Goosebumps 3: Death to Slappy (also known as simply Goosebumps 3) is a 2021 American live-action/computer-animated horror comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Darren Lemke. As a sequel to 2015's Goosebumps and 2018's Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, it is inspired by the children's book series of the same name by R.L. Stine.
The film's cast includes Jack Black reprising his role as R.L. Stine; Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush, Ryan Lee, Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris (all returning from previous films in the franchise); Avery Lee Jones as the puppeteer and voice of Slappy the Dummy, and new cast members J.K. Simmons as Tim Jacobus, Dakota MacAdams as Jesse Stine (the long lost younger brother of Hannah and son of R.L. Stine), Bella Thorne as Rebecca Gunderson, and Michael Keaton as Captain Lee Gunderson.
The movie takes place five years after the events of Goosebumps 2, where R.L. Stine has "disappeared under unknown circumstances" (he was sucked into a book that Slappy had written of him at the end of that film). With Stine now out of the picture, Slappy unleashes the monsters from every book in the Goosebumps series and hatches a plan to turn the world into his own little "HorrorLand". Now, the kids from the previous two films must team up together and rescue Stine, who has a mad plot of his own: death to Slappy.
Goosebumps 3 was released in the United States on October 14, 2021 by Sony Pictures Releasing under the Columbia Pictures label. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised Kasdan's direction, the acting (mainly Black and Jones' performances), the screenplay, the music (composed by Daniel Pemberton) and the special effects (Slappy and Mr. Wood were created by Alterian Studio and KNB EFX Group, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks).
Cast[]
Jack Black as R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps books. Stine is noticeably more irrational and unhinged than in the last two films, perfectly willing to sink to new lows to destroy Slappy.
Avery Lee Jones as Slappy, an evil ventriloquist's dummy who seeks to turn Earth into a horror-themed amusement park. Slappy, the main villain of the Night of the Living Dummy saga, was voiced in previous installments by Jack Black and Mick Wingert, with Jones serving as lead puppeteer. Jones was assisted in performing Slappy by Anthony Gardner, Fagalilo Tauvao, Peter Chevako, Ronald Binion, and Richard Redlefsen.
J.K. Simmons as Tim Jacobus, artist behind the Goosebumps book covers. His illustrations act as a gateway for the Goosebumps monsters into the real world.
Dylan Minnette as Zach
Odeya Rush as Hannah Fairchild, protagonist of the Goosebumps book The Ghost Next Door and R.L. Stine's "daughter".
Ryan Lee as Champ
Madison Iseman as Sarah
Jeremy Ray Taylor as Sonny
Caleel Harris as Sam
Dakota MacAdams as Jesse Stine (Hannah’s one-year younger long-lost brother and son of R.L. Stine)
Bella Thorne as Rebecca Gunderson (Jesse Stine’s love interest later girlfriend)
Michael Keaton as Captain Lee Gunderson (the father of Rebecca and Captain Chief of the Madison Police Department).
Macaulay Culkin as the voice of Mr. Wood, from the first Night of the Living Dummy book. An even more evil and aggressive counterpart to Slappy, Mr. Wood makes it his mission to kill Slappy, just so he can destroy the world himself. Mr. Wood was puppeteered by David Quesal, Gregory Nicotero, Andy Schoneberg, Norman Cabrera, Jeff Himmel, and John Paul Fedele.
Corey Burton as the voice of Goosebumps mascot Curly the Skeleton, who joins Stine and friends in defeating Slappy out of resentment toward the dummy stealing his spotlight. James Kemp and Russell Shinkle do the puppeteer work for Curly.
Josh Brolin as The Masked Mutant, from the Goosebumps book Attack of the Mutant.
R.L. Stine as a man who drowns in a tsunami of green Monster Blood.
Dante Pereira-Olsen as the voice of Brent, from the Goosebumps book My Best Friend is Invisible.