Horror icon Cassandra Peterson, best known as Elvira, is joining the cast of R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2 as a mysterious witch in the upcoming Tubi original.
Peterson, 74, will play a character named Cassandra in the sequel, which is due to premiere on Tubi on 9 October 2026 as part of the streaming service’s horror line-up.
The character is described as being wise and deeply connected to ancient magic, with knowledge of the dark forces threatening the town of Redhaven and the sacrifice that may be needed to stop them.
“R.L. Stine and I have been in the business of scaring kids for a long time, so joining Pumpkinhead 2 was such a treat,” Peterson said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.
“Playing Cassandra was the perfect ‘witchy’ role for me,” she added.
The film follows the return of a Pumpkinhead curse in Redhaven. Sam and Becka, played by Bean Reid and Adeline Lo, must find a way to prevent the supernatural threat from claiming the entire town.
Jem Garrard, who directed the first film, is returning to write and direct the sequel. The original R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead, inspired by a story from Stine’s The Haunting Hour, premiered exclusively on Tubi in October 2025.
Josh Van Houdt, Tubi’s vice-president of original scripted content, said pairing Peterson with the celebrated children’s horror author felt “both nostalgic and completely fresh”.
Tubi has described the sequel as part of its expanding horror offering, with R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2 among the original films being promoted through its Terror on Tubi programming.
Peterson has continued to take on screen roles beyond Elvira in recent years, appearing in Rob Zombie’s 2022 version of The Munsters and the television comedy The Goldbergs.
