'Just Beyond' Stars Tease the Scary Stories in Disney+ Show

Celebrate spooky season with the stars of the new Disney+ series Just Beyond. Based on the writings of Goosebumps author, R.L. Stine, the eight-episode anthology series tells a different story throughout each installment.

Starring Gabriel Bateman (as Jack in episode 2), Jy Prishkulnik (as Luna in episode 3), Megan Stott (as Olivia in episode 4), Lexi Underwood (as Ella in episode 6) and Cedric Joe (as Sam in episode 8), among other notable names, the series — which premiered all episodes via the streaming service on Wednesday, October 13 — tells stories teaching important lessons from just beyond the realm of reality.

When it came to bringing the series to life, executive producer and creator Seth Grahame-Smith was the mastermind behind taking R.L.’s writings from the page to the screen.

“Somebody came to my office holding a copy of a graphic novel and said, ‘Hey, what do you think of, you know, doing this R.L. Stine graphic novel as a TV series?’ And that was immediately intriguing just because of the R.L. Stine of it all,” Seth, 45, tells J-14 exclusively ahead of the Just Beyond premiere. “Also, because the idea of doing an anthology series where you get to tell a different story every episode, and you don’t have to worry about, season arcs or character growth … I mean, the stuff that you have to think about in almost any other television show. So, it just seemed like a lot of fun and it, it turned out to be a lot of fun.”

Of course, when filming a horror show set to air before Halloween, there’s sure to be tons of spooky happenings on set.

“We actually filmed in [Atlanta’s] Fox Theatre,” Lexi, 18, explains. “There were a couple of nights scenes, and especially when we get into like the second half of the episode — to all the creepy haunted demon skull stuff — that in the Fox Theatre with really dim lighting and smoke coming from the ground was terrifying within itself. … I was terrified sometimes. I actually forgot I was filming. So, that was probably like the scariest part.”

While Megan, 18, didn’t have anything particularly scary happen to her while filming, when she went back and watched her episode — titled “My Monster” — the actress did get a little spooked!

“I will say, when I’ve watched my episode, I actually did get scared and I did jump a few times,” the Yes Day star recalls. “I was actually kind of surprised [about it], because I was like, ‘This isn’t scary to me,’ but then I watched it. I was like, ‘Actually, this is a little creepy.'”

Scroll through our gallery for an exclusive look at the Just Beyond characters.

All episodes of Just Beyond are available for streaming via Disney+ starting Wednesday, October 13.

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Gabriel Bateman as Jack

“My character is Jack, who is teenage boy who’s going through puberty and is starting to feel more and more, like, less related to his parents,” the 17-year-old actor tells J-14. “Then, as the episode goes on, that kind of gets more and more extreme. He thinks that his parents may not actually be human or his parents at all. So, he kind of gets terrified and starts to go on a journey of discovery to try to find out what’s going on with his parents and if they’re his real parents.”

Jy Prishkulnik as Luna

“I play Luna in episode three, ‘Which Witch.’ Pretty much what happens, [is] My cousin Fiona — who’s played by the beautiful and talented Rachel Marsh — she’s not really embracing her, witch heritage. She gets bullied for it a lot at school, and her world is kind of turned upside down when her cousin Luna literally comes in on a tornado and is just staying with her for a few weeks,” the star explains. “Luna is very much a witch. She loves every part of her witch identity. She’s got white spiky hair and purple eyes and the long nails. She’s kind of embarrassing to her cousin at school and the two, kind of, have to work together to embrace what makes them different.”

Megan Stott as Olivia

“Olivia is — basically, her parents are going through a divorce and she has to move to this new state with her mom and this new house that has creaky floorboards and flickering lights. She’s not really comfortable, and she has to make new friends,” the actress says. “It’s basically about her anxiety and her nervousness, and basically, overcoming that and having strength.”

Lexi Underwood as Ella

“She should be excited about her class field trip to the legendary Fox Theatre, but, unfortunately, her ex-best friend, Zoe, will also be there. … A tour guide tells them the tale of the 1938 fire that claimed the lives of an acting troupe and rehearsal. They have like this spooky legend that the dead thespians are looking to pluck the living and drag them into their acting troop. So, when personal issues with Zoe sends Ella running off, Ella finds herself trapped in the theatre overnight and in the middle of all this drama between the ghosts,” the Little Fires Everywhere alum teases. “Throughout, this story that we tell of a haunted night at the Fox Theatre, Ella learns the importance of forgiveness and to not let her circumstances define her.”

Cedric Joe as Sam

“So, Sam is a young boy dealing with the loss of his father,” the 16-year-old star shares. “And, with that, he somehow ends up in an alternate universe. So, he’s dealing with grief while he’s trying to find a way back home. … At the same, while he’s trying to find a way back home, he is also trying to deal with the death of his father.”

Exclusive‘Just Beyond’ Stars Share How Their Characters ‘Embrace What Makes Them Different’ in Disney+ Show

Gabriel Bateman as Jack

Jy Prishkulnik as Luna

Megan Stott as Olivia

Lexi Underwood as Ella

Cedric Joe as Sam

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