Every R.L. Stine Cameo In TV & Movie Adaptations Of His Books, Ranked

3 Goosebumps (2015)

Mr. Black

The first Goosebumps movie was released in 2015 and starred Jack Black as R.L. Stine. It depicts the author teaming up with his teenage daughter and his neighbor after his franchise’s monsters escape from his books and wreak havoc in town. Several of Stine’s classic creatures are depicted throughout the movie, which in many ways, is a celebration of his work. Goosebumps features R.L. Stine’s interpretation of witches, werewolves, gnomes, and deadly gummy bears.

R.L. Stine has an extremely brief cameo during Goosebumps‘ final scenes. As Jack Black’s Stine walks down a corridor in the school he’s starting to work at, the real author portrays a teacher who waves and calls out, “Hello, Mr. Stine.” Black’s Stine then replies, “Hello, Mr. Black.” It’s a delightful appearance from the Goosebumps creator, made more satisfying by switching the pair’s names. The name switch proffers a more subtle nod to Stine’s identity and, as a teacher, celebrates his influential history in children’s literature.

2 Goosebumps (1995-1997)

Himself/Host

R.L. Stine’s most famous appearances in adaptations of his work are in the original Goosebumps television series. The Goosebumps anthology series ran for four seasons from 1995 until 1997, adapting 43 of the Goosebumps books. Many of these stories are depicted across two episodes, totaling 74 installments in total. R.L. Stine appears in a total of six of these stories (12 episodes) and delivers an introduction and epilogue to each as himself. Stine shows up in the very first episode, as well as a selection of stories from seasons 1 and 2.

Stine assumes the role of host in the 1990s Goosebumps series, recalling the horror tradition exemplified by Elvira and Rod Sterling. Stine begins each of these with, “Hello, I’m R.L. Stine, I wrote the Goosebumps books,” before offering some insight into the episode. In many of these, he repeats the show’s tagline before the story begins: “Viewer beware, you’re in for a scare.” During the epilogue, Stine often attempts to belay any fears the audience might have, reassuring children that it’s simply a story.

For many R.L. Stine fans, this was the first opportunity to see the man behind the horror. As a host, he is playful and charming, often delivering a joke based on the story’s premise that offers a comedic ending to the children’s horror show. Stine ensures every audience member goes away comforted by the knowledge the terror is over. As a result, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps cameos are among his strongest because they allow the horror maestro to connect with his audience directly, fostering an attachment between the author and the viewers.

1 Goosebumps (2023) Season 1, Episode 9 “Night Of The Living Dummy: Part 2”

Podcast Host

R.L. Stine’s best cameo occurs in the 2023 Goosebumps reboot. Goosebumps ditches the anthology format of the original series and focuses on a group of five high school students who encounter a classic Goosebumps story with each episode. Goosebumps season 1, episode 9, “Night of the Living Dummy: Part 2,” depicts an adaptation of the 1993 novel of the same name. The episode revolves around Slappy the ventriloquist dummy and Nathan Bratt (Juston Long), who is suffering from writer’s block.

Hoping to cure his writer’s block, Bratt listens to a podcast named “Let the Write One In.” The podcast is hosted by R.L. Stine, with a highly stylized portrait of him serving as the podcast’s cover image. Stine’s host discusses writing techniques filled with appropriately gloomy metaphors about the narrative. R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps cameo is perfect because it celebrates Stine’s literary legacy without feeling too obtrusive. R.L. Stinehas several cameos in live-action adaptations of his books, but Goosebumps (2023) is his strongest.