[7] Based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Stephen King, the film follows a family that becomes haunted by the Boogeyman after a troubled man visits and inadvertently brings the creature to them.

An adaptation of King's short story was first announced in June 2018 with Beck and Woods writing the screenplay, but the project was canceled in 2019 due to Disney's acquisition of Fox.

Lester explains that his three children, including his youngest daughter Annie, have died, all killed by an evil entity that latched onto his family.

During a sleepover with a group of girls from her school, Sadie encounters the Boogeyman and Sawyer is attacked shortly thereafter, ending up hospitalized.

[10] In November 2021, the film was revived, and it was reported that Rob Savage would direct from a screenplay by Mark Heyman, based on original drafts by Beck, Woods, and Akela Cooper, with streaming service Hulu set to distribute.

[11] In early 2022, Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland, Vivien Lyra Blair, and Madison Hu were added to the cast.

[15] According to Savage, "When the movie tested so well, we decided it was time to get Stephen King's input, so we rented out his favorite cinema in Maine."

'"[16] An advanced screening of the film took place at CinemaCon on April 26, 2023, as part of the Walt Disney Studios' presentation of their 2023 release schedule.

[5][6] In the United States and Canada, The Boogeyman was released alongside Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and was projected to gross around $15 million from 3,205 theatres in its opening weekend.

The website's consensus reads: "The Boogeyman might fall short of its terrifying source material, but a spooky atmosphere and some solid performances help keep the chills coming.

[26] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said the film "mostly works, thanks to the expertly calibrated atmospherics, a memorable visual style... and the committed performances of a very talented cast.

"[27] CNN's Brian Lowry wrote, "As is so often the case with these movies, the buildup is generally more terrifying than the payoff, and Savage doesn't scrimp when it comes to jump-at-you scares.

"[28] Kevin Maher of The Times gave the film 2/5 stars, saying that it was "90 minutes of dark corridors, plot holes and jump scares, followed by a silly climactic confrontation and some saccharine nonsense in a therapist's office.