Netflix marked the release of Fear Street: Prom Queen with an immersive 1980s-themed prom event in Los Angeles, transforming a local theatre into the haunted halls of Shadyside High as cast members joined fans in celebrating the latest instalment in the slasher franchise.
The fourth film in Netflix’s Fear Street series, Prom Queen, began streaming on Friday.
The horror film, directed by Matt Palmer and based on R.L. Stine’s novels, follows a series of disappearances from a popular clique at Shadyside High in 1988.
To promote the release, Netflix hosted a live experience from 17 to 19 May at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles.
The event recreated locations from the film — including the gymnasium, lockers, and girls’ bathroom — to immerse attendees in the slasher setting.
On 18 May, Palmer and cast members India Fowler, Suzanna Son, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rebecca Ablack attended the “Shadyside High Senior Prom ’88.”
The actors mingled with fans exploring the interactive venue, which included staged jump scares and theatrical interactions with costumed performers.
“Fear Street is a beloved franchise, so our main goal was for the experience to mirror everything the fandom loves about the films — terrifying jump scares, solving a mystery and wall-to-wall fun,” said Jonathan Helfgot, vice president of film marketing at Netflix.
The franchise began with Fear Street Part One: 1994 in July 2021, and each instalment is set in a different decade.
For the new film, the team leaned into 1980s nostalgia, with decor and music from the era as fans encountered horror scenes, including an axe-wielding character emerging from a janitor’s closet.
Helfgot added: “We meticulously recreated Shadyside High circa 1988 so that fans could fully immerse themselves in the world of the story. Whether it was cheering along to an impromptu dance-off or getting reprimanded by a strict teacher, everyone loved being at high school in the ’80s — even those chased through it.”
The film continues Netflix’s attempt to build on the cult following of the Fear Street series, which blends horror, humour and teen drama.
Critics of previous entries praised the series’ balance of genre elements and nods to both the source material and modern classics like Scream.
Fear Street: Prom Queen is now streaming on Netflix.
