Stephen King is about to find out that there’s no better jester than “The Simpsons.”
Fans of the long-running animated show are already likely aware that America’s presiding master of horror previously appeared in a cameo. But at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, executive producer Matt Selman revealed that King’s work itself will soon be spoofed in a full-length episode, according to Variety.
The upcoming 34th season will deliver two “Treehouse of Horror” episodes for the very first time. While one of the special Halloween-themed episodes will be traditionally structured into three vignettes of around seven minutes each, the other will tackle King’s horror masterpiece “It” for the entire runtime.
“We’ve never done a single fantastical, bloody, scary, dark story, told over the scope of the 20 minutes and 40 seconds that is an episode,” Selman told Variety. “I think the fans are going to be really excited.”
“Certainly the tattoos already exist of Krusty as Pennywise,” he said, referring to Krusty the Clown, the chain-smoking “Simpsons” character who has been a fixture of the show since the beginning.
“So we’re just writing towards the tattoos now,” joked Selman. “You want as many tattoo-worthy moments in your episode as you can.”
Unlike Krusty, Pennywise from “It” is a shape-shifting entity that feeds on human fear — and will now officially terrorize Springfield in time for Halloween.
The producer also detailed plans for the traditional “Treehouse of Horror” episode, revealing it will probe the “Death Note” series. Because the beloved manga and anime series has a distinct visual style of its own, Selman said an entirely separate animation studio was in charge of the episode.
He described it as “incredibly authentic ‘Simpsons’ anime” and wagered fans are “gonna freak out over that.” Selman clarified he and his colleagues weren’t simply picking the most popular properties to spoof, however, and that the producers are tackling this with respect.
“We’re not trying to take on every single anime. It’s an unbelievably rich and diverse genre within itself,” said Selman. “We’re not trying to do 20 shows and scoop it all into six minutes. It’s just one beloved thing, this show ‘Death Note.’”
Selman also confirmed that any plans for future “Simpsons” movies or video games were currently on hold, and he teased guest stars for the 34th season, including actor Melissa McCarthy.
Season 34 of “The Simpsons” will premiere on Sept. 25.