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A promise made beneath cathedral oaks turns into a descent into terror in Bury Me When I’m Dead, which arrives on digital and VOD this 18 July. Writer-director Seabold Krebs delivers a gothic-tinged ghost story that fuses domestic tragedy with supernatural horror as Devon Terrell’s Henry struggles to honour his wife’s dying wish and unearths consequences darker than he could imagine.

When Catherine (Charlotte Hope) is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, the couple retreats to her childhood estate. Henry swears to lay her to rest in a remote woodland clearing, but a secret liaison with their friend Rebecca (Makenzie Leigh) has him riven with guilt. Following Catherine’s sudden death, Henry abandons his vow, returning her body to the city under threat from her formidable father Gary. That final betrayal unleashes a sequence of increasingly disturbing events, leading him to suspect that Catherine has risen from the grave to exact revenge.

After failing to keep his wife’s dying wish, a man believes he’s being haunted for revenge in Bury Me When I’m Dead.

The psychological horror thriller will be released on VOD in the US on July 18 and in the UK on July 28 via Vertical Entertainment.

It marks the feature debut of writer-director Seabold Krebs, who cites Possession and Jacob’s Ladder among his inspirations.

The film follows Henry as his life spirals out of control. When Catherine is diagnosed with brain cancer, they travel to her childhood home, where he promises to bury her in a remote forest. Meanwhile Henry’s been keeping a secret: their friend Rebecca is pregnant with his child. After Catherine’s sudden death, Henry breaks his promise and returns her body to the city under threat from her powerful father, Gary.

The weight of Henry’s betrayal to Catherine and fear of her overbearing...

Never make a promise you can’t keep — especially if that promise is tied to a loved one’s dying wish. That lesson will come back to haunt Devon Terrell’s (It’s What’s Inside) Henry tenfold in the trailer for Bury Me When I’m Dead, which Collider is excited to exclusively unveil today. Slated for an on-demand arrival on Friday, July 18, the latest film from Vertical has already seen its filmmaker and writer, Seabold Krebs, receive accolades for his unique storytelling direction and homage to iconic genre films that have come before. In addition to the first look at the trailer, audiences can feast their eyes on the vibrant neon poster that features the primary trio of characters at the center of the twisted story.

There’s plenty of shock value within the first few seconds of the Bury Me When I’m Dead trailer, which opens with a cheerful conversation between two friends,...

The world just saw Lewis Pullman crush it as Robert Reynolds, aka Sentry, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s recent installment, Thunderbolts* (The New Avengers). Lewis is no stranger to the spotlight, being the son of acting legend Bill Pullman. However, he has made his own path with his performances in indie gems and blockbuster hits.

He started his career with short films, Westerns, and horrors, and one thing that can be said about his filmography is that the actor has got range. Lewis has brought a sort of quiet charisma and intensity to most of his roles, and if you have liked the way he portrayed Bob/Sentry/Void in Thunderbolts*, here are 10 of his movies that also deserve your attention.

‘Salem’s Lot (2024)

Salem’s Lot is the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel. Lewis Pullman stars as a writer named Ben Mears who returns to his hometown...

Lewis Pullman, whose father is critically acclaimed actor Bill Pullman, has started to carve out his own path to Hollywood success. Pullman has showcased his acting range in various projects, from independent works to blockbuster mega-hits, and has developed his own unique acting style. His career is just starting to blossom, and while having a famous father in the industry doesn't hurt, Pullman's acting ability and dedication are what have brought him into starring roles.

He started his acting career back in 2013, acting in a series of short films before landing a role in the feature-length production, The Ballad of Lefty Brown. Since then, Pullman has racked up films, including a breakout performance in Bad Times at the El Royale and in the box-office smash hit Top Gun: Maverick, marking him as one of the best young actors of his generation. In every role he plays, he brings a commitment...

If you’re wondering what to watch on Max this month, here are the best new movies streaming in October 2024. They range from brand-new horror films to spooky classics to two very different serial killer thrillers, starring the likes of Josh Hartnett, Elizabeth Debicki, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. It’s a grab-bag of films perfect for your Halloween viewing. Check out our list below.

“Salem’s Lot” (Max) Salem’s Lot (2024)

Welcome (back) to “’Salem’s Lot.” While this new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 novel was originally meant for theatrical exhibition, it finally debuted this month on Max. In this latest iteration, Lewis Pullman stars as Ben Mears, the Soul/Lowe character, a novelist who returns to his sleepy (and potentially doomed) home town of Jerusalem’s Lot to work on a new novel and finds that this hamlet has been taken over by filthy vampires. (Don’t you hate when that happens?...

The eerie town of Jerusalem’s Lot comes back to life in 2024 as Salem’s Lot, Stephen King’s classic vampire tale, gets a fresh adaptation. Directed by Gary Dauberman, known for his work on Annabelle Comes Home and It, this new version of Salem’s Lot weaves together the familiar elements of horror with a stellar cast of seasoned actors. Streaming exclusively on Max, this film plunges into the supernatural horrors hidden in the small town as a writer returns home, only to find something sinister lurking beneath the surface.

Here’s a rundown of the cast and the characters they bring to life in this chilling adaptation:

Salem’s Lot Main Cast & Characters Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears

At the heart of the story is Ben Mears, portrayed by Lewis Pullman. Ben, a writer, returns to Jerusalem’s Lot, hoping to gather inspiration for his next novel. Instead, he discovers his...

The highly anticipated adaptation of Stephen King's iconic horror novel, Salem's Lot, has finally landed on Max. Originally set for a theatrical release on September 9, 2022, the film was subjected to numerous delays due to Covid-related issues, which eventually led Warner Bros. to opt for an Ott release. The decision was also influenced by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which affected distribution, but fans nonetheless remained eager to see how the latest horror adaptation would turn out. However, the film proved to be a letdown for those who read the novel or watched the previous adaptations of the franchise.

Certainly, a Salem's Lot film can never achieve what the original novel could, but the most recent adaptation falls short in many aspects, making it one of the weakest entries in the franchise. So, what exactly went wrong, and why is it considered a flawed take on Stephen King's renowned horror story?

3.5/5 Salem's Lot...

The following contains discussions of child abuse, sexual assault and animal cruelty that some readers might find disturbing.

The King of Horror doesn't sugarcoat his stories. Many of Stephen King's books include disturbing scenes. While some are well-justified for the purpose they serve in character building, others can feel random.

Kings books, often being very intense, include things from child orgies to animal cruelty. Film and television tend to have a different standard in terms of censorship than books, and what might be acceptable in a book may not be fit to view on screen.

Salem's Lot Has Abusive Parent Scenes That Might Upset Readers

Certain scenes are better left off of the big screen. This particular scene isn't in any of the Salem's Lot adaptations. The depiction of abusive parents can be very upsetting, and it's truly disturbing when such scenes involve an infant. While Salem's Lot is a book about vampires,...

We present these interviews with the cast of the new adaptation of Salem’s Lot, based on the Stephen King novel. Gary Dauberman wrote and directed the movie which James Wan produced. The cast includes Makenzie Leigh, Alfre Woodard, Bill Camp, John Benjamin Hickey, Nicholas Crovetti, Jordan Preston Carter, William Sadler, Spencer Treat Clark, Cade Woodward, Debra Christofferson, and Pilou Asbaek.

The film is out on Max in the US, is scheduled for release in UK and Irish cinemas on October 11, 2024. Stephanie Hitch asks the questions.

Salem’s Lot Cast Interviews

Plot:

Based on Stephen King’s terrifying novel, the movie follows author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) who is haunted by an incident from his childhood, as he returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book.

He soon discovers the town is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire and his loyal servant.

The...

Warning: spoilers for 2024s Salems Lot.

After many delays and obstacles, the Salems Lot movie adaptation was finally released on Max, and it made a couple of changes to the book, including cutting one of the most disturbing deaths but replacing it with a brutal twist. Stephen Kings second published novel, Salems Lot, introduced readers to his type of vampires, becoming one of his most popular and beloved works. Salems Lot was adapted into two TV miniseries in 1979 and 2004, and it finally got a feature-length adaptation in 2024, directed by Gary Dauberman.

Salems Lot takes the audience to the 1970s to follow Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman), a writer who returns to his hometown of Jerusalems Lot looking for inspiration for his next book. His arrival coincides with the disappearance of a young boy, and though hes initially a suspect, subsequent deaths and disappearances reveal a disturbing truth: Salems Lot is being...

Legendary author Stephen King’s vampire novel Salem’s Lot (buy a copy of the novel Here) has received three direct adaptations over the decades. The first was the 1979 mini-series directed by Tobe Hooper, which had a running time of 183 minutes. A mini-series directed by Mikael Salomon followed in 2004, and that one had a 181 minute running time. So when it was announced that Gary Dauberman was going to write and direct an adaptation that would try to fit the story into a single feature, fans wondered how Dauberman would accomplish that… and how long this single feature would be. Dauberman’s Salem’s Lot was finally released through the Max streaming service last week (you can read our review Here), and the filmmaker has said he whittled the story down to a 113 minute film by focusing on the core group of characters and dropping subplots with side characters. Still, turning Salem’s Lot...

Salem's Lot is widely regarded as one of Stephen King's best - and perhaps more importantly, most terrifying - novels, which is why the new adaptation currently streaming on Max simply didn't cut it for the majority of fans and critics.

The movie follows the basic premise, but does not flesh out the main characters enough and is seriously lacking in scares and gore (pretty much every kill takes place off-screen) despite the R rating. It also leaves out some major story elements, including Ben Mears' childhood connection to the Marsten House.

In the book, this haunted house is almost a character in its own right, and is the source of evil in the town of Jerusalem's Lot that attracts Kurt Barlow and Richard Straker in the first place. Ben is left traumatized after sneaking into the house as a child, and returns to "The Lot" to confront his...

Max has just launched 'Salem's Lot, an all-new adaptation of the original Stephen King story from 1975. Making the new vampire film was not without its challenges, particularly when it came to filming with real morgue equipment.

In an interview with Horror Geek Life, some of the stars of the new 'Salem's Lot addressed the authenticity of the props used for the morgue scene. Alfre Woodard (Dr. Cody) shared that she was creeped out by filming with genuine equipment which had previously been used by a real morgue. She also commented on how it was tough filming her vampire fight scene with such a strong co-star on a hard, wet floor.

Related Glen Powell's Reboot of Stephen King's The Running Man Sets Release Date

Paramount announces the official release date for Edgar Wright and Glen Powell's The Running Man remake.

"It was fun sometimes. It was painful physically sometimes,...

Warning: major spoilers for 2024s Salems Lot.

Salems Lot sees the title town being haunted by the presence of a thirsty vampire named Barlow (Alexander Ward), and the result is many deaths, with most victims returning as vampires. In 1975, Stephen Kings second published novel, Salems Lot, arrived to introduce readers to Kings style of vampires. Salems Lot was a success with critics and readers, and is now one of Kings most popular and beloved works, so much so that it has gotten different adaptations. After two adaptations into TV miniseries in 1979 and 2004, Salems Lot got its first feature film adaptation in 2024.

Directed by Gary Dauberman, Salems Lot follows writer Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman), who returns to his hometown of Salems Lot looking for inspiration for his next book. Mears arrival coincides with the disappearance of a young boy, but subsequent mysterious and tragic events lead Mears and other town residents...

Viewers are wondering who Nicholas Crovetti is after watching Salem's Lot on Max.

Salem's Lot is a new horror film written and directed by Gary Dauberman based on Stephen King's 1975 novel. The film stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbæk, Alfre Woodard, Debra Christofferson, and William Sadler. 

This film marks the first feature adaptation of the book following previous miniseries in 1979 and 2004. The story follows writer Ben Mears, who returns to his hometown of Salem's Lot seeking inspiration, only to find it overrun by a vampire.

Read full article on The Direct.

The newest adaptation of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot has dropped on Max, and it's chock-full of Easter eggs and nods, both to the King of Horror and to the horror genre in general. The long-gestating adaptation was a victim of the Covid-19 pandemic and then the writer's strike, taking years to get to the screen. It adapts one of Stephen King's most beloved novels, and his first foray into the vampire genre, telling his own version of the Dracula story. The 2024 'Salem's Lot movie changes the book in significant ways but remains faithful to the spirit of the story.

Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, the new movie assembles a strong cast of character actors: Lewis Pullman (Ben Mears), Makenzie Leigh (Susan Norton), Jordan Preston Carter (Mark Petrie), Alfre Woodard (Dr. Cody), Bill Camp (Matt Burke), John Benjamin Hickey (Father Callahan), Nicholas Crovetti (Danny Glick), Spencer Treat Clark...

The long-awaited movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot from director Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home) is now available to stream on Max, unleashing a stylish vampire outbreak without much in the way of story. It turns out that there was a much longer cut of the film that Dauberman ultimately trimmed down for a leaner runtime.

The filmmaker revealed in a recent interview with Den of Geek, “My first cut was about three hours. There’s a lot left out. My first draft of the script is 180-odd pages or something because you’re trying to include everything. And a lot of it has to do with a lot of the secondary characters and stuff that I spoke about. So it was sad to see that stuff go, but it’s like a necessary evil.”

One of the key scenes trimmed? Ben Mears’ chilling encounter with Depression-era hitman...

Salem’s Lot has risen again! Stephen King’s 1975 vampire novel, which was turned into a TV miniseries both in 1979 and 2004, is back again, and this time, it’s a tightly-paced, feature-length adaptation directed by Gary Dauberman (writer of The Nun and both of King’s newest It films) that is currently streaming on Max. Starring Lessons in Chemistry‘s Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears, an author who returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot only to find the quaint hamlet overrun with bloodsuckers, the film—which was originally targeted for theatrical release—has lost a lot of the book’s scope in exchange for expediency, but there are still enough solid scares to make it a worthy addition to anyone’s spooky season viewing. Even for the cast, apparently. During our recent chat with Pullman and costars Makenzie Leigh (who plays Ben’s love interest Susan), Alfre Woodard (town physician Dr.

Plot: Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.

Review: I need to get it right out of the way that I’m not the biggest fan of the original 1979 Tobe Hooper version of Salem’s Lot. The story is interesting but I find it to be a 3-hour slog with about 15 minutes of cool moments. So I was ecstatic to see it finally get the remake treatment. Or rather, I was glad to see the book adapted another time, to try and get it right (they tried again in 2004 with another so-so miniseries). This would have been the first big-screen adaptation of the novel, but it was delayed for years, with Warner Bros eventually cancelling its theatrical release in favour of streaming release on Max.

In this week’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo is bitten by the latest Stephen King adaptation, “Salem’s Lot.” The vampire film follows an author who returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot, hoping to find inspiration for his next novel, only to uncover that a bloodthirsty vampire is terrorizing the town. The Gary Dauberman (“Annabelle Comes Home”) film stars Lewis Pullman, Mackenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Spencer Treat Clark, Alfre Woodard and more.

Continue reading ‘Salem’s Lot’: Lewis Pullman & Makenzie Leigh Talk About Their Stephen King Horror Remake, ‘Thunderbolts*’, & More [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.

After a series of lengthy delays, Warner Bros. and New Line's remake (or re-adaptation) of Stephen King's Salem's Lot is now streaming on Max, and a first look at this latest take on the novel's head vampire, Kurt Barlow, has leaked online.

In the book, Barlow was described as a fairly ordinary-looking middle-aged man, but the character was reimagined as a bald, pale Nosferatu-inspired monster for Tobe Hooper's '70s miniseries. Then, in the 2004 adaptation, the late Rutger Hauer played an interpretation of the evil vampire that was a lot more faithful to the source material.

As you can see from the image below, this new Barlow takes at least some inspiration from the creature we met in the original miniseries - though this version is even more monstrous-looking.

Barlow is utilized in much the same way as he is in Hooper's film, but does have...

At the heart of every cinematic re-adaptation is a question: Why? Gary Dauberman's Salem's Lot answers with a shrug, defined by disappointingly shallow storytelling and downgraded special effects. Tobe Hooper's 1979 miniseries isn't bulletproof, but neither is it as generic as Dauberman's take on Stephen King's northeastern vampire tale. It's not offensively terrible nor memorably inept, merely rudimentary in its vampiric lore and underwhelming compared to a billion other Count Dracula remixes we’ve endured over the decades. Dauberman's vanilla soft-serve of a King adaptation is begging for added flavors, hardly worth the wait as it crusted over in release-date purgatory.

Lewis Pullman plays a milquetoast Ben Mears, an author who returns to his Maine hometown of Salem’s Lot in search of closure. At the same time, conspicuous furniture seller Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk) smuggles his vampire master — Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) — into a cursed manor that looms over Salem's Lot.

The Stephen King adaptations keep coming, and “Salem’s Lot” is the latest offering.

This is the third time King’s classic vampire novel – pitched as “Dracula” meets “Peyton Place” – has been adapted to the screen. This version stars Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears, a writer fighting for his life after his hometown is overrun by bloodsucking fiends.

Here’s everything you need to know about “Salem’s Lot” and where you can watch it.

When does “Salem’s Lot” come out?

“Salem’s Lot” releases on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Is “Salem’s Lot” streaming or in theaters?

Although it was originally slated to release in theaters, the horror film was later briefly shelved before the decision was made that it would drop exclusively on Max for streaming.

Who’s in the “Salem’s Lot” cast?

The latest “Salem’s Lot” adaptation stars Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears, Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody, Bill Camp as Matt Burke,...

Includes Spoilers for Salem's Lot (2024)The latest Stephen King adaptation is Salem's Lot on Max, and the ending offers a lot of material to break down. Published in 1975, Salem's Lot is one of Stephen King's most beloved books, and the 2024 film is just the latest interpretation of the iconic vampire horror novel. Gary Dauberman, a writer on the It films, took over as the director for the new movie. Lewis Pullman leads the Salem's Lot cast, and he's joined by Makenzie Leigh, Pilou Asbk, Alfre Woodard, and more, putting together a small-town ensemble that's vital for the narrative.

Pullman plays Ben Mears, a man who returns to Jerusalem's Lot, the town of his childhood, to find it simultaneously being invaded by a vampire named Kurt Barlow. Ben and other townsfolk notice the chain of mysterious deaths happening in town, realizing that vampires are about. Throughout the film, many main characters' allies,...

“Salem’s Lot” is once again getting the adaptation treatment, this time as a film from “Annabelle Comes Home” director and “It” screenwriter Gary Dauberman.

The latest crack at Stephen King’s acclaimed vampire novel managed to pull together a cast of recognizable faces despite being pulled from a theatrical release to go directly to Max. “Salem’s Lot” follows a writer’s return to his hometown, searching for inspiration for his next book, only to find out the place is slowly being overrun by vampires.

Here’s a rundown of the cast and characters in the horror adaptation.

Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears

Lewis Pullman plays writer Ben Mears.

Pullman is likely most recognized for playing Lt. Bob Floyd in “Top Gun: Maverick.” He’s also starred in Apple TV+’s “Lessons in Chemistry” as Calvin Evans and Prime Video’s “Outer Range” as Rhett Abbott, as well as the films...

Are you ready for one of the biggest Octobers of all time? This Halloween season is packed with 50+ new release horror movies, a good portion of them releasing this week alone.

Here’s all the new horror releasing from October 1 – October 6, 2024!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

Just when you thought it was safe to take out the trash, the Screambox Original horror-comedy Crackcoon landed on our streaming service and VOD platforms this past Tuesday.

The film has been fittingly described as “Rocket Raccoon meets Cocaine Bear” by Total Film, and you can watch the trailer for Crackcoon below for a taste of the bloody madness.

“When a synthetically-altered street drug is discarded in the woods by a drug dealer during a car chase with police, the fallout proves nothing less than horrific as an innocent raccoon eats it, transforming it into a nightmarish...

Stephen King loves a good vampire tale almost as much as the entertainment industry loves a good adaptation of his work, and Salem's Lot is here to offer both. Premiering October on Max, the movie follows author Ben Mears (played by Top Gun: Maverick's Lewis Pullman), who returns to his hometown in the hopes of finishing his novel with inspiration from the haunted Marsten House. What he finds instead is a vampiric creature who begins turning Jerusalem's Lot into a waking nightmare.

Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, Salem's Lot features an ensemble cast of top-tier talent in addition to Pullman. Cast members include Spencer Treat Clark, Pilou Asbk, William Sadler, Makenzie Leigh, and Alexander Ward as the the one and only Kurt Barlow. There have already been two miniseries that adapted Salem's Lot, in 1979 and 2004 respectively, but fans are eager to see how the most recent version stacks up.

Misery has a new number one fan. Just in time for Halloween, the acclaimed 1990 Stephen King adaptation can now be viewed on a new streamer.

Directed by Rob Reiner, Misery is now streaming on Max. The psychological thriller, which is based on King's 1987 novel of the same name, stars James Caan as an author who is held captive by an obsessive fan, played by Kathy Bates, who forces him to rewrite the finale to his novel series. Bates' performance as the crazed fan, Annie Wilkes, was widely praised by critics, leading her to win the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 63rd Academy Awards. Misery remains the only movie based on a King novel to win an Oscar.

Related This Stephen King Classic Is Perfect for Stranger Things Fans

One of Stephen King's best film adaptations is perfect for fans of the Stranger Things franchise.

Misery isn't the only...

The latest Salem's Lot adaptation, written and directed by Gary Dauberman, tackles Stephen King's sophomore novel as a movie rather than a television miniseries but that's not the only major change setting it apart. Starring Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears, the Max film follows the author's homecoming and sees his hopes to write about a haunted house turn into an escape from a vampire. Such a trajectory is familiar, but there is an interesting difference in how the new remake incorporates the character of Dr. Cody.

The 2004 miniseries featured The Matrix Reloaded's Robert Mammone in the role of the doctor, who is a male in King's book, but the 2024 Salem's Lot stars Alfre Woodard and revises the role to reflect her gender. The film also stars Spencer Treat Clark, Pilou Asbk, William Sadler, Makenzie Leigh, and Alexander Ward as the infamous Kurt Barlow. Given that fans have waited...

The world is always ready for a Stephen King adaptation, and Max's Salem's Lot is arriving on Max just in time for Halloween season. The story follows author Ben Mears, who has returned to his hometown in order to write about the haunted house there, but must soon come face to face with his inner demons and the town's outer ones.

The celebrated vampire novel has twice been adapted for television, once in 1979 (starring Starsky and Hutch's David Soul) and once in 2004 (starring Parks and Recreation's Rob Lowe). The newest Salem's Lot leading man is Lewis Pullman, who was recently featured in Top Gun: Maverick, and he is joined by a stellar ensemble cast that includes Alfre Woodard as a gender-bent of Dr. Cody. Given it was originally scheduled for release in 2022, horror fans are eager to see the results.

Related The Upcoming Salem's Lot Remake Now Has...

Warner Bros. has been keeping writer/director Gary Dauberman‘s adaptation of the Stephen King novel Salem’s Lot (buy a copy of the novel Here) on the shelf for a long time – but they won’t be keeping it there for much longer. The movie, which was supposed to be given a theatrical release back in September of 2022, is now set to be released through the Max streaming service on October 3rd. During interviews with SFX magazine, Dauberman confessed that making this adaptation was more challenging than he expected it to be – and producer Michael Clear confirmed that there are elements that are purposely reminiscent of the Tobe Hooper-directed mini-series adaptation of King’s novel.

This is the third adaptation of Salem’s Lot. The previous two were both mini-series, which aired in 1979 and 2004. This new take on the concept is said to be set in 1975, the same year King’s novel was first published.

Stephen King is celebrating the release of the long-delayed adaptation of Salem's Lot with an excited new post about the upcoming movie. Originally completing filming in 2022, the upcoming Salem's Lot remake is finally getting released on Max after multiple delays in its release schedule. While the movie was supposed to arrive in theaters, its continuous delayed release due to calendar shifts and the 2023 Hollywood strikes resulted in the movie going to streaming instead. However, it's still highly-anticipated due to it being the first movie adaptation of the King novel, following two TV miniseries in 1979 and 2004.

Now, King himself has posted about the Salem's Lot remake, expressing excitement for the delayed adaptation by posing with a framed poster of the film. He can also be seen holding a small toy of Dracula, referencing how the original novel came from the idea of having the famous vampire arrive in America during the 20th century.

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Lewis Pullman and Makenzie Leigh, stars of the new film adaptation of Salem's Lot, discuss bringing Stephen King's classic story to life. Salem's Lot will premiere on Max on October 3.

In the film, author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalems Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.

Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Makenzie Leigh, Lewis Pullman, and Jordan Preston Carter in ‘Salem’s Lot’ (Photo by Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Max)

Max’s October 2024 lineup includes a new adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling vampire novel Salem’s Lot and the premiere of the eight-episode comedy series The Franchise starring Himesh Patel. Jordin Sparks hosts and Johnny Weir and Terrell Ferguson judge the new competition series Roller Jam debuting on October 10th. And Dylan O’Brien stars in Caddo Lake, a mystery thriller premiering on October 10th.

The streamer’s October calendar of new series and films also includes the documentaries I Am Not A Monster: The Lois Riess Murders, Louder: The Soundtrack of Change, and Breath of Fire. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap starring Josh Hartnett makes its streaming premiere on October 25th, and Maxxxine with Mia Goth debuts on October 18th.

The third and final...

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Max is ready with an entertainment-packed October this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some of HBO’s brilliant original comedy series Somebody Somewhere and also new original movies like Salem’s Lot. Just like every month, Max is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 new movies and TV shows coming to Max in October 2024.

Interview with the Vampire (October 1)

Interview with the Vampire is a gothic horror drama film directed by Neil Jordan from a screenplay by Anne Rice. Based on Rice’s 1976 novel of the same name, the 1994 film follows the story of Louis, a vampire as he tells his life story to an eager biographer and his violent maker Lestat tries to make Louis stay with him. Interview with the Vampire stars Tom Cruise,...

There was some doubt that Salem's Lot would ever see the light of day, but the latest Stephen King adaptation is finally set for release on streaming. Based on the book of the same name, Salem's Lot was initially set to debut back in 2022 before it disappeared from the release schedule. Eventually, the film was given an October 3 release on Max, but that period of limbo led some to question whether Salem's Lot was worth watching. Even King was frustrated with the delays. With the release date drawing near, the film finally has a Rotten Tomatoes score. While that's not the ultimate measure of quality, it's still something that many people consider.

Salem's Lot (2024) 3.5/5

Salem's Lot is a 2024 remake of the movie of the same name released in 1979. The latest adaptation of Stephen King's 1975 novel stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, and Bill Camp, with Gary Dauberman writing and directing the Max original film.

After two years of delays, Salem's Lot has landed an early Rotten Tomatoes score, but it's quite a mixed bag for the wait. The upcoming movie marks the third direct adaptation of Stephen King's 1975 novel, in which writer Ben Mears returns to his titular hometown in the hopes of landing on an idea for his next novel, only to learn that a nest of vampires has begun preying on the locals. Written and directed by The Conjuring Universe vet Gary Dauberman, the Salem's Lot cast is led by Thunderbolts*'s Lewis Pullman as Ben alongside Alfre Woodard, Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp and Nicholas Crovetti, among others.

Following its world premiere at Beyond Fest on September 25, Salem's Lot has found a debut Rotten Tomatoes critical score based on 19 tabulated reviews. The latest adaptation of the iconic Stephen King novel is currently maintaining a 63% approval rating on the review aggregate, indicating...

It’s the fall of 1975 when writer Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) returns to his childhood home in rural Maine, hoping the sleepy enclave might offer something in the way of inspiration. His previous books have been derided by critics. His publishers, it seems, are losing patience.

Ben spends most of his days in the library, where his presence and research into the archives becomes the talk of the town. Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh), a fledgling real estate broker, catches his eye and the two form an easy friendship that eventually morphs into romance. But just as Ben’s settling in and tempering the suspicions of locals, one boy (Cade Woodward) disappears and another (Nicholas Crovetti) dies. It’s easy to wonder if this new guy — quiet, strange, from the big city — might somehow be involved.

Premiering on Max, Salem’s Lot is a clipped horror that partially works thanks to a...

Writer/Director Gary Dauberman’s Salem’s Lot makes it easy to see why the previous two adaptations of Stephen King’s 1975 novel were miniseries. King packs his stories with rich character work and humanity, so much so that the 1979 and 2004 adaptations couldn’t condense 439 pages into any less than 181 minutes of runtime. After sitting on the shelves for years, the new adaptation gets jettisoned to streaming, along with most of King’s text. It’s an adaptation that feels heavily tampered with, gutting all story and character development solely in favor of vampire scares.

For the uninitiated, Salem’s Lot follows successful writer Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) as he returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot for inspiration for his next novel. His arrival coincides with that of shop owner Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) and his assistant Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk). While Ben reconnects with his old town and its new residents,...

After a number of lengthy delays, it was recently announced that Warner Bros. and New Line's re-adaptation of Stephen King's Salem's Lot will debut on the Max streaming service on October 3rd, and the first reviews and reactions are now online following the movie's world premiere at Beyond Fest last night.

Expectations were not very high after the film was pulled from its original theatrical debut and placed on the shelf for such a long time, but a lot of critics seem to have been won over by this new take on King's seminal vampire tale.

However, quite a few others were not nearly as impressed, and are not at all surprised that it's heading straight to streaming.

While the movie is said to feature some effective jolts, it sounds like director Gary Dauberman has taken a much lighter approach to the deadly serious novel than the well-regarded Tobe Hooper adaptation,...

Released in 2024, Gary Dauberman’s Salem’s Lot presents a new cinematic telling of Stephen King’s legendary 1975 vampire novel. As a story exploring the sinister forces threatening a small Maine town, the source material has spawned multiple screen adaptations over the decades, most notably Tobe Hooper’s acclaimed 1979 TV miniseries.

In this latest film version, Dauberman—known for his work on horror films like Annabelle and It—aims to balance faithfulness to King’s chilling tale with enjoyable scares for modern audiences.

The plot follows novelist Ben Mears as he returns to his childhood home in Jerusalem’s Lot. There, strange events coincide with the arrival of antique store owners Richard Straker and Kurt Barlow. As residents begin to disappear, Ben and others come to suspect the village is suffering from an infestation of the undead.

Over the runtime, this review will consider how successfully Dauberman weaves iconic elements of...

Salem's Lot first reactions are finally in after the Stephen King Vampire movie's 2-year delay, revealing just how worthwhile the new horror movie truly is. The upcoming Salem's Lot remake began production in September 2021, with the film originally set to be released the following September in theaters. However, Warner Bros. ended up delaying the film multiple times before settling on a streaming release following the 2023 Hollywood strikes. The movie will be arriving on Max on October 3, 2024.

Now, first reactions to Salem's Lot are in following its premiere at Beyond Fest, revealing what critics think of King's new vampire movie. Overall, reviews have been decidedly mixed, with many critics enjoying the movie despite its cheesy, sometimes comedic approach. However, others found the presentation less desirable, calling the script "thin" but still giving positive takes on performances. Check out what some first reactions had to say below:

Salem's Lot is a victim of its release situation,...

If you’re going to remake a classic Stephen King adaptation, you’d better do it right. Nobody’s ever topped Brian De Palma’s original “Carrie,” no matter how hard they tried. “It: Chapter One” knocked it out of the park, but “It: Chapter Two” brought it back into the park and poured manure on it, so they more-or-less cancel each other out. The TV mini-series remake of “The Shining” isn’t as bad as everyone remembers, but let’s not go nuts. It’s pretty grim when the 2019 version of “Pet Sematary” is your gold standard, since quality-wise even that’s just a lateral move.

Gary Dauberman’s remake of “Salem’s Lot,” however, raises the bar. It may be the only Stephen King remake that gets it right. Tobe Hooper’s classic mini-series adaptation from 1979 is still scary, and it’s a heck of a lot more insidious than Dauberman’s,...

Out of the many names of fictional small towns in Maine that Stephen King created, Jerusalem's Lot (shortened to Salem's Lot) might have the nicest ring to it. The subject of his acclaimed eponymous novel (and a pair of short stories published thereafter), the small town in Maine somehow becomes a tourist destination for a bloodthirsty vampire in his acclaimed book of the same name. The film industry seems to like the name as well, with the book being adapted multiple times, including a new film being released on Oct. 3.

While adaptations of Salem's Lot have been resigned to television with two miniseries, many of us thought that the latest adaptation would finally grace the big screen in theaters. Alas, the film is now relegated to streaming (on Max), but it's better than nothing. Written for the screen and directed by Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home), it's certainly got some...

At this moment, it's hard to disconnect the new Salem's Lot from its nearly two-year release delay, during which many feared the film would never, ahem, see the light of day. That's an unfortunate situation. On the one hand, it clearly didn't deserve to sit on the shelf for so long, caught up in the leadership change at Warner Bros. On the other, it doesn't quite live up to the expectations that inevitably built as Stephen King pressured the studio to release it.

Salem's Lot (2024)

Director Gary DaubermanRelease Date October 3, 2024Studio(s) Atomic Monster, Vertigo Entertainment, New Line CinemaDistributor(s) HBO MaxWriters Gary DaubermanCast Avery Bederman, Fedna Jacquet, Mike Bash, Rebecca Gibel, Kellan Rhude, Debra Christofferson, Jordan Preston Carter, Makenzie Leigh, Nicholas Crovetti, Cade Woodward, Alfre Woodard, Lewis Pullman, John Benjamin Hickey, William Sadler, Bill Camp, Spencer Treat Clark, Pilou AsbkRuntime 113 MinutesGenres Thriller, Horror

I hope, with time, it can exist on its own terms.

Gary Dauberman's "Salem's Lot" has had a bumpy ride. The Stephen King adaptation was originally supposed to hit theaters in 2022. Then it got delayed to 2023. Then it got pulled from the release calendar entirely. Since "Salem's Lot" is a Warner Bros. production, there was a growing fear that this vampire movie would go the way of WB's "Batgirl" and "Coyote vs. Acme" and never see the light of day. King got involved, taking to Twitter and pondering why the studio was sitting on the flick. "Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing, or anything," the master of horror said. Rumors eventually began to swirl that "Salem's Lot" might skip theaters entirely and go directly to WB's streaming service, Max. Sure enough, the studio finally announced that was the case: "Salem's Lot" is destined to stream on Max this October, just in time for Halloween season.

Revisiting an iconic work by Stephen King takes guts. It’s especially tough when the property has already been adapted by a fan-favorite director. Yet Salem’s Lot looks to do exactly that, reviving the vampire franchise for the first time in nearly twenty years. This time, the King property gets the feature film treatment, hoping to differentiate itself from the 1979 Tobe Hooper and 2004 Mikael Salomon mini-series events. While this Salem’s Lot looks great, the shorter runtime leaves it sprinting through the exposition. It becomes a problem despite moments of brilliance.

A new Salem’s Lot

A young writer – Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) – returns to Jersulam’s Lot after spending a short time growing up in the small town. The local “haunted” house – The Marsden House – continues to haunt Ben and becomes a slight obsession. While in town, he begins dating Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh) and becomes friends with local teacher Matt Burke (Bill Camp). However,...

Stephen King wasn’t setting out to reinvent the vampire story with Salem’s Lot. His sophomore novel simply immigrated the bloodsuckers to an insular community of gossips so stagnant that it was already flirting with undeath. Remove the townie drama, and you have a simple creature feature—thin as Max Schreck...

A Return to Salem's Lot is officially headed to a new streaming home ahead of the upcoming remake's release.

Per Max, the 1987 feature film sequel to 1979's original Salem's Lot miniseries is set to arrive on the streaming platform on Oct. 1. This will make A Return to Salem's Lot available for audiences to watch just two days before the new Salem's Lot feature film premieres on the very same platform.

Related What Happened to Father Callahan in Salem's Lot?

The Catholic priest in Stephen King's seminal novel suffers a dark fate, dutifully repeated in various adaptations. But it's not the end of his story.

Based on Stephen King's 1975 novel of the same name, 1979's Salem's Lot followed Ben Mears, a successful author who returns to his childhood hometown of Jerusalem's Lot, Maine, where he intends to research for his latest book about the area's old and storied Marsten House.