Image: AFP Relaxnews
The American author and master of the horror genre is currently riding high on both the big and small screens. With the “Castle Rock” series, produced by J.J. Abrams, and set in Stephen King’s fictional universe, having premiered this week on Hulu, here’s a look at five of the author’s works currently being made into movies.
It: Chapter Two
The sequel to “It”, based on the novel of the same name, lands in United States theaters in September 2019. The story is set in the small town of Derry and follows seven children as they are terrorized by a clown called Pennywise. The first movie, directed by the Argentinian filmmaker, Andy Muschietti, followed the adventures of the Losers’ Club as children. The second installment is set 27 years later, and sees the kids now adults, face the killer clown once again. Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, James McAvoy and Xavier Dolan star.
Doctor Sleep
In this sequel to the unforgettable “The Shining”, Ewan McGregor will play Jack Nicholson’s son, Danny Torrance. Now an adult, Danny is still traumatized by the events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was just seven years old. Now working in a hospice, Danny provides comfort to dying patients, which earns him the nickname, “Doctor Sleep”. While struggling to overcome his alcoholism, Danny finds that his psychic abilities start to re-emerge. Rebecca Ferguson could be set to join the cast of the movie, directed by horror-specialist, Mike Flanagan (“Ouija: Origin of Evil”), who also adapted “Gerald’s Game” for Netflix. “Doctor Sleep” is expected in 2020.
Firestarter
This 1980 science-fiction/fantasy novel is one of the projects currently being developed by Universal and Blumhouse. This movie adaptation, helmed by the German director, Fatih Akin, tells the story of a girl called Charlie and her parents, who have supernatural powers. After the death of her mother, Charlie and her father go on the run from the government agency that’s trying to catch them. The book was previously made into a 1984 movie starring Drew Barrymore as Charlie.
The Boogeyman
This short story, published in Stephen King’s 1978 collection, “Night Shift”, tells the story of Lester Billings, who believes that his children were murdered by The Boogeyman. Spooked and overcome with guilt, he consults a psychiatrist called Dr. Harper, but all is not as it seems. The “A Quiet Place” screenwriters, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, will pen the script. A director is yet to be named.
In the Tall Grass
This 2012 novella, written by Stephen King and his son, Joe Hill, tells the story of the inseparable siblings, Cal and Becky. When Becky finds out that she is pregnant, her parents send her to live with her aunt until the baby is born, and Cal decides to accompany her on the trip. On the journey, the pair stop by a field of tall grass where they hear a little boy calling for help. After heading into the grass in search of the child, it soon seems that there may be no way out. Rumors suggest that James Marsden (“Westworld”) could join the cast of this Netflix adaptation. JB
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