Jordan Peele rebooting prank show Scare Tactics for Halloween this fall

Horror master himself, Jordan Peele, is rebooting the hilariously scary hidden-camera prank show Scare Tactics this fall for Halloween! 1428 Elm has learned that the USA Network officially greenlit a reimagining of the series from Peele and Monkeypaw Productions.

Released on Syfy in 2003, Scare Tactics started during an era where prank shows were all the rage, as this one debuted shortly after MTV's celebrity-centric series Punk'd. Produced by Scott Hallock and Kevin Healey, the series ran for five seasons between 2003 and 2013, featuring various hosts like Shannen Doherty, Stephen Baldwin, and Tracy Morgan. In 2017, Blumhouse announced its intentions to reboot the series, but that version seems to have stalled in development.

Each episode featured a different victim(s) facing some kind of scary prank, often constructed to emulate popular horror movie clichés, complete with all the special effects makeup and costumes one would expect from the genre. Episodes and prank segments were then edited in the style of an actual horror movie to add extra scares to the television debut.

It sounds like this new iteration will follow a similar set-up, with USA Network teasing that the prank show "will turn unsuspecting individuals into the main characters of their very own horror movies," all of which "blur the lines of reality, horror, and comedy."

Corie Henson, the Executive VP of Unscripted Content at NBCUniversal Entertainment, teased the upcoming collaboration, which will feature many "laughs, jump scares and outrageous moments" in a new statement.

"As one of the most visionary creators of the day, there is nothing Jordan Peele can’t do. We’re honored to be making our first unscripted series together. This brilliant reimagining of the classic ‘Scare Tactics’ has it all – laughs, jump scares and outrageous moments. In the hands of Jordan and Monkeypaw, you never know what’s coming next!” "

Set up by friends and family, the unsuspecting participants will find themselves in immersive situations personalized to scare them. It sounds like some of the pranks in this Scare Tactics will be quite elaborate.

No release date has been given for the series yet, but it is coming out this fall. Given the horror vibes, I wouldn't be surprised if USA Network chooses to air it in late September or October in time for Halloween.

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