How the author of FRIGHT NIGHT is expanding the world of the original vampire movie
How the original Fright Night story will expand with a planned book trilogy from the film’s writer and director
The 1985 monster movie classic Fright Night revolves around a suburban teen who learns that his next-door neighbor is a vampire. Having trouble finding anyone who believes him, the kid gets hold of a TV show host—who, despite hosting monster movies on TV, is shocked to discover that vampires are actually real…
Below, find out how the original movie’s writer and director is revisiting the whole story with new books!
In this article:
About the original Fright Night
The impact of Fright Night
Expanding Fright Night with a new book trilogy
Also extending the original story in a new comic book
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About the original Fright Night
Written and directed by Tom Holland, the original movie Fright Night stars Chris Sarandon (as the vampire), William Ragsdale (as teen vampire slayer Charley Brewster), Roddy McDowall (as baffled monster movie host Peter Vincent), plus Amanda Bearse, Jonathan Stark, Dorothy Fielding, Stephen Geoffreys, and Art Evans.
“What makes Fright Night such a hoot to this day, on top of the great performances, ” remarked Slant Magazine on the film’s 25th anniversary, “is the deft blending of humor and suspense that Holland manages to build in his story.”
The impact of Fright Night
In the years since the original movie, there have been at least one sequel, a couple of comic book series, a remake—and the start of an original trilogy of novels. (In fact, the novels are being co-written by the man who wrote the original movie!)
The 2011 remake of Fright Night starred Charley Anton Yelchin (as Charley), David Tennant (as horror magician Peter Vincent), and Colin Farrell (as a meaner version of the vampire).
Asked his opinion of the remake, creator Tom Holland—wo wrote and directed the original Fright Night—complimented the staff’s professionalism, but complained that they ignored the original movie’s humor and heart. “They should have called it something other than Fright Night, because it had no more than a passing resemblance to the original.”
In fact, Holland told Collider that the whole category of horror movies for modern filmmakers has become a kind of problem. “I do tend to find [horror] sort of self-conscious and pretentious at this point. The ‘80s and ‘90s, before it tailed off, was fun. F-U-N. Fun. And it’s harder to find fun right now in horror.”
Expanding Fright Night with a new book trilogy
Following his comments about the remake of his original movie, Tom Holland returned in 2022 with the novel Fright Night: Origins. Co-written with A. Jack Ulrich, Fright Night: Origins is the first book in a planned trilogy set to expand the Fright Night universe.
“It’s the only way to protect myself,” Holland told SYFY WIRE. “If you wanna see something done right, do it yourself.”
According to the book’s description:
You think you know the whole story, don’t you? High school isn’t going well for teenage horror fan Charley Brewster, still dealing with the loss of his father, he finds himself in his first serious relationship with the vibrant and beautiful Amy Peterson. If new love wasn’t complicated enough Charley is also failing Trigonometry. Late one night while cramming for a test Charley spies something suspicious in the yard next door, two men carrying what appears to be a coffin. What’s going on in the old Victorian House and who are Charley’s new neighbors? Tom Holland returns to the world of Fright Night along with A. Jack Ulrich to lay the groundwork for a brand new trilogy!
Holland told Bloody-Disgusting in 2022:
“A couple years ago I sat down to write a novel of my original story Fright Night, but as I came close to finishing, I realized I had so much more to tell. There were elements I was not able to convey in the original film because of time constraints, and I was compelled to take us back to the origins of Fright Night and beyond.”
Holland said he’d written something that he truly hopes fans of Fright Night will love—and that he intends to take the Fright Night universe far beyond the story the films have told.
“This story and the characters are deeply personal to me, and I hope the fans have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. Fright Night forever!”
Also extending the original story in a new comic book
In addition to co-writing a new trilogy of books, Fright Night creator Tom Holland has also approved a new comic book series from publisher American Mythology Comic Books. Comics writer James Kuhoric follows up on the events of Holland’s original screenplay, with the story picking up right after the events of the 1985 movie.
A year since vampire Jerry Dandridge died (again), life is still crazy for the impromptu vampire killers. But something ancient and evil has clawed from the ground and found them. And they are going to discover that once you look into the undead abyss...the monsters hiding there look back. They are about to relive the worst night of their lives….
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The Rondo Awards honor the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation. This year's winners include the reissue of ROBOT MONSTER, the movie GODZILLA: MINUS ONE, the TV series WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, and more! Find out the details here.