There’s something about those horror movies I grew up watching in the ’90s that just hits differently. Kids found themselves in genuine danger, the monsters were frightening, and Halloween fun could turn nasty at any moment. One of my favorite Halloween movies is still Ernest Scared Stupid. Sure, that movie leans into comedy, but I’ve always loved its atmosphere. Watching R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead, I got some of those same cozy feelings.
Last year’s R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead was a fun throwback to that era of horror. Thankfully, the sequel captures that feeling without simply repeating the original. We’re back in Redhaven, where Sam (Bean Reid) and Becka (Adeline Lo) face another terrifying curse. This time, the mythology grows, the danger intensifies, and a familiar face joins the festivities.
That would be horror icon Cassandra Peterson, whom most of us know and love as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Peterson plays a mysterious witch named Cassandra, who might hold the key to saving Redhaven. Seeing someone I grew up watching step into an R.L. Stine story is pretty damn cool. And she seems right at home in this world.
I recently sat down with Peterson and writer-director Jem Garrard to talk about the film. Garrard has been on quite a roll with Tubi, delivering Slay, Takeout, and the recent Buzzkill. What interested me most was how they approached the sequel after the first movie’s unexpectedly bleak ending. That finale didn’t exactly leave things on a cheerful note. So, where could Sam’s story possibly go from there? And how do you follow an ending like that without simply repeating yourself?
We also talked about the movie’s wonderfully old-school approach to kids-in-peril horror. Some of its atmosphere reminds me of discovering a creepy movie on VHS during an October weekend in the ’90s. Garrard shared what drew them to that nostalgic feeling and how they brought it into a modern setting.
As for Peterson, I wanted to know how she approached playing a witch who just happens to share her name. Our conversation led to a pretty funny behind-the-scenes story. I’ll leave the details for the interview itself. After all, getting to talk with a horror legend I’ve watched since childhood was a treat.
And it looks like Redhaven isn’t going anywhere. Tubi recently announced that Garrard will write and direct R.L. Stine’s Afraid of Clowns. Like Pumpkinhead, it comes from Stine’s 1999 Nightmare Hour collection. The new film will also take place in Redhaven, giving the town an entirely different nightmare to face. Tubi plans to release it in 2027.
But Tubi isn’t stopping there with R.L. Stine. The streamer also recently announced R.L. Stine’s The Babysitter, an adaptation of the author’s four-book series. Those books ran from 1989 to 1995. Garrard will write the screenplay, while Trevor Calverley will direct. That film also has a planned 2027 release. Between these projects, Tubi is becoming quite the home for Stine’s particular brand of horror.
For now, though, we’ve got Pumpkinhead 2. It’s a fun reminder of why so many of us fell in love with this kind of horror. Check out my interview with Jem Garrard and Cassandra Peterson above. We talk about the sequel, its nostalgic influences, and bringing a new witch into Redhaven.
R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2 is now streaming exclusively on Tubi.
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