It looks like Blumhouse’s long-gestating adaptation of Something Is Killing the Children is finally catching some real momentum. Dread Central reports that during a signing and Q&A on Trinity Comics’ Whatnot stream, series co-creator James Tynion IV dropped the meatiest update fans have gotten since Blumhouse snatched up the rights to the horror mega-hit. The big news? There is an officially completed screenplay for the live-action feature film.
So, what’s the hold-up?
Tynion revealed that the creative team is holding off on pitching until they lock down the series bible for the companion adult animated show. The game plan is to package both the live-action movie and the animated series together. While the ideal scenario is finding a buyer hungry for both, Tynion noted that if a studio only wants to sink its teeth into the live-action film, they’ll happily shop the animated series elsewhere.
This strategy tracks with Blumhouse’s original promise to tackle Tynion and Werther Dell’Edera’s universe from two fronts, with Tynion set to write and executive produce the animated arm. At the same time, the live-action film develops alongside it.
What Is Something Is Killing the Children?
For the uninitiated, Tynion and Dell’Edera’s BOOM! Studios phenomenon debuted in 2019 and almost overnight became a modern horror juggernaut. The story centers on Erica Slaughter, a total badass and mysterious monster hunter who wanders into small towns to investigate cryptic child disappearances. The catch? The monsters plaguing these communities are very real, but only children can actually see them. Adults are either completely blind to the horrors or actively living in denial—at least until the body count forces reality upon them.
What started as a tight, localized nightmare has since blown wide open, expanding into the secretive lore of the House of Slaughter, the enigmatic Order of St. George, and the terrifying mythology of the monsters themselves.
The Comic Isn’t Slowing Down, Either
If you’re worried the source material is running out of steam while Hollywood gets its act together, fear not. Issue #49 just hit shelves, laying the groundwork for a massive, milestone 50th issue later this year. BOOM! Studios has described #49 as the calm before a monumental storm, setting up a turning point that promises to reshape the series. Get it now.
Even better? We’re nowhere near the finish line. BOOM! Studios previously committed to at least 100 issues, meaning Erica Slaughter’s gruesome campaign is only about halfway done.
