Are you ready for another scary YA-like kids story? Netflix’s new film “Nightbooks” places its morbid storytelling directly in the hands of one special boy. His talents are put to the test after encountering a witch with a taste for terrifying tales. This adaptation of J.A. White’s book harkens back to classic ‘80s fantasy and horror like “Labyrinth.” The film features a screenplay from Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis; both Daughtry and Iaconis are well aware of genre content, having worked on 2019’s “The Curse of La Llorona.”
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Director David Yarovesky once again focuses on the dark details that surround youth. His film “Brightburn” remains an overlooked genre title that understands how to manipulate narratives. It also relies on a young lead to deliver on the twisted premise; something “Nightbooks” relishes in. The filmmaker makes a smooth transition between genre greats as he moves from “Brightburn” producer James Gunn to Sam Raimi; the latter acts as executive producer on ‘Books.’ Raimi’s not alone in helping steer the film, his “Evil Dead” cohort Rob Tapert is also an executive producer on the project.
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The film’s official synopsis:
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Alex (Winslow Fegley) is a creative boy with a strong passion for writing scary stories. But when he’s labeled weird and rejected for what he likes, he swears he’ll never write again. That’s when an evil witch (Krysten Ritter) captures him in her magical apartment in New York City and demands that he tell her a new tale every night if he wants to stay alive. Trapped inside with Lenore, the witch’s spiteful cat watching his every move, Alex meets Yasmin (Lidya Jewett), another young prisoner who has learned how to survive the witch’s wicked whims. With Yasmin’s help, Alex must learn to embrace what makes him unique — his love for scary stories — and rewrite his own destiny to break them free.
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Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett, and Krysten Ritter star in “Nightbooks.” The film premieres on September 15 on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.