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As a child actor, Henry Thomas starred in one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest films. Decades later, he hit a crossroads – spiral into alcoholism and divorce or write his way out. Luckily, he picked up a pen instead of a bottle.

Steven Spielberg at the 2017 Sdcc | Image by Gage Skidmore licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Now, the E.T. star has traded Hollywood scripts for epic fantasy novels, proving his storytelling days were far from over. Spielberg launched his career, but this next chapter was all him.

From sci-fi icon to fantasy scribe: Henry Thomas’ unexpected chapter Henry Thomas in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | Credits: Universal Pictures

Some actors fade into Hollywood history. Others evolve. After decades in the industry, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial star Henry Thomas took an unexpected detour – into fantasy writing. Faced with long months on set in Romania, he saw two options.

There have been rumblings of a remake of the classic Stephen King adaptation Cujo for a long time – in fact, one was officially announced way back in 2013. In 2015, we heard that the remake had taken an unexpected turn, reimagining the name Cujo as an acronym that stood for Canine Unit Joint Operations. That project seemed to be scrapped when King got the rights to the story back in 2017… But last week, we learned that the Cujo remake has found a new home: the Netflix streaming service. And now, industry scooper Jeff Sneider of The InSneider reports that a director might be close to signing on to the project, as Darren Aronofsky is said to be in negotiations to take the helm.

Aronofsky’s previous directorial efforts include Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan, Noah, mother!, and The Whale.

As we heard last week, Netflix secured...

While Stephen King is rightfully known as the Master of Horror, the prolific novelist could just as easily be called the Master of Feels. After all, without King, there is no Stand By Me, no The Shawshank Redemption, no The Green Mile. It makes sense then that Mike Flanagan, whose propensity for combining horror and heartfelt storytelling has made the likes of Midnight Mass and The Haunting Of Hill House unmissable, has proven one of King's best adapters. And having done both Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game great justice on screen already, Flanagan's latest King movie, Tom Hiddleston starrer The Life Of Chuck, looks set to be one of his most emotional works yet. And you can catch a glimpse at the film below;

Now we know what you're thinking, "This teaser trailer is all tease and no trailer, man!" And you would, largely, be right. But this peek at...

Mike Flanagan dives into another Stephen King story with The Life of Chuck. However, unlike Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck is life-affirming rather than horrifying. The teaser trailer focuses on Tom Hiddleston as the titular character. The only words spoken are, “The universe is large, and it contains multitudes, but it also contains me.”

In addition to Tom Hiddleston, the cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, and Jacob Tremblay. David Dastmalchian, Matthew Lillard, Annalise Basso, Benjamin Pajak, Nick Offerman, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Harvey Guillen, and Kate Siegel also star.

“A life-affirming, genre-bending story based on Stephen King’s novella about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz,” reads Neon’s synopsis. Neon picked up the film after its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, where it went on to win the festival’s People’s Choice Award.

A teaser for Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella The Life of Chuck is here to punch you in the heart and leave you feeling reflective about life and all its wonders. The Life of Chuck teaser trailer comes from Neon, which scooped up the rights to release the People’s Choice Award-winning drama starring Tom Hiddleston and an A-list cast of Hollywood greats. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for King to hit me with a Shawshank Redemption-level story. Can he pull it off with Mike Flanagan by his side? We’ll find out when the film comes to theaters on May 30, 2025.

Variety posted a description for The Life of Chuck in September, saying, “Adapted from Stephen King’s 2020 novella, The Life of Chuck stars Tom Hiddleston and is directed by Mike Flanagan. Billed as a ‘life-affirming’ story about an ordinary man named Charles Krantz,...

The first teaser trailer for “The Life of Chuck,” directed by Mike Flanagan and based on Stephen King’s novella, has been released, offering a glimpse into this unconventional narrative.

The film stars Tom Hiddleston as Charles Krantz, whose life story is told in reverse-chronological order, beginning with his death from a brain tumor and moving backward to his childhood. The narrative is divided into three distinct acts, each shedding light on different phases of Chuck’s life.

The teaser showcases Hiddleston’s character reflecting on existence, with a ticking clock underscoring the passage of time. The film also features performances by Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay, among others.

Notably, “The Life of Chuck” won the People’s Choice Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, indicating strong early reception.

Mike Flanagan, known for his adaptations of King’s works like “Gerald’s Game” and “Doctor Sleep,...

Neon has released the first teaser trailer for The Life of Chuck. The upcoming movie is a "life-affirming, genre-bending story based on Stephen King's novella about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz."

The Life of Chuck was written and directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously helmed the Stephen King adaptations of Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Annalise Basso, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Harvey Guillén, Kate Siegel, and Mark Hamill, with Tom Hiddleston, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, and Cody Flanagan portraying the titular Chuck at different points in his life. Check out the official teaser trailer below.

The Life of Chuck opens in theaters on June 6.

Source: Neon...

Mike Flanagan has directed a small handful of Stephen King adaptations up this point including Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, but his next King adaptation is going to offer up something a little bit different. Because The Life of Chuck isn’t a horror movie, and that’s made clear by the brand new official trailer that Neon has released this afternoon.

Neon will release the Flanagan + King collaboration in theaters on June 6, 2025.

Based on Stephen King‘s novella from his 2020 collection If It Bleeds, the upcoming genre-bending movie is written and directed by modern master of horror Mike Flanagan.

The life-affirming story explores three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz.

Neon previews, “The film takes on a surrealist and existential tone, telling a genre-bending story that detours from the macabre you’d typically expect from both King and Flanagan’s past works. This...

For the third time in eight years, director Mike Flanagan is adapting Stephen King’s work as a feature film. Flanagan’s first two collaborations with King — Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep — were both horror stories. But The Life of Chuck is something else altogether. The newly released teaser trailer lightly acknowledges that it isn’t a scary story by citing some of King’s previous forays outside of horror, including Stand by Me, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile. What it doesn’t answer is the question hanging over the film: Who is Chuck?

Tom Hiddleston plays Chuck as an adult, while Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak portray younger versions. There is an ominous quality to the trailer, which unfolds to the rhythm of a ticking of a clock. According to the film’s description, “images of a modest accountant named Chuck inexplicably appear everywhere” just as the...

Following the film winning the TIFF People’s Choice Award last fall, audiences are getting their first official look at Mike Flanagan’s life-affirming flick “The Life of Chuck.”

Flanagan trades the usual scares of “Doctor Sleep” and “The Haunting of Hill House” for a story about life and what it means to move forward when all hope is lost. Adapted from Stephen King’s novella, “The Life of Chuck” is split into three distinct parts and told in reverse order, following the mysterious life of seemingly ordinary accountant Chuck Krantz (Tom Hiddleston). The cast also includes Jacob Tremblay, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Lillard, Karen Gillan and Mia Sara, with Nick Offerman narrating.

“The universe is large and it contains multitudes, but it also contains me,” Chuck says in the teaser as he stands on the street in his suit.

“The Life of Chuck” is set to release in...

Tom Hiddleston plays mild-mannered Charles “Chuck” Krantz, whose death coincides with the end of the world, in the trailer for Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck, which dropped on Thursday.

The teaser early on shows the back of Hiddleston’s head as he plays the titular character of Chuck and walks down a suburban mall promenade. Then, now in a suit and spectacles, we finally see Hiddleston’s face as he nervously stares into the far distance.

“The universe is large, and it contains multitudes, but… it also contains me,” Chuck says in a voice-over to underline the movie’s message about embracing joy in the face of tragedy. The genre-tripping trailer for horror hitmaker Flanagan’s doomsday drama only hints at the end of Chuck’s life with early snippets of an Ecg heart line and a ticking clock.

The movie told in reverse order from the end...

When it comes to Stephen King adaptations, Netflix's track record thus far has been pretty solid. From Mike Flanagan's precision tooled 2017 take on Gerald's Game and Zak Hilditch's underappreciated supernatural thriller 1922, through Vincenzo Natali's 2019 offering In The Tall Grass and John Lee Hancock's Donald Sutherland led Mr. Harrigan's Phone, the streamer has shown a solid knack for bringing the Master of Horror's works from page to screen. And now, per Deadline's reporting, the streaming giant has just set its fifth King joint — a new adaptation of the legendary writer's 1981 killer canine thriller Cujo.

Details on Netflix's plans for the King classic are scarce at this stage, with no writer, director, or St. Bernard shaped star set in place just yet. We do however know that Roy Lee, whose credits include Andy Muschietti's It duology, Mike Flanagan's Doctor Sleep, The Stand TV series, and the recent Salem's Lot remake,...

There have been rumblings of a remake of the classic Stephen King adaptation Cujo for a long time – in fact, one was officially announced way back in 2013. In 2015, we heard that the remake had taken an unexpected turn, reimagining the name Cujo as an acronym that stood for Canine Unit Joint Operations. That project seemed to be scrapped when King got the rights to the story back in 2017… But now, the Cujo remake has found a new home.

Deadline reports that Netflix has secured a deal to make a new feature film based on King’s 1981 novel Cujo. Roy Lee, who has previously produced the King adaptations Salem’s Lot (2024), The Stand (2020 – 2021), Doctor Sleep (2019), It (2017), and It Chapter Two (2019), will be producing the film. Now, the search is on for a writer.

Cujo is the story of a large, playful St. Bernard dog that is transformed into a hideous killing machine after being infected by rabies.

Netflix has given a green light to a movie reboot of the Stephen King novel Cujo, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Roy Lee will produce the remake of the horror story about a mother and son who fight off a rabid dog while trapped in their car. Cujo was first adapted from King’s 1981 psychological horror novel of the same name where Cujo is at first a lovable St. Bernard, but after being bitten by a bat becomes everyone’s worst enemy.

In the 1983 film Cujo, a mother, Donna (Dee Wallace), and her son, Tad (Danny Pintauro) come into contact with Cujo and must fight for their lives. King’s novels, starting with 1976’s Carrie, have long been picked up by Hollywood for movie adaptations.

These include book-to-screen adaptations of The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me, It and the sequel It Chapter Two. Other recent adaptations include Lewis Pullman...

Stephen King is one of the most frequently adapted authors in film and television history, with these projects garnering wide acclaim for several decades. Brian De Palma’s adaptation of King’s debut novel, Carrie, created a legendary horror sequence in 1976 when Sissy Spacek was drenched in pig's blood. In 1980, Stanley Kubrick directed The Shining with a visually stunning yet off-kilter take on King’s novel. Ten years later, Misery won Kathy Bates an Academy Award for her chilling performance as an obsessed literary fan, with other successful King adaptations including Stand By Me, Green Mile, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Recent years have seen a resurgence in King adaptations, with Andy Muschietti's It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019) revitalizing the horror franchise as Bill Skarsgård took on the role of the killer clown Pennywise. Despite its box office struggles, Doctor Sleep (2019), a sequel to Kubrick's 1980 film, received positive reviews...

Netflix is preparing to make another Stephen King adaptation! According to a new Deadline exclusive, the streamer has finalized a deal to adapt King's novel Cujo into a new feature film with Roy Lee set to produce.

Lee is a well-known horror movie producer, having produced hit movies like Barbarian, Strange Darling, Companion, The Ring, and more. He's also producing the upcoming films Weapons and Until Dawn. But most notably, Lee has produced multiple King projects such as Doctor Sleep, Salem's Lot, It, It: Chapter Two, and The Stand. And Netflix has released a few adaptations, too, between Gerald's Game, 1922, and In the Tall Grass, so Lee and Netflix working together makes a lot of sense.

First published in 1981, Cujo is King's novel about a once sweet Saint Bernard who gets bit by a bat and turns rabid. From there, the massive animal goes on a rampage, killing multiple people throughout the book.

Stephen King is one of the most popular authors of all time. Since publishing his first novel, Carrie, in 1974, the author has earned the nickname the "King of Horror." Stephen King's best books include the aforementioned Carrie, as well as The Shining, The Stand, It, Misery, Doctor Sleep, and countless others. Throughout his career, King has published over 60 novels and novellas, many of which have been adapted into movies and television shows.

King is the second most adapted author of all time, only behind William Shakespeare. Therefore, in addition to wide ranging influence in pop culture, it is no surprise that he has an interest in the movie industry. The author is very active on social media, and often writes reviews for the most recent films he has seen. Most recently, King watched one of the highest-rated horror movies of 2025 and gave it a solid review.

King Reviewed The 2025 Horror...

The teaser poster for The Life of Chuck highlights the film’s star-studded cast while asking the all-important question: Who is Chuck?

Find out when the film opens in theaters on June 6 from Neon.

Based on Stephen King‘s novella from his 2020 collection If It Bleeds, it’s written and directed by modern master of horror Mike Flanagan.

The life-affirming, genre-bending story explores three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz.

Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Annalise Basso, Benjamin Pajak, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Harvey Guillen, Jacob Tremblay, Kate Siegel, and Mark Hamill star.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review out of TIFF, “It’s the little things that matter most, both in life and in The Life of Chuck. Flanagan finds inventive and stylish ways to remind us of this throughout, shaking loose deep-seated memories from Chuck’s upbringing and...

The upcoming film The Life of Chuck (which Neon will be giving a theatrical release on June 6th) is the latest Stephen King adaptation from Mike Flanagan, who has previously been at the helm of the Stephen King adaptations Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep (and is also developing a series adaptation of The Dark Tower for Amazon Studios) – but it is not a horror movie. JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray got to see the movie a while back (you can read his 7/10 review Here) and described it as a “bittersweet tearjerker.” We’re still waiting to see a trailer for this one, but today a teaser poster has been unveiled and can be seen at the bottom of this article.

Based on the short story from King’s 2020 anthology If It Bleeds, The Life of Chuck consists of three separate stories linked to tell the biography of Charles Krantz in reverse,...

When a beloved film doesn't make enough money at the box office, or even make back its budget, it's always a sad reality. Especially when that movie happens to be a classic in the making. Many different films every year unfortunately don't live up to financial expectations.

While the numbers are never certain, as there are so many factors involved in making a budget, the financial disappointment of a film should never interfere with the audience's feelings. The quality of a film does not always have any indication or connection to the box office.

There Was No Honor Among Thieves Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Despite much audience appreciation for an incredible Dungeons & Dragons film, Honor Among Thieves bombed at the box office. The film failed to garner mass audience appeal despite the name recognition in the title. Despite earning more than its budget, the film needed much more to break even.

Sisters Violet and Madeleine McGraw are escaping horror for their next joint project. Violet and Madeleine, best known for their work on genre films like M3GAN and The Black Phone, respectively, will collaborate on a holiday feature described as a mix of two legendary Christmas movies: Home Alone and Die Hard. Variety reports that the yet-to-be-named movie will begin filming in Las Vegas next month.

Madeleine, the older of the sisters, began her career with early roles in films like American Sniper before working on the series Outcast and voicing Bonnie in Toy Story 4. Her breakout performance as Gwen Blake in The Black Phone earned her critical acclaim. Madeleine's other credits include the Disney Channel's Secrets of Sulphur Springs and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Violet gained early recognition for portraying young Nell Crain in Netflix's critically acclaimed The Haunting of Hill House. She later appeared in Doctor Sleep and Black Widow,...

Stephen King can easily be considered the king of the horror genre, having written several chilling stories. His novels are filled with eerie and unforgettable details and characters. But what many might not know is that one of the scariest villains in It was actually inspired by someone from Star Wars.

Stephen King | Credits: Kevin Payravi | Cca 4.0/Wikimedia Commons

This character was none other than Mrs. Kersh, and while both movies are quite different from one another, the author has a very special Star Wars connection that he used to name the It villain.

How Star Wars inspired one of the most scariest It villains out there?

When it comes to crafting some of the most eerie and scary books out there, Stephen King reigns supreme. King has penned some of the most terrifying stories out there and can easily be one of the most celebrated authors of our time.

Violet and Madeleine McGraw, two sisters who are known for horror films such as “M3GAN,” “The Black Phone,” “Doctor Sleep” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” are leaving the scares behind for their next film.

Described as “Home Alone” meets “Die Hard,” the untitled holiday-set action film begins shooting this April in Las Vegas. Shaun Piccinino (Netflix’s “A California Christmas”) is directing the movie from a script by John Ducey (Netflix’s “A Hollywood Christmas”). Ali Afshar, Daniel Aspromonte and Christina Moore will produce the film. Violet, Madeline and their mother Jackie McGraw will also serve as producers.

Afshar, whose company Esx Entertainment has operated on the Warner Bros. lot for the past decade, will also produce a film adaptation of the television series “Casa Grande.” Production will commence in March around Lake Tahoe, Reno and Carson City.

“Casa Grande,” a bilingual limited series that follows California’s migrant workforce,...

The mid-2010s were a great time for Matthew McConaughey, who found himself gaining a newfound level of respect as an actor for his one-two punch of "True Detective" and "Interstellar" in 2014. The executives over at Marvel seemed to take note of The McConaissance, which is why they asked him to join the cast of "Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2." He would've played Star Lord's father, Ego, and we're sure he would've done a great job at it.

But McConaughey declined the offer, opting instead to star in "The Dark Tower," a fantasy movie that also came out in 2017. Whereas "Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2" was a big critical/box office success, this movie was a total flop. Fans of the book it was adapting ("The Gunslinger") hated it, critics hated it, and regular viewers found it forgettable. The film made back its budget at the box office, but...

To most fans of horror films and legendary author Stephen King, Doctor Sleep solidified writer/director Mike Flanagan as the best filmmaker to adapt King's works since Frank Darabont. Based on the novel of the same name, Doctor Sleep did the impossible: it succeeded in adapting the written sequel to King's original vision for The Shining, while also being the follow-up to Stanley Kubrick's famous but incredibly loose adaptation of that book. But as good as the film is, it still didn't sit right with purists.

For some, the film's biggest point of contention was that it drew more from The Shining's film rather than its source book, or the more faithful TV miniseries. One of the biggest changes Doctor Sleep made was sticking to Jack Torrance's villainous characterization in The Shining's film, whereas he was more tragic in the novels. But the more time passes, the...

James Gunn recently took to Threads to shut down social media rumors claiming Daniel Radcliffe is joining the new DC Universe as the star of “Clayface,” which is now in development. “Doctor Sleep” filmmaker Mike Flanagan is penning the script for the movie, which is being billed as a horror spin on the comic book tentpole. Gunn’s DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran confirmed earlier this month that “Speak No Evil” director James Watkins is in talks to direct the movie.

“As we confirmed the other day, we’re closing a deal with James to direct,” Gunn wrote amid rumors of the “Harry Potter” star being cast in the title role. “Because we don’t have a director yet, we haven’t even started the casting process. Daniel is great but we certainly haven’t talked to or considered him. So this one is 100% false.

Safran has characterized the “Clayface...

You tend to notice a lot of familiar names, places, and events throughout the work of Stephen King, and that's by design. The horror maestro has carefully constructed a universe that ties most of his iconographies within the same plane of existence, especially if they involve the words "Castle Rock" or "The Dark Tower." In this case, that kind of interconnectivity also presents an opportunity for fans to impart their own head canon not just with King landmarks, but other pop culture mainstays as well.

In today's course of internet fan theory, telekinesis gone wrong is the name of the game. We're gonna be looking at one that attempts to merge King's book "Carrie," a tale about the ultimate horror prom queen, with the Roald Dahl novel "Matilda," a story about an inquisitive young girl whose abilities don't lead to quite as much bloodshed. One Redditor has claimed the two...

Mike Flanagan’s next Stephen King adaptation, The Dark Tower, is still in the works as confirmed by King himself.

Mike Flanagan’s TV adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower has been in the works since 2022 but updates on the project have been slim. Some of us have been wondering whether it was even happening anymore. The last time we had an official update on it, Amazon boss Vernon Sanders assured his company is “passionate” about it and having conversations with Flanagan on a weekly basis.

Thankfully, King himself confirmed to IGN that The Dark Tower is still alive.

“All I can say is, it’s happening,” King told the outlet during an interview about the latest adaptation of his work, The Monkey.

“I am writing stuff now, and I think that’s all I want to say, because the next thing you know, I’ll stir up...

Captain America: Brave New World star Carl Lumbly isn't sure what his Marvel Cinematic Universe future holds after the Phase Five blockbuster. However, if the opportunity presents itself, the acclaimed actor admits he's open to featuring in the rival DC Universe.

Speaking with Collider, Lumbly, who portrays supersoldier and Korean War veteran Isaiah Bradley in Brave New World, expressed his interest in doing a potential Dcu project after finding out his long-time collaborator, Mike Flanagan, was given the go-ahead to write his upcoming horror-tragedy film, Clayface. Not only would the prospect of working with Flanagan attract Lumbly to the Dcu, but his experience portraying comic book characters over the years makes him an ideal fit for James Gunn and Peter Safran's cinematic universe.

RelatedJames Gunn Explains Why the Dcu's Planned Superman Spinoff Has Stalled

A planned follow-up to characters featured in Superman has been shelved for now.

"I'll be honest,...

Update 2/26/25: Unfortunately, Stephen King will not be writing on Mike Flanagan's adaptation of The Dark Tower for Amazon. IGN has shared King's recent social post, along with one from Flanagan, too, that confirms as such. It sounds like the outlet is following up with King's reps to gain more clarity on his comments (featured in the article below)

It has been a long time since we've received any substantial new updates on the long-awaited adaptation of Stephen King's beloved series The Dark Tower, but according to a new exclusive, it sounds like the wait will be more than worth it.

IGN reports that the upcoming show, which Mike Flanagan is developing for Amazon, will "prioritize faithfulness." And what better way to do that than by having the creator himself on board?

King confirmed his involvement during the IGN Fan Fest 2025.

"All I can say is it's happening. I...

Update: Stephen King clarified via Bluesky that he is not writing for Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower series.

Stephen King is writing for Mike Flanagan‘s adaptation of his magnum opus, The Dark Tower.

“All I can say is it’s happening,” King revealed at IGN Fan Fest when asked if he’d be interested in contributing new material to the adaptation.

“I am writing stuff now and I think that’s all I want to say, because the next thing you know I’ll stir up a bunch of stuff I don’t necessarily want to stir up yet. I’m in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx.”

King previously wrote a new coda for The Stand miniseries in 2020.

Flanagan revealed in 2022 that his Intrepid Pictures acquired the rights The Dark Tower, which has been in development since. The filmmaker views it...

It is always nice to see King in action. Stephen King’s stories, that is. The 77-year-old writer has given us many stories worth cherishing. And many movies as well. The Shining, Doctor Sleep, and It. The list keeps going on and on.

His stories are far from done though. The Monkey is ready to take the world by storm. And the next big King project is in the works, with Mike Flanagan working on The Dark Tower. And the hype is unreal. Even the author is not ready to jinx it.

Mike Flanagan has something great in the pipeline The Monkey is the latest project based on Stephen King’s works || Neon

The Monkey has already shaken many people up. A story that revolves around a toy monkey is all set to send chills up the viewers’ spine. Starring the likes of Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, and Oz Perkins...

Taking on a character that has already been memorialized by another actor is no small task. In many instances, a director will forgo recasting the part and simply rely on technology to do the trick, oftentimes garnering some pushback from fans. In his 2019 film, Doctor Sleep, helmer Mike Flanagan had to make a difficult choice — rely on CGI to carry audiences back to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shiningor find performers who could embody the characters as they appeared nearly four decades prior. For his adaptation of the Stephen King-penned sequel, Flanagan chose the latter, casting Alex Essoe, Carl Lumbly, and Roger Dale Floyd in the roles first held by Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd, respectively.

Update: In a message on Blue Sky, Stephen King posted "Contrary to the Internet (which usually is never wrong), I am Not writing for Mike Flanagan's Dark Tower." Whether this story is the result of King misspeaking or the outlets present at the event misunderstanding the quote remains to be determined. For now, we'll take King's word for it. Our original story follows below. 

Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series of books is generally considered by fans to be the author's magnum opus. Stretching over seven novels and a novella, it's a wild sprawl that has stymied many talented screenwriters who've attempted to adapt it to film and/or television. Obviously, with that much material, a streaming series would make the most sense, but because a good deal of the saga is cinematic in scope, writers and directors keep dreaming of a way to bring it to the big screen.

It was another win for Neon and director Oz Perkins this past weekend as "The Monkey" absolutely killed it at the box office. Based on the Stephen King short story of the same name, Perkins' latest collected $14 million in its debut domestically, placing in second just behind "Captain America: Brave New World," ($28.2 million), with Marvel's latest collapsing in its second weekend. Meanwhile, Neon and Perkins have reason to pop champagne.

Produced for around $10 million, even before a single dollar from overseas is counted, this gory horror-comedy had been set up for success right out of the gate. "The Monkey" has been met with mixed-to-positive reviews which could impact its ability to endure beyond opening weekend. Even so, that low production cost acts as an insurance policy. This now ranks as Neon's second-biggest opening weekend ever, trailing only Perkins' own "Longlegs" from last year, which opened to $22.4 million en route to a $127 million global finish.

With DC ramping up production on several projects, fans are finally hearing news on one of James Gunn’s most promising projects in the works - one that has the makings of truly embracing the horror elements of the DC universe. Directed by Mike Flanagan the film is expected to be a horror-thriller tragedy and will be released in 2026.

Clayface is one of Batman’s most iconic villains, who gains the ability to morph his body after gaining the mutant deformation of having his entire body turned into clay. With very little heard about the film since December last year, Gunn has finally given an update on where Clayface stands and who Won’T be playing the character, per Variety. He confirmed that Alan Tudyk will not reprise the role after voicing Clayface in Creature Commandos.

Related'Very Dear to My Heart': Lanterns Actor Aaron Pierre Is 'Locked in and...

"This summer, cameras are gonna roll on 'Clayface,' which is an incredible body horror film that reveals a compelling origin of a classic Batman villain," Peter Safran announced to an eager room of journalists at a special DC Studios press event, including /Film's own Bill Bria. "This is another title that we added to the slate on the strength of an exceptional screenplay by Mike Flanagan," he continued.

Since it was announced that the man who gave us "Doctor Sleep," "The Haunting of Hill House," "Midnight Mass," and "The Fall of the House of Usher" had turned in a script for a film based on one of the most interesting members of Batman's rogues gallery, horror fans have been frothing at the mouth for more information about what a supervillain movie written by a modern master of horror might look like in Safran and James Gunn's new slate of DC films,...

Stephen King is one of the most prolific writers, and not only has he penned tens of novels, short stories, and novellas, but his works have been adapted into many films and TV series. Some of them have been adapted more than once, and there's a new adaptation of The Dark Tower on the way.

Many King fans would love to forget the 2017 adaptation of the sci-fi western ever existed, as the movie was a major box office flop and barely touched upon the complex universe the author created in his book series. Although it starred Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, the movie was a big disappointment, but fans will get a chance of a more accurate adaptation in the future, with horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan developing a TV series for Prime Video. In a new interview with IGN, King confirmed he is writing for the upcoming series.

RelatedThe Monkey...

Mike Flanagan is moving forward with his adaptation of The Dark Tower, one of Stephen King’s most beloved fantasy series. Flanagan, known for his work on Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, has reassured fans that his version will closely follow the books. Now, he has an even stronger connection to King’s world—Stephen King himself has confirmed he’s directly involved in the project.

At IGN Fan Fest 2025, King was asked if he would contribute new material to the adaptation, similar to what he did for The Stand TV series in 2020. King responded, “All I can say is it’s happening. I am writing stuff now… I’m in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx.”

King first started writing The Dark Tower series back in 1970, and the books have become a massive part of his literary universe. While it’s unclear exactly...

Stephen King does not even hide his hatred for Stanley Kubrick’s take on The Shining as the author publicly criticized it for lacking emotional investment. We can’t blame him, though—he looked for the elements that reflected his own personal struggles in the movie and failed to find them.

Stephen King / Credits: CBS News

Thankfully, Mike Flanagan set out to fix things and reconcile Kubrick’s film with King’s novel. Doctor Sleep was not a commercial hit, but over the years, fans have grown to love and appreciate it, and perhaps we could say that the film had finally hit its mark.

Stephen King was happy with Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep after his disappointment with Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

Stanley Kubrick helmed The Shining in 1980. It made a decent box office run but was plagued with mixed reactions from fans. Perhaps the most striking comment came from Stephen King,...

Mike Flanagan has proven himself a master of horror stories with several hit shows and movies under his belt. Altough Flanagan is best known for his work on The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, his filmography remains criminally underrated with movies like Oculus and Hush being some of the best horror-thrillers of the past two decade.

Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan (Credit: Netflix | YouTube).

After working extensively in the genre, Flanagan finally got a chance to adapt one of his favorite horror IPs when he helmed 2019’s Doctor Sleep, a sequel to The Shining, both based on works from Stephen King. During an interview, Flanagan discussed why actor Ewan McGregor was the right choice for the role of a grownup Dan Torrance. Here is what Flanagan had to say about McGregor’s casting in the movie.

Mike Flanagan explained why Ewan McGregor was perfect for...

Warner Bros. and DC have found a director for Clayface, and it's a filmmaker with plenty of horror experience. The news that James Gunn's Dcu was developing a movie based on the Batman villain certainly shocked many, though Mike Flanagan had been kicking around the idea for years. While Flanagan penned the script for Clayface, he is unable to direct the project due to his commitments to the upcoming Exorcist sequel. With Clayface being described as a horror movie set in the Dcu, genre fans were eager to find out which director would get to take a crack at the project.

Director James Watkins has signed on to direct Clayface for DC Studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Watkins recently directed the 2024 hit horror film Speak No Evil, and his previous credits include the horror films Eden Lake and The Woman in Black. Watkins had emerged as a front-runner...

Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep) is writing a Clayface movie for DC, and THR confirms this afternoon that a director has been found.

Flanagan himself will Not be directing the upcoming Clayface movie, with James Watkins taking a seat in the director’s chair.

Warner Bros. will release DC’s live action Clayface movie on September 11, 2026.

The Hollywood Reporter details, “Sources say the film is budgeted at $40 million and is a Hollywood horror tale centering on a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant, only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay. The movie is due to shoot later this year.”

Flanagan tweeted back in 2021 that his dream Clayface movie was a “horror/thriller/tragedy,” and it sounds like that’s ultimately the movie he ended up writing for DC.

A special kind of comic book movie is beginning to take shape, with reports from The Hollywood Reporter (and originally My Time To Shine) that DC's Clayface project has found a director. James Watkins, who had audiences shifting in their seats with his 2024 "Speak No Evil" remake has been appointed to helm the film. Already a pretty good handler of horror, he'll be working off a script penned by Mike Flanagan, the creator behind "The Haunting of Hill House," "Midnight Mass" and "Doctor Sleep." It's the latest big leap in the film's development after Warner Bros. finally gave the DC spin-off the green light, an idea Flanagan had been kicking around since 2021. 

In the comics, Clayface has been a name taken by many law-breakers who have all been on the hit list of Batman. Originally debuting in 1940, Clayface was first Basil Karlo, a down-on-his-luck actor who becomes a vengeful serial killer.

Fans are already aware of Stephen King’s dislike for Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining as he felt it did not capture the emotional investment found in the book. So when Mike Flanagan got the opportunity to helm the sequel, Doctor Sleep, he was tasked with the impossible: to reconcile Kubrick’s and King’s visions.

Mike Flanagan via Netflix / Credits: YouTube

It’s incredible how Flanagan managed to pay homage to the original movie while also getting the approval of King. That is exactly a talent we don’t come across every day, yet somehow, he proved that he’s not only a master in the horror genre but also a versatile filmmaker.

Mike Flanagan on the challenge of making Doctor Sleep

Mike Flanagan spoke with GQ Magazine and talked about what Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining meant to him. He was in fifth grade when he first watched the movie,...

Guillermo del Toro often draws inspiration from the works of other great filmmakers and incorporates them into his own movies to create a visually indulging cinematic experience. He has always expressed admiration for Stanley Kubrick’s films, although he mostly prefers the ones most people dislike.

Guillermo del Toro / Credits: BBC

While this is not entirely an unpopular opinion, it’s worth noting that del Toro’s favorite Kubrick movies have greatly influenced his works, and therefore it meant that they resonated with him in ways that we can only understand once we’ve immersed ourselves in his films.

Guillermo del Toro reveals his favorite Stanley Kubrick movies

During the release of Guillermo del Toro’s 2015 movie, Crimson Peak, he spoke with Little White Lies and revealed that the waltz sequence was a direct reference to Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon. “It was, it was. Curiously, it’s one of my favorite Kubrick films,...

Quick LinksWho is the McU's Isaiah Bradley?Captain America: Brave New World Punishes Isaiah Bradley AgainThe MCU Has the Perfect Role for Isaiah Bradley

The following contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World, now playing in theaters.

When The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuted in 2021, fans saw the Captain America mythos expand in a big way. The Flag Smashers took the super-soldier serum, confirming that Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes weren't outliers anymore. Even Wyatt Russell's John Walker was upgrading his body to become the ultimate warrior.

However, the biggest bombshell came with the revelation of Isaiah Bradley. He was a Black super-soldier who was essentially the first Black Captain America in the 1950s. Played by Carl Lumbly, fans were heartbroken over his tragic past and military enslavement. America did try to make amends with Isaiah by the time that series ended, leaving audiences curious to see...

We're just a short time away from the theatrical release of The Monkey, Osgood Perkins' follow-up to his 2024 hit Longlegs, and if that news isn't good enough for you, maybe its Rotten Tomatoes Score will be. Embargoes have lifted, the reviews are in, and at the time of this writing, the newest Stephen King adaptation sits at a healthy 86% on the website, which bodes well for its box office take this coming weekend.

Based on King's short story that was first published in 1980 and then collected into 1985's Skeleton Crew, The Monkey stars Theo James as twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn who, at a young age, stumble upon their father's vintage toy monkey in the attic, and witness a string of horrifying deaths all around them. Years later, the toy resurfaces, causing the siblings to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy. "Osgood Perkins'...

Carl Lumbly’s Black Captain America was first introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes discover more truth about the Super Soldier serum and how it was used to create an army of Black Super Soldiers. Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley was the last living Black Super Soldier who spent years in jail and in hiding, so as to hide the U.S.’s secret experiments on Black soldiers.

Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Credits: Disney+/Marvel Studios

In the conversation that Bradley has with Wilson, he reveals that he had encountered Bucky once and failed to kill him. It was this event that brought several repercussions for him. Lumbly returns to his role in Captain America: Brave New World. He shared in a recent interview that he would like his character to encounter Bucky once more.

Quick LinksThe Mysterious Narrative of 'Dark Winds'The Remarkable Performances of 'Dark Winds' and the Actors Behind ThemThe Representation of Identities in 'Dark Winds'

Although audiences have been eagerly awaiting the return of Taylor Sheridan's highly successful 1923, fans of Western crime thrillers can satiate their appetite with a similar series as they await the Yellowstone spin-off's Season 2 premiere on February 23. Set among the rustic landscapes within the Navajo Nation, Graham Roland's Dark Winds is sure to draw in many Yellowstone fans. With beautiful scenery, engaging scripts, and a remarkably talented cast, Dark Winds offers up all the traditional elements within the Western genre while adding its own fresh sense of nuance.

Although Yellowstone does somewhat examine past and present societies and their effects on Indigenous populations, Dark Winds places Indigenous Americans at the forefront of its focus. The cast consists of mostly Indigenous actors, including Zahn McClarnon, Jessica Matten,...