A HIT horror series based on a bestselling book franchise has been AXED after just two seasons.
The chilling show had built up a cult following thanks to its eerie twists and terrifying cliffhangers, but streaming bosses have pulled the plug despite its loyal fanbase.
The rebooted Goosebumps series, which starred Friends legend David Schwimmer , had brought R.L. Stine’s iconic spooky stories to a whole new generation.
But despite strong reviews and a wave of nostalgia-fuelled buzz, Disney+ and Hulu have decided not to move forward with a third season.
The series originally debuted on Disney+ in October 2023 and quickly gained momentum.
Across its two-season run, Goosebumps racked up an impressive 75 million hours viewed in the U.S. alone, with an additional 43 million hours across 16 international markets.
Each season of Goosebumps was packed with spooky nods to R.L. Stine’s iconic books – from cursed masks to creepy dummies.
Series one followed five teens uncovering a chilling mystery linked to a classmate who died decades earlier.
Season two saw twin siblings stumble on terrifying secrets after moving in with their newly single dad — and things quickly took a freaky turn.
The hit book series, published by Scholastic, is one of the best-selling of all time, with over 400 million copies sold and editions in 32 languages.
There are now more than 200 Goosebumps books – and it’s no stranger to the screen either.
It was first turned into a 90s TV classic and later spawned two Hollywood films in 2015 and 2018.
Meanwhile, Disney is making some huge changes to its streamed TV offering with a new brand coming to the UK for the first time.
Hulu will be the new name for Star, the destination for non- Disney grown-up movies and major TV series like The Bear and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives .
The Hulu brand has been around for years across the pond in the US.
Disney has been running Hulu and Disney+ as two separate apps over there, but they’re set to be merged next year.
HOW TO GET DISNEY+ FREE
You can currently get Disney+ free for up to a year if you buy an Uber One subscription.
Uber One is the ride-hailing app’s paid perk which unlocks discounts for travel and takeaways.
It costs £49.99 for a year.
And at the moment they’re throwing in access to Disney+ Standard for a year on top, which usually costs £89.80 alone .
Image credit: Alamy
This will mean the end of Hulu as a standalone streaming app.
However, the brand will live on within Disney as a section, much like it will in the UK when it replaces Star.
US viewers will still be able to pay for separate Hulu and Disney+ subscriptions as they do currently.
“Today, we’re announcing a major step in enhancing our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney Plus,” Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston said during the company’s quarterly earnings call.
“This will deliver a powerful entertainment package — combining top-tier brands and franchises, general entertainment, family programming, news, and industry-leading live sports — all within a single app.”
Hulu is expected to replace Star outside of the US in the autumn.
This will mean the six content channels available to watch on Disney+ in the UK will be:
- Disney
- Pixar
- Marvel
- Star Wars
- National Geographic
- Hulu
