Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark full trailer: Let the nightmares begin

The first full trailer for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is finally here, ready to remind you of some childhood nightmares.

The path to the horror genre is different for everyone: some come from horror-loving families, others get there by accident, and others get there through literature. But not all from that last group began by reading Stephen King or H.P Lovecraft – children’s horror literature was the beginning for many, with books such as Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Alvin Schwartz’s series has a very special (and controversial) place in the genre, in big part due to the nightmarish illustrations by Stephen Gammell. When you think of a cinematic adaptation of these books, you inevitably think of those illustrations coming to life, right? Well, that’s exactly what’s going to happen this summer.

Directed by André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe) and with Guillermo del Toro as producer, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is hitting the big screen in August. Back in February, Lionsgate dropped several teasers during the Super Bowl, featuring some well-known characters and moments from the books. Now, the studio has released the first full trailer, giving us a clearer idea of how these characters and stories will mix.

The trailer, shown below, features the same characters from the teasers as well as other creatures that will surely keep more than one viewer awake. The Pale Lady, The Jangly Man (most likely from the “What Do You Come For” story), good ol’ Harold the scarecrow, and stories like “The Red Spot” and “Big Toe” all meet in a movie that will certainly not be suited for children… not that the stories really were, anyway.

The official synopsis reads as follows:

"“It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time—stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying tome”."

There’s nothing like reliving childhood nightmares, right? And if the experience comes in the shape of a movie produced by Guillermo del Toro and the vision of André Øvredal, how could you possibly say “no”? It’s ok, remember there will be a lot of people out there who will share the same fears and memories. Plus, let’s face it: the movie looks incredible.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will be released on August 9.

Will you be seeing Guillermo del Toro’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark? Let us know in the comments.