More than 30 years after R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps first hit bookshelves and the imaginations of young readers, the prolific author’s series of horror novels has remained one of the most popular around and spawned countless film and TV adaptations. The latest of these adaptations, Goosebumps: The Vanishing, will continue that legacy by turning one of the best Disney+ original series into what looks to be a great anthology horror show inspired by some of Stine’s most well-known works.
If this is the first you’re hearing about the next chapter in the history of R.L. Stine shows, worry not, because we have everything you need to know about the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation, including the Goosebumps: The Vanishing premiere date, a look at its cast and trailer, and so much more.
But reader beware, you’re in for a scare…
What Is The Goosebumps: The Vanishing Premiere Date?
It won’t be all that long before we see what’s in store for us, as the Goosebumps: The Vanishing premiere date has been set for Friday, January 10, 2025. One of the biggest shows on the early part of the 2025 TV schedule, the series will be available for both those with a Disney+ subscription and Hulu subscription, giving you multiple ways to check out the upcoming horror show.
The Goosebumps: The Vanishing Trailer
In October 2024, Disney and Hulu gave the world its first proper look at the upcoming season with the release of the Goosebumps: The Vanishing trailer. With a combination of mystery, science fiction, family drama, and unsolved disappearances from 30 years ago, the two-minute video does its best to capture the tone of the anthology series:
Though there are a lot of characters introduced in the first official trailer, a primary focus falls on the Brewer family, specifically, David Schwimmer’s Anthony Brewer and the terrible monster he may have unwittingly unleashed upon New York City. Asking more questions than it answers, the trailer finds the perfect balance between revelations and intrigue.
The Goosebumps: The Vanishing Cast
Though the first season of Goosebumps had perfect casting with Justin Long and others the first time around, Disney+ has announced that the upcoming sophomore season will feature an entirely new cast. But, don’t worry, as the actors set to appear, including David Schwimmer and Ana Ortiz, appear to be more than up to the task of continuing that trend.
David Schwimmer as Anthony Brewer
Friends alum David Schwimmer will be taking on the role of Anthony Brewer, a former botany professor and divorced dad of teenage twins (more on them later) who’s trying to figure things out, both in life and in his lab located in the basement of his Brooklyn home.
Ana Ortiz as Jen
Ana Ortiz, who previously appeared on shows like Ugly Betty and Love, Victor, will also be one of the big stars in the Goosebumps: The Vanishing cast, as Disney+ revealed back in March 2024. Ortiz will take on the role of Jen, a police detective still coming to terms with a tragic event in her adolescence.
Sam McCarthy as Devin Brewer
Sam McCarthy, the son of “Brat Pack” actor Andrew McCarthy, will also appear as a series regular in Goosebumps: The Vanishing. Disney announced that the Dead to Me star will take on the role of Devin Brewer, one of the two twins at the center of the season’s mystery.
Jayden Bartels as Cece Brewer
Jayden Bartels, a popular YouTuber and actress, will be taking on the role of Cece Brewer, the other twin at the center of Goosebumps: The Vanishing, Disney has announced. Bartels’ previous TV credits include Side Hustle, All That, and The Really Loud House.
Elijah M. Cooper as CJ
Elijah M. Cooper, best known for appearances on shows like 9-1-1, That Girl Lay Lay, and The Rookie, will also be joining the Goosebumps: The Vanishing. The young actor is set to play CJ, one of Devin and Cece’s friends.
Galilea La Salvia as Frankie
Galilea La Salvia, who has appeared on shows like Party Down (the 2023 revival), Every Witch Way, and Gabby Duran & the Unsittables, will be showing up in Goosebumps: The Vanishing as Frankie, one of Devin and Cece’s friends caught up in the mystery.
Francesca Noel as Alex
Francesca Noel will be taking on the role of Alex, another one of Devin and Cece’s friends, when Goosebumps: The Vanishing premieres. Noel previously appeared in short films like Sabor and Star People.
Stoney Blyden as Trey
Stoney Blyden will play a character named Trey in the upcoming season of Goosebumps, but Disney+ hasn’t revealed much about the role at this time besides the fact that he lives across the street from the Brewer home.
But these actors aren’t alone… In June 2024, Variety reported that Sakina Jaffrey, Eloise Payet, Kyra Tantao, Arjun Athalye, and Christopher Paul Richards had also been added to the cast, but their roles have not yet been revealed.
What Is Goosebumps: The Vanishing About?
When Goosebumps: The Vanishing premieres, it will bring audiences a brand-new and mysterious story that will surely grab their attention. Disney+ has revealed that the next installment in the horror anthology series will follow fraternal twins Devin (Sam McCarthy) and Cece Brewer (Jayden Bartels), spending time with their divorced dad in Brooklyn, as they trigger a chain of events that will see them (and their group of friends) uncover a dark and chilling mystery involving a group of teenagers who vanished in 1994.
Though Not Based On Any Of R.L Stine’s Books, The New Season Appears To Be Taking Inspiration From His Iconic Franchise
Goosebumps: The Vanishing won’t be based on one particular R.L. Stine novel, but instead, the upcoming installment will be taking some inspiration from the prolific writer’s iconic franchise. In fact, Disney+ has announced that the upcoming second season of the anthology series will be drawing from Stay Out of the Basement, The Haunted Car, Monster Blood, The Girl Who Cried Monster, The Ghost Next Door, and Welcome to Camp Nightmare, among others.
Hilary Winston Is Returning As Showrunner
The creative team involved with getting the first season of Goosebumps off the ground will largely remain intact heading into the next installment, Disney+ has announced. This includes Hilary Winston, best known for her work on Community and My Name Is Earl, who will be returning as the showrunner. Also returning for more thrills and chills are series creators Nicholas Stoller and Rob Letterman, who will once again serve as executive producers.
However, it is not yet known at this time who will be directing episodes throughout the upcoming season. Letterman, Erin O’Malley, Steve Boyum, David Grossman, and Félix Enríquez Alcalá all helmed episodes last time around.
How Many Episodes Will There Be In Goosebumps Season 2?
Unlike the show’s first season which featured 10 chapters, Goosebumps: The Vanishing will play out over the course of eight episodes, Disney+ has announced.
The first five episodes of the first season were all released at once with the remaining chapters coming out each week thereafter, but all eight chapters will drop at once, making for one hell of a binge session for those horror hounds or longtime fans of R.L. Stine’s body of work.
What Is Goosebumps: The Vanishing Rated?
Just like the first season, Goosebumps: The Vanishing will be rated TV-14 when it is released in January 2025. Though Disney+ has revealed why the show will have the more restrictive rating, it could have something to do with all the horror elements seen in the new season’s first trailer.
Expect to hear much more about Goosebumps: The Vanishing in the coming weeks and months. But while we wait for the show’s early 2025 return, now would be a great time to check out what’s left of the 2024 TV schedule.
