Prom Queen’ Images Take Audiences Back To Shadyside in New ’80s-Inspired Horror Sequel [Exclusive]
Fear Street fans, beware; you’re in for a scare. Finally, after four long years, the wait is coming to an end with the arrival of Fear Street: Prom Queen on May 23, 2025. Veering from the original trilogy that came out in 2021, this chapter, told by director Matt Palmer, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Donald McLeary, will focus on R.L. Stine’s 1992 novel The Prom Queen. With the ballot box nearing its count, we’re excited to take our readers onto the dance floor, thanks to Collider’s Exclusive Preview of two new images from the film and a special interview with Palmer and Prom Queen stars India Fowler and Fina Strazza. Tag along as we pick the trio’s brains while also sharing some exclusive images from the gory mayhem that will unfold when the film arrives on Netflix just in time for Spring Fling season.
There’s no doubt that for a certain group of us (we’re looking at you, fellow millennials), the works of Stine were a gateway into the world of horror. Whether through the actual printed books or the Goosebumps TV series of yesteryear, the chilling YA tales captured our attention throughout the ’90s and beyond. Despite being quite a bit younger than those of us who fall into the millennial camp, Fowler and Strazza both have their own set of unique memories centered around Stine’s classics. Never crossing the line into becoming a Goosebumps reader, Fowler said, “I actually never read them, but I remember the iconic Goosebumps title on the bookshelves at school — they were always there!”
Meanwhile, like so many of us, Strazza says a certain character caused her some deep trauma, leading her to never fully get into the series:
“I was so shaken by Slappy, from Night of the Living Dummy, that I steered clear of Stine’s books, fearing what else my mind would conjure from his storytelling. Darn it if that freakishly frightening dummy didn’t terrify me all over again upon watching the Goosebumps movie. I suppose that informs my genuine adoration of horror and for Stine’s particular genius: even when you know exactly what’s coming, great horror will get you every time.”
When it comes to how Stine’s books and the TV series shaped his vision for Prom Queen, Palmer touched on the “real sense of responsibility” that he had in bringing the story to an on-screen audience, opening up about the author’s “fun, creepy vibe,” and how it made his crossover an easy one. But when it came to the visual aspect, the helmer admits that he looked to other movies of the ’80s for their styles. He told Collider:
“Visually, we actually took a lot of inspiration from movies like River’s Edge and Blue Velvet, in terms of nailing down an authentic ’80s look and a wrong side of the tracks feeling for Shadyside. As the movie progresses, and we move into prom itself, the visual look becomes more heightened, falling more in line with the slasher classics of the ’80s, as well as the Italian giallos of the same period. Some of my favourite directors — John Carpenter, Dario Argento and David Lynch — also feel like influences on the visual look and movie as a whole.”
Speaking of the ’80s inspiration, Palmer went on to describe the feature as “a love letter” to the decade that brought us favorites like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, adding: “The entire movie is a love letter to 80s slasher movies, it’s really seeped into every frame of the movie. There’s a bunch of slasher movies that I’m crazy about — Happy Birthday To Me, Sleepaway Camp, and Pieces to name just a few — and the idea was to try and make a “lost slasher classic,” as if the movie had been locked in a vault since 1988 and only released now.”
It also sounds like the final product has the Stine stamp of approval on it and that the author was beyond easy to work with, as Palmer added:
“In terms of the Fear Street movies, R.L. gives people real freedom to re-imagine the books, so we used it as a springboard, with the aim of creating a homage to ’80s slasher cinema. While R.L. Stine wasn’t directly involved in the production, his team came along during the shooting, and it was great to hear how excited they were about the script and all the gory mayhem we were creating.”
‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Introduces a Brand New Set of Characters
Those who tuned in for the first three Fear Street films know that the stories overlapped and that many of the same characters crossed from one ghostly tale into the next. Shaking off the formula that came before, Prom Queen promises to be a standalone tale, as Palmer said he was eager to explore something different from what audiences had seen already. He explained:
“We did explore the possibility of re-introducing familiar faces but ultimately decided that Prom Queen would offer a fresh narrative filled with new characters. This time round we dig much deeper into school and family life but, this being Shadyside, suspense and gore-filled madness are never far away! We really can’t wait to see what fans think of the horror and thrills that we’re bringing in this new chapter.”
Teasing a little bit about the characters they’ll be playing, both Fowler and Strazza, who will be joined in the production by Suzanna Son, Ariana Greenblat, Ella Rubin, Chris Klein, Katherine Waterston, David Iacono, and Lily Taylor, were happy to give some insight. Connecting her character to a mean girl, Fowler said, “If Regina George lived on Fear Street, her name would be Tiffany Falconer. My character wants to be crowned Prom Queen, not Miss Congeniality.” Meanwhile, Fowler’s Lori couldn’t be any more different. She told Collider: “My character, Lori, is strong-willed yet kind. She presents as a classic underdog story, first struggling to find her strength, and then we watch her grow and find her true form and acceptance in herself.”
On top of the sprawling gambit of personalities that audiences will meet in Prom Queen, there are also some other moments that Palmer is hoping will stop audiences dead in their tracks. At the top of the list is the film’s soundtrack, which promises to be filled with iconic ’80s tunes that weave themselves perfectly into the murder-centered storyline.
“It was super exciting delving back into 1988 to pick stone-cold classics as well as tunes that are crying out for rediscovery — it’s insane how much great music was created in just that one year! The movie is very music driven, from the needle drops to the epic synth score created by The Newton Brothers, so I think people are in for a real treat!”
As for the kills, well, let’s just say the leading ladies are sure that audiences will be jumping out of their seats thanks to the guts, gore, and brutality that will stalk the halls of Shadyside. Reminiscing on her tango with the original trilogy, Fowler said: “I remember seeing the first three films with my friends and the deaths had us grabbing each other for support! I think Prom Queen does a great job at paying the same amount of insanity in the deaths as the previous films, just slightly more scary for me as I’m seeing my close friends get killed!” Leaning into the practical effects and emotional connection of it all, Strazza added:
“As an ongoing series, Fear Street offers these compelling jumps in its timeline. Our film is set in 1988, so the look, tone, and even our kills are inspired by the classic horror of the era. We relied heavily on practical effects and bloody sprays that we captured in real time — which made for an incredibly messy — but insanely fun shoot. Our characters’ lives may have been short-lived, but we have lasting friendships.”
The Future of ‘Fear Street’
As for what fans can expect beyond Prom Queen, Palmer played his cards close to his chest, leaving the door open for both the possibility of a follow-up film or a completely different adaptation.
“The way we were looking at it is that we wanted to make a movie that was as satisfying as possible on its own terms, but set in the world established by the trilogy. In terms of any future Fear Street movies, I can only say that I feel there’s huge potential for this franchise to progress in all kinds of directions and I look forward to seeing how that plays out as a fan.”
Finally, we had to know what kind of ’80s horror flicks Fowler and Strazza connected with that might have informed their performances. For the former, it was The Shining, adding that while she’s a fan of the “campiness of ’80s horror/slasher,” the “psychological” aspect of Stanley Kubrick’s Stephen King adaptation has made it a mainstay in her life. In more recent years, she says she took an extreme liking to Radio Silence’s Ready or Not, adding, “I definitely pulled inspiration from Samara Weaving’s performance in that film for Prom Queen!”
Even though she may have been hung up on Slappy the Dummy, Strazza continued to pursue her love for horror with a few recognizable favorites, telling us:
“My go-to ’80s horror movie is unquestionably Halloween. And, yeah, I know it premiered in ’78, but since its continuation came out in ’81, I’m sticking with it. However, my favorite overall horror movie happens to also be my favorite movie ever: Scream. I’ve come a long way from Slappy the Dummy.”
Despite being through who knows what in the halls of Shadyside, both stars say they’d rather go through the situations thrown their way in Prom Queen than ever deal with high school again.
Fear Street: Prom Queen arrives on Netflix on May 23. Keep checking back throughout the week as we debut exclusive looks at the hottest summer releases.
- Release Date
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May 22, 2025
- Director
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Matt Palmer
- Writers
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Matt Palmer, Donald McLeary
- Producers
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Jenno Topping, Peter Chernin, Kori Adelson
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India Fowler
Lori Granger
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Fina Strazza
Tiffany Falconer
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Ella Rubin
Melissa McKendrick
