A new year means a new story for Goosebumps fans. Today, Disney+ and Hulu will premiere the new season of the thrilling anthology series, Goosebumps: The Vanishing, and it’s promised to bring even more chills — and a mysterious vanishing — to our television screens.
According to the streaming giant, the series follows fraternal twins Devin (Sam McCarthy) and Cece (Jayden Bartels) as they adjust to life with their recently divorced dad Anthony (David Schwimmer). When the duo discovers a threat stirring, they quickly realize that dark secrets are among them, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. With the help of their friends Alex (Francesca Noel), CJ (Elijah M. Cooper), and Frankie (Galilea La Salvia), they find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994.
Before shooting, the cast was already familiar with the phenomenon, as the cult classic is based on the popular book series by R.L Stine. Although this new season introduces a brand new mix of characters with a fresh storyline, the eight episodes give all the spooky vibes, plus family and friendship drama.
“I guess all of us hope for the same thing that first of all, it’s hugely entertaining. I think what everyone involved accomplished in terms of the combination of comedy, action, horror, mystery, suspense — and then grounding it with this real solid foundation of family — is such a unique piece of entertainment where many generations can watch and watch it together,” David Schwimmer tells Celeb Secrets in a virtual press conference.
“You really understand the different points of view. You see the points of view of a parent, but mostly you’re watching and really invested in this journey of these young people, these teenagers and this group of kids that are on this incredible adventure together,” he continues.
“I think the themes in it that come out are, as I said, family, loyalty, curiosity, adventure, courage, tenacity. For some of us, my character in particular, it’s rooted in a kind of loss, like how do reconcile loss. I think by the end of the journey of these eight episodes, you really see this family come together again in a really meaningful way.”
For La Salvia, she shared with Celeb Secrets that preparing for the role meant a deep dive into lore, particularly reading Stay Out of The Basement, which is what this season is mainly about.
“My cousin gave me a copy of the books, and so now, I’m just doing my own little reading and they’re so fun,” she said.
As for Cooper, he says that the season is more than just fighting off monsters but intertwines real-life issues as well. “It’s the story of teenage struggles and family and friendship and everything in between that keeps your attention just as much,” he shared. “I think our showrunners really allowed the story to kind of speak to the idea of teenagers growing into themselves as people and really finding themselves.”
And the characters aren’t the only ones who get spooked out this season. Stoney Blyden who portrays Trey, chimed in acknowledging how he had to face some of his fears while filming this season — much like their characters navigating the supernatural world.
“I have a really big fear of heights, and there are a couple of scenes in the show that got me a little bit, but got me over it too in a way,” he admitted.
A new story means new characters are brought into the mix, and Goosebumps: The Vanishing‘s cast shines with extraordinary talent. Schwimmer, best known for his iconic role on Friends, plays the twins’ dad, Anthony, which to no surprise brought a little bit of fangirling from the younger actors.
“He’s a legend. He is the goat. He puts on a master class every single time like he smashed this role legitimately,” Cooper shared with us. “I was grateful to be in his presence, be able to get tips from him, learn from him, and watch him.”
Other characters include Jen — played by Ana Ortiz — who is the New York cop and mother to Alex (Noel), with whom she she shares a complicated relationship with.
Celeb Secrets was able to catch the first episode of the chapter, and it’s one you certainly don’t want to miss. The thrill of the Goosebumps story will definitely keep you sitting on the edge of your seat, taking you on an adventure facing monsters while uncovering the chilling mystery.
You can watch our interviews with the cast via the videos below. Don’t forget — Goosebumps: The Vanishing streams TODAY, January 10th on both Hulu and Disney+.
