Frequent Tim Burton Collaborator to Pen Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Movie

The movie version of those books that haunted your dreams as a child may not be so scary after all.

Screenwriter John August, who has written multiple screenplays for director Tim Burton, will write CBS Films’ upcoming Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Deadline reports.

The previous screenwriters attached to the project had written the past four Saw films. August, on the other hand, most recently wrote the Oscar-nominated animated Frankenweenie. But it’s hard to imagine there’s a non-terrifying adaptation of the Alvin Schwartz books that featured these twisted illustrations from Stephen Gammell.

The three-book series has sold more than 7 million copies around the globe since its first volume hit shelves in 1981.

[Deadline]

Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com.