Netflix Lets Something Is Killing the Children Slip Away, Sidelining Mike Flanagan’s Dream Adaptation

Netflix just let a buzzy horror property walk out the door, and Blumhouse scooped it up before it hit the sidewalk. If you have been waiting on a live-action take on 'Something Is Killing the Children', the long detour at Netflix is over. The project has moved to Blumhouse, which is not just resurrecting it but doubling it: a live-action movie and an adult animated series are both in the works.

Blumhouse grabs it and goes big

As first reported by THR, the adaptation spent years in development at Netflix (since 2021), then the streamer quietly passed in late 2024. Blumhouse, the shop behind 'The Black Phone 2' and 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2', stepped in and is now developing two versions at once. The comic by James Tynion IV and artist Werther Dell'Edera has been a horror fan favorite for a reason, and this is a pretty on-brand pickup for Jason Blum and company.

"It’s easy to see why audiences and critics alike have praised 'Something Is Killing the Children'... introducing Erica Slaughter, the ass-kicking hero we all wish we had to fight the monsters that lurk in the dark."

How we got here (and why it got messy)

There was real heat on this property at Netflix. First Mike Flanagan ('The Haunting of Hill House') took a crack at it, then 'Dark' creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese were attached to develop a live-action series. Somewhere along the way, Netflix tried to pivot it from a show into a movie, which stalled the whole thing. By late 2024, the streamer walked. Around that same time, Blumhouse made a stronger play for the rights and won them. Trade chatter credits the renewed interest to the big success of Zach Cregger's 2024 horror movie 'Weapons', which reminded everyone that audiences are still hungry for sharp, original scares.

• 2019: 'Something Is Killing the Children' debuts at BOOM! Studios, written by James Tynion IV with art by Werther Dell'Edera. It becomes a breakout horror comic.
• 2021: Netflix starts developing a live-action series; Mike Flanagan is attached early on, later replaced by 'Dark' duo Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese.
• Late 2024: Netflix passes after exploring a shift from series to movie.
• Now: Blumhouse takes over and sets up both a live-action film and an adult animated series.

So, what is this story?

Short version: in a small town where kids keep disappearing, the survivors swear they saw monsters. Adults can’t see the creatures, so nobody believes the kids... until Erica Slaughter shows up. She’s a calm, knife-carrying monster hunter with a very unsettling talking stuffed animal and ties to a secret organization that tracks these things. Erica’s job is simple and brutal: protect the kids and put down whatever is stalking them. The vibe blends horror, mystery, and dark fantasy — think the eerie small-town dread of 'Stranger Things' with a colder, bloodier edge.

Why this comic blew up

Since launch, 'Something Is Killing the Children' has sold over a million copies, spun off the companion series 'House of Slaughter', and helped James Tynion IV stack major industry wins, including Eisner and Harvey Awards. For the record keepers: it’s a BOOM! Studios title, first published September 4, 2019, firmly in the horror category. The hook is clean, the mythology is rich, and Erica Slaughter is one of those instantly iconic genre leads you can build a whole screen franchise around.

"'Something Is Killing the Children' is the comic book that changed my life and career forever... Nobody understands horror better than Blumhouse, and I can’t wait for the world to see what we all have planned together."

The read on the handoff

Netflix spending years developing this one only to let it go is very Netflix. Blumhouse going all in with both a film and an adult animated angle is very Blumhouse. If they nail Erica, the tone, and that nasty unseen-monster conceit, this could finally be the adaptation fans have been waiting for.