Tubi has announced R.L. Stine’s Afraid of Clowns, a new original horror film headed to the free streaming service in 2027. It becomes the third title in Tubi’s growing R.L. Stine collection.
The story brings a traveling circus to the town of Redhaven. When Ringmaster Rollo and his mysterious clown troupe arrive, Frankie discovers that their visit may be tied to a child who vanished years ago. Convinced the clowns have now set their sights on her little brother, she must persuade her friends to help uncover the truth and stop the troupe before he disappears with them for good.
Frankie Honey, Ava Ferrer, Azriel Dalman, Joe Moore, and Jimbo, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season eight and a veteran of Canada’s Drag Race, star. Jem Garrard (R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead, Buzzkill) writes and directs for Front Street Pictures, reuniting the creative team behind both Pumpkinhead films.
Those films set up the lineup. R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead premiered exclusively on Tubi in October 2025, and its sequel, R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2, arrives October 9, 2026. Afraid of Clowns also joins “Terror on Tubi,” the platform’s year-round horror hub, which Tubi says streams more than 53 million hours of the genre each month.
“R.L. Stine has been the first taste of fear for legions of fans, and the beginning of a lifelong love of horror,” said Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer, Tubi.
Stine himself leaned into the premise. “Clowns have been scaring kids long before I ever got to them. I just gave them a reason to be afraid of the ones in Redhaven,” said R.L. Stine, who added that he can’t wait for viewers to meet Ringmaster Rollo.
Viewers can catch up on the Redhaven stories now, with Pumpkinhead 2 next on the calendar. Find the Stine collection and the rest of Tubi’s horror hub at tubitv.com.
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- R.L. Stine’s Afraid of Clowns (2027) — promotional image from the Tubi announcement. Courtesy of Tubi.
