If you grew up with a flashlight under your covers and a dog-eared copy of Goosebumps, you know the drill. R.L. Stine is the undisputed king of the "safe" scare. But something shifted in October 2025. When R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead dropped on Tubi, people expected the usual—spooky masks, maybe a few slime-covered twists, and a happy ending where the kids go home for cocoa.
Instead, we got a movie that actually left grown adults on Reddit complaining about being "deeply unsettled."
Honestly, the buzz around R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2025 isn't just because it's a new adaptation. It’s because it’s surprisingly mean-spirited for a PG horror flick. It’s based on a short story from Stine’s 1999 anthology Nightmare Hour, which was also turned into a Haunting Hour episode back in 2011. But this 2025 version? It takes the "Stine Twist" and turns it into a full-blown existential nightmare.
Forget the 80s Monster: This is Modern Folk Horror
The first thing you have to understand is that this has absolutely nothing to do with the 1988 cult classic Pumpkinhead directed by Stan Winston. There's no backwoods demon of vengeance here. This is pure folk horror for the "gateway" crowd.
The story follows a kid named Sam (played by Bean Reid) who moves to a town called Redhaven. It's one of those places that's a little too into its harvest festival. You know the type. Everyone is smiling, the cider is a little too sweet, and there’s a creepy guy named Mr. Palmer (Kevin McNulty) who seems to own the whole town.
Things go sideways when Sam’s brother, Finn, disappears. The catch? Not even their mom remembers Finn existed. Imagine that for a second. Your brother vanishes, and the person who gave birth to him looks you in the eye and asks, "Who's Finn?"
That's the core hook of R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2025. It's not just about a monster in the patch; it's about being erased from reality.
The Cast and the "Man in the Suit"
Director Jem Garrard made a very specific choice here that pays off. Instead of using a bunch of CGI goop, they went for a physical performance. Troy James, the legendary contortionist you might recognize from Channel Zero or The Flash, plays the monster.
Seeing a physical human body twist into unnatural shapes inside a pumpkin shell is way more effective than a digital effect ever could be. The creature design is simple—it’s basically a "man in a suit"—but James’s movement makes it feel like something that shouldn't exist.
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The kids carry the weight of the film:
- Bean Reid as Sam: The sullen, grieving lead who has to save a brother everyone forgot.
- Adeline Lo as Becka: The only other person who remembers Finn, giving Sam a much-needed tether to sanity.
- Matty Finochio as Rusty: The town's eccentric outcast who actually knows what the hell is going on.
The acting from the younger leads is surprisingly grounded. Usually, in these types of movies, the kids are either way too "Disney Channel" or just annoying. Reid and Lo actually seem scared, which makes the stakes feel real.
Why People Are Talking About the Ending (Spoilers)
Okay, we need to talk about why this movie went viral on social media. R.L. Stine usually gives you a "gotcha" ending. Think of it like a light punch to the shoulder.
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But the 2025 movie ending is bleak. Massive spoiler ahead: At the end, Sam manages to save his brother. He breaks the curse. But the curse requires a trade. To let Finn go back to his life, Sam has to stay behind. The movie ends with the family driving away, happy and whole, while Sam is left alone, forgotten, trapped in the patch.
John Squires, the editor-in-chief of Bloody Disgusting, pointed out that it might be the bleakest ending of any horror movie released in 2025, regardless of the age rating. It’s a gut-punch. It’s the kind of ending that makes you want to call your siblings just to make sure they're still there.
Is It Worth a Watch?
If you’re looking for Hereditary levels of trauma, this isn't it. It's still a Tubi original. Some of the adult acting is a bit campy, and the budget shows in certain scenes. But as a "gateway horror" movie—something to show a kid who thinks they’re tough or for a nostalgic adult who wants a quick Halloween fix—it’s better than it has any right to be.
It captures that specific feeling of "something is wrong with this town" that Stine does better than anyone else.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re planning to dive into the world of R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2025, here’s the best way to do it:
- Watch it for free on Tubi. Don't go looking for it on Netflix or Disney+; it’s a Tubi exclusive.
- Compare it to the original story. If you can find a copy of Nightmare Hour, read the short story first. It’s interesting to see how Jem Garrard expanded a ten-page story into a 90-minute feature.
- Check out the Haunting Hour episode. For a real trip, find the 2011 episode "Pumpkinhead." It’s much more "kiddie," and seeing the difference in tone between 2011 and 2025 tells you a lot about how horror for younger audiences has evolved.
Basically, if you want a movie that starts like a fun Halloween adventure and ends by making you stare at a blank wall for five minutes, this is your pick. It’s the Stine Twist at its most ruthless.