clarisse Loughrey Independent (UK)Full Review… Mark Kermode Kermode & Mayo's Film ReviewFull Review… James Berardinelli ReelViewsFull Review… Larushka Ivan-Zadeh Times (UK)Full Review… Brian Eggert Deep Focus ReviewFull Review… Taylor Baker Drink in the MoviesFull Review… Howard Gorman NMEFull Review… Alicja Johnson Mediaversity ReviewsFull Review… Richard Crouse Richard CrouseFull Review… Charles Koplinski Reel Talk with Chuck and PamView All Critic Reviews (233)
Audience Reviews for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Aug 20, 2021
On a Halloween night in a small town, some outsider kids go to the local haunted house for some cheap thrills ("boo!") but instead accidentally set off the re-emergence of a long-ago legend of mysterious terror. This could have been like any number of other typical modern-day horror entries except for how it unusually concentrates on an old-fashioned sense of tone and mood. Inexorable foreboding wherein one is uncertain of what is so unnerving is the path chosen here, making for a more satisfying ride. The resolution could've been better, but still this beats most others of these kinds of films...and so it will stick around a lot longer.
Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
Oct 28, 2020
Based off a kids book of very short stories, the movie picks a handful of them and gives them the full horror movie upgrade. Another great movie from André Øvredal of "Troll Hunter" and the "Autopsy of Jane Doe."
Mark B Super Reviewer
Apr 27, 2020
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a mediocre horror film from Guillermo del Toro. Based on the popular book series, a group of misfit teenagers explore a haunted house where they find a book belonging to a witch that begins to write stories in blood foretelling each of their deaths. The script is pretty formulaic and the creatures are rather tame (kind of what you'd expect from a kids book series). Still, the sets and costumes are well done and set the right tone and feel for the time period. And there's a powerful message about the power of storytelling. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark has its problems, but it's entertaining and delivers a few chills.
Dann M Super Reviewer
Jan 07, 2020
The film is stylish and offers some interesting story beats for the adaptation. Impressive horror troupes can't overcome a forced storyline though, but knowing the source material, they did quite well. The film feels like a series starter, and in this day and age, it's starting to grow tiresome. The story is contained with the ending, but there has been little news regarding sequels. The characters are well cast and I thought the historic setting was fitting. I did enjoy the film, even if the story was needlessly complicated for its target audience. The filmmaker and writers were creative and respectful to the source material, and on that front they have done very well. The film won't be for everyone, some truly creepy moments here. It's nice to see a creative horror film, not reliant on jump scares and shock horror. Remember this was never aimed for older audiences and you'll enjoy something entertaining. 04/01/2020
Is there a part 2 to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
The only other tidbit of information that we can find is in a July 2022 profile of Zoe Colletti by the British magazine Wonderland, where the publication (not Colletti) said "Scary Stories 2" would start filming in late 2022.How many movies of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark are there?
That's not to say that the movie won't scare younger viewers who have never read the three Scary Stories books: 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).Can a 13 year old watch Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a horror movie based on the series of books by Alvin Schwartz. It's well-made, but it isn't a movie for young viewers. It's better suited to older teenagers. The main messages from this movie are to never give up and to always remember that there is power in stories.Can a 7 year old watch Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
The MPAA rated Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark PG-13 for terror/violence, disturbing images, thematic elements, language including racial epithets, and brief sexual references.