October is obviously the best time possible for imbibing on horror entertainment, with lots of freaky movies and TV shows being released ahead of Halloween’s arrival. (Including the franchise-capping Halloween Ends, no doubt.) But it’s also a great time for genre efforts to come together behind the scenes, setting up all the upcoming horror movies that’ll arrive later. And a doozy of a promising project has been put into development, with the filmmaker team behind the upcoming Stephen King adaptation The Boogeyman being tapped to bring the throwback horror comic book Night of the Ghoul to life for 20th Century Studios, with Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy also in the mix.
What Is Night Of The Ghoul?
Originally published as a Comixology Originals digital release, Night of the Ghoul is one of several excellent titles crafted by famed Batman and horror comic scribe Scott Snyder through his exclusive creator deal. With the hyper-talented Franscesco Francavilla providing the art, the six-issue series is a lovingly macabre homage to EC Comics and the golden era of monster movies.
The story centers on a long-lost and fabled horror film produced around the middle of the 20th century, and the obsessive efforts made by a father (and his son) to track down the film and/or its reclusive director. Of course, as it goes with stories like this, characters should always be careful what they wish for, because there is definitely a reason why the movie in question has gone undiscovered for so many years.
Night of the Ghoul first published in October 2021, but is getting a physical release for the first time through Dark Horse Comics, hitting shops on October 6, 2022, with the next five issues dropping each month thereafter.
Who Is Putting Night Of The Ghoul Together?
The Harvey Award-winning Scott Snyder and Fransesco Francavilla are on board as executive producers, according to Deadline, with The Boogeyman director Rob Savage set to get behind the camera for the comic book adaptation. Savage was also behind two of the more buzzworthy static-cam horrors in recent years, including 2020's acclaimed computer-centered Host and 2021's road trip thriller Dashcam, on top of a slew of short films over the years. Night of the Ghoul should put this talents to the test, both with its central storyline as well as with the interstitial footage from the mysterious film-within-the-the-film. (While a screenwriter wasn't noted, it can be assumed that Savage will handle scripting duties as he's done in the past for his films.)
Night of the Ghoul will be produced by 21 Laps, the company founded by filmmaker and producer Shawn Levy, who will be working behind the scenes along with partners Dan Levine and Dan Cohen. On top of Stranger Things, Levy's banner has been behind TV hits such as Tim Allen's Last Man Standing, as well as Netflix's Shadow and Bone and Unsolved Mysteries. On the feature side, Levy has the Night at the Museum franchise, with the latest entry set for a future release on Disney+, where 21 Laps also has the sci-fi project Crater. Other noteworthy future projects include Hulu's Romeo & Juliet spin, Rosaline, and the Sesame Street movie.
When And Where Will Night Of The Ghoul Be Released?
Considering news about this project is just making its way to the public at large, it's safe to say Night of the Ghoul will likely be set for a release in 2023 or 2024, depending on how big of a production it'll be. Hopefully 20th Century allows for a big enough budget to make this look as awesome as the comic does.
As far as how the film might reach viewers, it's hard to overlook Shawn Levy's film and TV ties to Netflix, Disney, and Hulu. Specifically the former, as the streaming giant released 21 Laps' most genre-centric projects in recent years, including There's Someone Inside Your House, The Adam Project, Love and Monsters and more. So don't be surprised if Netflix or Hulu ends up bidding high for Night of the Ghoul once the casting process gets underway. My vote is for Bryan Cranston to play the dad, so get to work, universe.
You can find Night of the Ghoul on Comixiology's app through Amazon Prime, or pick up a physical copy in your local comic shop. Try to avoid spending years of your life seeking out horror movies that could destroy reality as we know it, just as a thought, and check out all the upcoming Stephen King projects in the works as we wait for The Boogeyman to drop its first trailer.
