In 1992, writer R.L. Stine published Welcome to Dead House, the first book in his Goosebumps series, creepy books written for younger readers. The book was wildly successful, and there were more than 60 Goosebumps books published between 1992 and 1997. The series also had more than a dozen spinoff series, including Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Give Yourself Goosebumps, Goosebumps Presents, and Goosebumps Series 2000.
Over the years, the Goosebumps series has also been turned into television shows, video games, and several movies. Then, in 2023, Disney teamed up with Scholastic Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television to create a brand-new series for Disney+ and Hulu.
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The first season of Goosebumps premiered on Disney+ and Hulu on October 13 as part of Hallowstream on Disney+ and Huluween. The series was a huge hit and was one of the most-watched shows during the first few weeks of its premiere.
The first season starred Justin Long as Nathan Bratt, a struggling writer and high school teacher who moves into a house haunted by the spirit of a teenage boy, Harold Biddle, who died there. Mr. Bratt’s life becomes intertwined with a group of high school students when they try to discover exactly how and why Harold Biddle died and what their parents had to do with it.
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While Disney did not immediately commit to renewing the series, ultimately, a season two was confirmed in February 2024.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing premiered on January 10, 2025, and starred Friends star David Schwimmer as Anthony Brewer, a botanist who is determined to discover what happened to his older brother Matty, who disappeared 30 years ago.
Anthony’s two children — twins Cece and Devin — are staying with their father for the summer. They enter an abandoned, and supposedly haunted, fort with a few friends. This sets off a series of events that will help Anthony uncover the truth he has longed for.
While the first season of Goosebumps was incredibly popular, the second season did not fare nearly as well in terms of viewership. However, it should be noted that both seasons have similar ratings from audiences and critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics even rated the second season slightly higher than the first.
Unfortunately, that was not enough to save the show. According to an exclusive report from Variety, Disney has chosen not to renew the show for a third season.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, series producer Sony Pictures Television plans to shop the show to other outlets and explore different creative directions for the IP.
The two seasons pulled in 75 million hours viewed combined in the U.S., on top of 43 million hours viewed across 16 international markets.
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Disney has not commented on the series cancellation and why they decided not to move forward with the series, especially when it brought in ratings similar to the first season.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has been very clear that his goal with Disney+ is to see the streamer turn a profit every quarter. Under the leadership of fired CEO Bob Chapek, Disney+ lost more than $10 billion. However, in the three years since Iger’s return, Disney+ has managed to turn a profit.
Goosebumps is only one of many series canceled since Iger returned. More than a dozen shows have been canceled, including The Acolyte, American Born Chinese, National Treasure: Edge of History, Big Shot, Willow, Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and more.
Are you disappointed that Disney has chosen to cancel Goosebumps after two seasons? What did you think of season 2? Did you like it more than season 1? Do you hope another network will pick up the series? Let us know your thoughts on all things Goosebumps in the comments!
The post Fan-Favorite Disney+ Series Canceled After Two Seasons appeared first on Inside the Magic.
