Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween contains lots of easter eggs for fans of the franchise to spot. The Goosebumps books are seriously nostalgic for fans of a certain age, and for many, it was their introduction to reading horror. The series was penned by R.L. Stine who had a talent for catchy titles like The Blob That Ate Everyone or The Cuckoo Clock Of Doom.
While parents may not have always been fond of these creepy books, they proved insanely popular during the 1990s. The Goosebumps books also spawned a multimedia franchise, including video games, comics, and a TV series. While the show was fairly cheesy and low-budget it produced some creepy episodes, including “Say Cheese And Die,” which provided Ryan Gosling (Blade Runner 2049) with an early role. Jeff Goldblum also appeared as Dracula in 1996 video game Goosebumps: Escape from Horrorland. While the books may have waned in popularity, the franchise received a boost thanks to the 2015 Goosebumps movie starring Jack Black as R.L. Stine.
The Goosebumps movie featured Stine helping to save a small town overrun by monsters from his own books. The movie grossed $150 million worldwide and a sequel was put in development. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween arrived in 2018 and while it was a modest hit the reviews were mixed. The sequel may not have been as much of a crowd-pleaser but for fans, it featured plenty of fun easter eggs for both the franchise and other iconic horror characters.
Countless Goosebump Monster References
Just like the original film, Slappy The Dummy from the Night Of The Living Dummy is the main villain, but Goosebumps 2 is loaded with references to other creatures. Some choices monsters include mummies from The Curse Of The Mummy’s Tomb, the werewolf from The Werewolf Of Fever Swamp and Pumpkin Heads from Attack Of The Jack O’Lanterns. Other famous Goosebumps creatures that show up include a bat monster and evil scarecrows from The Scarecrow Walks At Midnight.
R.L. Stine Cameo
The version of R.L. Stine seen in both movies bares little resemblance to the real-life author, who makes a cameo at the end of Goosebumps 2 as the presenter of a science award.
Halloween III: Season Of The Witch
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween’s main characters, Sarah, Sonny and Sam dress up as a witch, pumpkin and skeleton respectively in a nod to the Silver Shamrock masks from 1982’s Halloween III.
IT
A subtle nod to Stephen King’s IT has R.L. Stine seeing a floating red balloon - a trademark of Pennywise the Dancing Clown - and declaring “Ha, I knew I came up with that first!”
Ghostbusters
Some Ghostbusters toys are seen in Sonny’s room, including Mr. Stay Puft and Slimer. They don’t come to life and cause havoc, sadly.
The Bride Of Frankenstein
A Bride Of Frankenstein-style creature is seen in the background, referring to the classic Universal horror movie.
Street Fighter
While not exactly horror icons, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween features a scene where Slappy displays his powers by bringing to life Ken and Ryu action figures from Street Fighter.
Next: Ryan Gosling’s Goosebumps Episode Was One Of The Show’s Creepiest