I may not be the horror nerd that I am today if not for the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. So as an adult who wears a skull pendant and subscribes to Shudder, these books hold a special place in my heart.

Written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell, these “children’s horror” books made their debut in 1981. And their macabre tales and haunting artwork seared themselves into an entire generation of primary school kids’ fragile minds. It’s only fitting that a couple of horror masters adapted the books for the silver screen.

Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro is on board as a writer/producer and horror auteur André Øvredal is at the helm as director. These two gentlemen have a whole lot of scary movie cred, and I’m confident their upcoming film will freak people out. But if you have any doubts, the latest Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trailer should ease your concerns.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Trailer:

This trailer features some of the most horrific monstrosities I’ve seen in a long time. I’m sure that this trailer would have sent 9-year-old me fleeing the television in a desperate search for the nearest adult. The movie has that classic Joe Dante/Amblin movie vibe; a small town with dark secrets, kids on bikes, and legit scares capable of emotionally scarring young viewers. This trailer looks perfect. The question that remains now is whether Øvredal’s film is about more than jump scares.

Based on his last film, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, I have faith he can pull it off. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a massive scare-fest that is also concerned with exploring the troubled relationship between a father and son. It’s not character study on par with The Breakfast Club, but it clears the horror genre’s low bar. If you’re into scary flicks, I can’t recommend the movie enough.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark made the leap to the front of my must-see list and is now my most anticipated movie of the summer. What’s on yours? Let us know at @VictorJStiff and @ThatShelf.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’s official synopsis:

From the dark imaginations of Academy Award®-winner Guillermo del Toro and acclaimed director André Øvredal, based on the iconic book series, comes Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark — in theatres this summer.

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 home.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark arrives in theatres on August 09, 2019.