As Netflix continues to roll out titles from its annual Netflix and Chills lineup, the streamer already has one major success on its hands. Being dubbed “gateway horror,” a family-friendly tale that doesn’t shy away from the essential elements of the genre, Nightbooks is the Netflix Family title that is proving to be a big hit among subscribers, pushing it onto the streaming charts.
Written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis and based on the 2018 children’s book of the same name by J. A. White, the David Yarovesky-directed horror film for kids follows Alex Mosher, a young boy from Brooklyn, New York who loves to write scary stories. But after being kidnapped by a blue-haired witch, he is forced to tell her a new original scary story every evening without any happy endings in order to survive. The film stars Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett, and Krysten Ritter. The film made its debut on Netflix on Wednesday, Sept. 15.
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Although the film has since dropped out of its 10th overall ranking on the platform’s Top 10 series and films list, it has maintained its spot as one of Netflix’s top movies. Currently, Nightbooks ranks fourth among all films on the platform, only falling behind Kate, the thriller that kept Lucifer from reaching the No. 1 overall spot, The Father Who Moves Mountains, and Safe House, which sits at No. 1. The Stronghold rounds out the Top 5. Meanwhile, among critics, Nightbooks has received an 82% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Nightmarish Conjurings‘ Sarah Musnicky writing that the film “is a perfect example of age-appropriate horror done right.
Given the film’s success, it comes as little surprise that viewers are demanding a sequel, though at this time Netflix has not announced plans for Nightbooks 2. However, in an interview with Decider, Yarovesky threw his support behind a sequel, noting that “there’s a lot more story in this universe, and I think that this story could be the start of so much more.” Yarovesky also confirmed that he would be eager to return to direct a sequel, telling the outlet, “I love this universe. I love the characters. If I was lucky enough to be able to make more of these, I would of course happily make more of them.”
While fans will likely have to wait to see if Netflix orders a Nightbooks sequel, they can catch up on the film on the platform now. Those looking for more Halloween-perfect viewing options can take a gander at the full Netflix and Chills lineup by clicking here.
