Fear Street director Leigh Janiak discusses the trilogy in video interview

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Director Leigh Janiak is obviously a cool person. Not only is she from my home state of Ohio and a fan of the JoBlo Network, but she also did an awesome job writing and directing the Fear Street trilogy, which is now available to watch on the Netflix streaming service in its entirety. I enjoyed each of the Fear Street movies as I watched them individually, and like them even more now that I've seen how the full story plays out. In the video embedded above, our own JimmyO has a conversation with Janiak that covers her attempt to bring something fresh to the teen slasher sub-genre, how it was to deal with author R.L. Stine, and whether or not the decision to make all three films R-rated caused any issues.

Janiak shot the three Fear Street films back-to-back-to-back and co-wrote all three films, crafting the story for part 1 with Kyle Killen and Phil Graziadei and part 2 with Graziadei and Zak Olkewicz. Janiak then wrote part 1 with Graziadei, part 2 with Olkewicz, and part 3 with Graziadei and Kate Trefry. The synopsis: 

In 1994, a group of teenagers discovers that the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected — and that they may be the next targets. Based on R.L. Stine’s best selling horror series, the trilogy follows the nightmare through Shadyside’s sinister history.

The trilogy was produced by Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and David Ready. Kori Adelson produced the third film and executive produced the other two. Janiak executive produced the trilogy with Timothy M. Bourne, Yvonne M. Bernard, Joan Waricha, and Jane Stine.

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 stars Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Ashley Zukerman, Maya Hawke, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Jordana Spiro, Jordyn DiNatale, and Jeremy Ford. 

Fear Street Part 2: 1978 stars Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Ryan Simpkins, McCabe Slye, Ted Sutherland, Jordana Spiro, Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., Ashley Zukerman, Olivia Scott Welch, Chiara Aurelia, and Jordyn DiNatale. 

Fear Street Part 3: 1666 stars Kiana Madeira, Ashley Zukerman, Gillian Jacobs, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Darrell Britt-Gibson, Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, McCabe Slye, Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Jordana Spiro, and Jordyn DiNatale.

You can read The Iceman's review of 1994 at THIS LINK, my review of 1978 over HERE, and my review of the trilogy capper 1666 HERE.