TLDR;
This video explores the rise and fall of the Goosebumps franchise, from its origins as a children's horror book series in the early 1990s to its multimedia expansion and subsequent legal battles between author R.L. Stein's Parachute Press and publisher Scholastic. It details the key factors that contributed to the series' initial success, including Scholastic Book Fairs and the creation of spin-off series and merchandise. The video also covers the lawsuit over royalties and the use of ghostwriters, and the impact of Harry Potter's emergence on Goosebumps' popularity.
- The Goosebumps franchise began as a book series and expanded into television, merchandise, and more.
- A legal battle between R.L. Stein's Parachute Press and Scholastic led to the franchise's decline.
- The emergence of Harry Potter further overshadowed Goosebumps' popularity.
The Genesis of Goosebumps [0:01]
The Goosebumps franchise emerged in the 1990s from a series of children's horror books. R.L. Stein, who previously wrote teen horror novels like "Fear Street," created Goosebumps, drawing the name from a TV Guide ad. Similar to "Fear Street," the Goosebumps books were anthological, featuring different child protagonists encountering supernatural forces. Aimed at children ages 8-12, in 1991, Parachute Press signed a deal with Scholastic Corporation to publish the first six Goosebumps books. While Parachute Press retained the trademark, Scholastic gained control over non-publication rights, including adaptations and merchandise. The agreement stipulated that R.L. Stein would be the sole writer of the series.
Early Success and Expansion [2:55]
Scholastic published the first two Goosebumps books, "Welcome to Dead House" and "Stay Out of the Basement," in July 1992. The series gained popularity through Scholastic Book Fairs, reaching 1.8 million copies in print by 1993. R.L. Stein's spooky tales resonated with elementary school children, though some parents expressed concern over the horror themes. Scholastic and Parachute Press renewed their contract, and Goosebumps' popularity grew through word of mouth. In 1994, the first spin-off, "Tales to Give You Goosebumps," was released.
Peak Popularity and Multimedia Domination [4:51]
1995 marked a significant turning point for Goosebumps with the introduction of the "Give Yourself Goosebumps" interactive spin-off series. Scholastic was shipping 4 million copies of Goosebumps books monthly, with over 70 million in circulation. In the fall of 1995, the Goosebumps television series, produced by Scholastic Productions, premiered on Fox, further boosting the franchise's popularity. This led to another spin-off book series, "Goosebumps Presents." By 1996, Scholastic expanded the franchise beyond books and TV, releasing episodes on VHS and various merchandise. A $40 million deal with Pepsi promoted Goosebumps through Pepsi products, increasing brand exposure.
Internal Conflicts and Legal Battles [6:36]
Despite the financial success, Parachute Press grew frustrated with their agreement with Scholastic. In early 1996, they requested control of Goosebumps licensing and a $10 million bonus, which Scholastic refused. Relations deteriorated, leading to a new deal in November 1996 that granted Parachute control over licensing negotiations, subject to Scholastic's approval. However, a provision stated that any breach of terms would void the agreement. By 1997, internal and external pressures began to affect the franchise.
Decline in Book Sales and Lawsuits [8:09]
In February 1997, Scholastic announced declining Goosebumps book sales, causing a 41% drop in stock value and a subsequent lawsuit from stockholders. Despite this, the franchise remained strong with a Disney World attraction and the TV series' high ratings. However, relations between Scholastic and Parachute soured, leading to a stalemate over licensing deals. Scholastic accused Parachute of using unapproved forms for licensing deals, voiding the contract and halting royalty payments. Parachute sued Scholastic for $36 million in royalties, and Scholastic countersued, alleging that Parachute breached the contract by using ghostwriters for the Goosebumps books.
The Ghostwriter Controversy [9:58]
Scholastic claimed that R.L. Stein used ghostwriters starting with book 17, "Why I'm Afraid of Bees," who created full manuscripts from Stein's outlines. Scholastic argued that Stein acted more as an editor, violating the contract and causing declining sales. While Stein initially denied using ghostwriters, Parachute later admitted to hiring assistants to meet deadlines, but claimed Stein retained creative control.
Legal Limbo and Continued Publication [11:48]
With Goosebumps in legal limbo, Scholastic published "Goosebumps Triple Header" in October 1997, leading to another lawsuit from Parachute for copyright infringement. Despite the lawsuits, both parties continued to fulfill their contract, with Scholastic publishing new books and Parachute delivering manuscripts. A Goosebumps feature film produced by Tim Burton was also in development. In January 1998, a new series, "Goosebumps Series 2000," was launched, and the TV series continued to perform well.
Increased Competition and TV Series Cancellation [13:30]
By 1998, increased competition led to a decline in viewership for the Fox Kids block, and the Goosebumps TV series was renewed for a shortened fourth season. Reruns of the series aired on Fox Family, leading to another lawsuit from Scholastic, who claimed entitlement to the profits. The TV series continued to air in reruns until 2001 and sold well on home video, but new episodes were out of the question due to the high-profile lawsuit.
The Rise of Harry Potter and Series Conclusion [14:40]
As R.L. Stein continued to work on the Goosebumps books, a new young adult series, Harry Potter, began to take the nation by storm. Scholastic purchased the US rights to "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in 1997, and the series quickly overshadowed Goosebumps in popularity. Sales of Goosebumps declined to 200,000 copies per month, and R.L. Stein and Parachute signed a new deal with Harper Collins for "The Nightmare Room" and "Goosebumps Gold" series. However, the "Goosebumps Gold" series was canceled before its release, likely due to ongoing litigation. The final Goosebumps books were published in 2000, and the series lay dormant for several years.
Settlements and Legacy [16:50]
In January 2003, Parachute Press and Scholastic reached a settlement, with Scholastic paying Parachute $9.65 million for the rights to Goosebumps and its trademark. In June 2003, Scholastic lost its case against Fox regarding the airing of Goosebumps on the Fox Family Channel. By the time these lawsuits were settled, public interest in Goosebumps had waned. However, Goosebumps books remained in schools and libraries, and Scholastic began re-releasing books from the original series in 2003.
Resurrection and Continued Influence [17:58]
Goosebumps continued to sell around 2 million copies per year, and the franchise received a boost when reruns of the TV series began airing on Cartoon Network in 2007. In 2008, Goosebumps was resurrected as "Goosebumps HorrorLand," a new book series with R.L. Stein. A feature film adaptation of Goosebumps was released in 2015, with Jack Black portraying a fictionalized version of Stein. Despite the controversies, R.L. Stein maintains that he wrote all of the Goosebumps books himself. Goosebumps remains an iconic world that continues to captivate readers, leaving a lasting impression on its audience and embedding itself into American culture.