JumpScare Books Get TV Treatment

Scholastic Entertainment and Mainframe Studios have teamed up to develop and produce JumpScare, an animated horror series for kids ages 8 to 12.

Man of Action Entertainment, the writer collective behind Ben 10, has been brought onto the project to write and develop. The new show will include adaptations of four stand-alone Scholastic books along with an original story from Man of Action.

The first season of JumpScare will feature five distinct “hauntings.” The teenage protagonists across the series will be forced to reckon with spirits trapped between worlds at haunted sites like derelict houses, asylums, and graveyards. While the series is made up of stand-alone stories, they all exist within a “shared universe” and will ultimately be connected in ways that are both surprising and terrifying.

Scholastic Entertainment’s president and chief strategy officer, Iole Lucchese, said: “The horror genre continues to be extremely popular and is always among our bestsellers. These four titles lend themselves perfectly to layered stories of personal discovery, filled with suspense and surprise twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats.”

Jef Kaminsky, VP of creative development and TV production, added: “We’re so excited to be working with Mainframe Studios and Man of Action to create content that expands on the storylines from these popular titles in a fresh and dynamic way, as well as bringing Man of Action’s newest story to the screen for the first time.”

”We are delighted to work with our great partners, Scholastic Entertainment and Man of Action, to continue pushing the boundaries of Mainframe’s storytelling,” said Mainframe’s president and CCO, Michael Hefferon.

Gregory Little, senior VP of content, said: “Each of these haunted, atmospheric stories features kid characters who use their brains, courage and friendships to fight supernatural forces. These are the kinds of stories that kids share and dare each other to watch.”