With a full cast list in place, Paramount+ has announced that it has officially kicked off production on School Spirits, an original production by the streamer which adds to its growing list of young adult content. Additionally, Paramount+ has unveiled the full cast for the afterlife drama which will be led by Peyton List (Cobra Kai).
School Spirits will follow List's character, a high school student who finds herself trapped in the afterlife. Desperate to return to the real world, she joins forces with other students stuck with her in afterlife limbo to investigate the circumstances that led to their disappearance. Further plot details were revealed when Milo Manheim (Zombies) was added to the cast in the role of Wally Clark — a ghost from the 1980s who was a star football player in his high school years. Described as a "friendly ghost" Wally will be an ally to the trapped high school students seeking an escape to the real world. The series is based on an upcoming graphic novel of the same name written by Nate & Megan Trinrud with the artwork provided by Maria Nguyen. The series and the graphic novel will be released simultaneously with the latter slated to be published in the fall of 2023 by Clarion Books/HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Additional cast unveiled by Paramount+ includes up-and-coming actors Kristian Flores (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), Spencer MacPherson, (Degrassi: Next Class) Kiara Pichardo (The Society) Sarah Yarkin (Happy Death Day 2U), Nick Pugliese (Dramarama) and Rainbow Wedell (The Bureau of Magical Things). Josh Zuckerman (The Offer) and Maria Dizzia (Orange Is the New Black) will also feature in the series in guest roles as Mr. Martin and Sandra Nears, respectively.
Oliver Goldstick of Pretty Little Liars and Bridgerton will serve as the showrunner as well as the executive producer for School Spirits.The Trinruds will also executive produce alongside Max Winkler (Cruel Summer) who will helm the series on the director's seat. School Spirit is yet another teen-focused project birthed by a collaboration between Paramount's Nickelodeon and Awesomeness Live-Action Studios, others being the iCarly revival series and the coming-of-age movie Honor Society.
Production for School Spirits is taking place in Vancouver with Paramount+ eyeing a release date later in 2023. While we anticipate the arrival of School Spirits, you can satisfy your YA appetite with the recently released Honor Society, starring Angourie Rice which is currently available to stream on Paramount+. Check out the trailer below: