Is ‘Goosebumps 3: Cursed Christmas’ Actually in the Works at Sony?

The ‘Goosebumps‘ franchise has always had an odd relationship with the big screen, spending years bouncing around in development before Sony finally cracked the formula with Jack Black’s fictionalized take on author R.L. Stine. That formula worked well enough to spawn a sequel, and fans have spent years since wondering whether the studio would circle back for a third chapter.

Now a new claim is circulating online that might finally answer that question, though it’s worth stressing upfront that this is currently unverified chatter rather than anything Sony has confirmed. According to a post making the rounds on social media, a third ‘Goosebumps’ film is supposedly in the works, with the working title ‘Goosebumps: Cursed Christmas.’

The rumor claims the film would follow the returning characters from the previous movies settling into a normal Christmas, only to be pulled back into chaos when they have to save R.L. Stine himself. Slappy, the franchise’s signature villainous dummy, is said to return “stronger than ever” as the central threat driving the plot.

Here’s where things get murkier. The actual ‘Goosebumps’ film franchise currently consists of just two movies: 2015’s ‘Goosebumps’ and 2018’s ‘Goosebumps: Haunted Halloween,’ both starring Jack Black as the fictionalized version of Stine. No legitimate studio announcement, trade report, or official Sony communication has surfaced confirming a third installment is actually moving forward.

That gap matters, especially since the premise being floated leans on “the previous movies,” plural, implying a returning ensemble cast spanning multiple prior entries. Whether that’s simply imprecise phrasing from whoever started the rumor, or a sign the claim isn’t fully baked, is impossible to say without something concrete from Sony itself.

It’s also worth noting that Sony has a long history of teasing ‘Goosebumps’ follow-ups without much follow-through, going all the way back to when the studio first floated a new adaptation years before Jack Black ever signed on. Given that pattern, a holiday-themed threequel wouldn’t be out of the question thematically, since the book series itself has dipped into Christmas-adjacent horror before, but that alone doesn’t confirm this specific project is real.

If there’s any truth to the claim, a Christmas-set entry would actually fit comfortably within the franchise’s established rhythm. The first film built its horror around Stine’s manuscripts coming to life, and the sequel shifted the setting to Halloween, so a seasonal pivot toward Christmas would track as a natural next step for a series that’s leaned on holiday branding before.

Slappy has also consistently served as the franchise’s most reliable antagonist, appearing across both prior films as the mastermind behind the chaos, so his rumored return as a stronger, more dangerous version of himself would be consistent with how the character has been used previously. None of that confirms the specific details currently floating around, but it does mean the concept isn’t out of step with what Sony has done with the property before.

Until Sony or anyone directly involved with the franchise weighs in, this remains firmly in rumor territory rather than confirmed news. Fans eager for a third ‘Goosebumps’ movie should treat the “Cursed Christmas” title and plot details as speculation for now, not an announced project.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.