‘Ghost Squad’ Halloween Book and Movie Announced

Author Claribel Ortega’s upcoming young adult novel Ghost Squad, which takes place on and around Halloween, is already set for a movie adaptation.

Brenda Chapman, who most recently directed the upcoming fantasy adventure Come Away, based on the stories of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland and starring Angelina Jolie, will write and direct the film adaptation of Ortega’s novel, which will be a “live action hybrid”, according to Deadline. She was previously the first woman to direct an animated film for a major studio with DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt, and went on to direct the Oscar winning Disney/Pixar hit Brave.

Ghost Squad follows the story of Lucely and her best friend, Syd, two outcast kids living in the famously old St. Augustine, Florida. In efforts to right a past wrong-doing, the pair casts a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits right before Halloween. Together, they must join forces with Syd’s witchy grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town – and Lucely’s firefly ancestors – before it’s too late.

The book will be released from Scholastic on April 7, with production on the film expected to begin imminently.

Scholastic Entertainment, Josephson Entertainment, and ‘Twas Entertainment are developing and producing the project.

You can see a video preview of the novel and its cover art by Lorena Alvarez Gomez below.

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