Mike Flanaganhas made a name for himself adapting the works of Stephen King. Following in the footsteps of other directors like Frank Darabont, Rob Reiner, and Mick Garris, Flanagan has translated multiple King novels. These includeGerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep,and thewell-reviewedThe Life of Chuck. He also attempted to adaptRevival, but that ultimately did not move forward.
Movies and TV shows based on King have always been a mixed bag. Some are timeless classics, likeThe ShiningorMisery, while others can be difficult to sit through, likeThe Lawnmower ManorThe Mangler. Others are just wild to watch, like theKing-directedMaximum OverdriveorSleepwalkers. However, Flanagan has delivered acclaimed and compelling movies.
Flanagan has no signs of slowing down when it comes to bringing King’s work to life, as he has two other series currently in various stages of production. The writer/director seems to challenge himself by adapting works that appear nearly impossible to translate to screen. However, his next project may be his riskiest so far.
Carrie Is Mike Flanagan’s First Stephen King Project With An Existing Beloved Adaptation
Brian De Palma’s 1976 Movie Is A Faithful Adaptation
ACarrieseries for Prime Videois currently in production with Flanagan at the helm. The show has been described as amodern retelling of King’s first published novel. Unlike Flanagan’s past adaptations,Carriehas been adapted multiple times before. While mostCarriemovies came and went, the 1976 Brian De Palma movie is considered a classic.
De Palma’s movie is a fairly faithful adaptation, only making small changes from the novel. Its success helped put King on the map, coming out just two years after his debut novel, and is cemented in the pop culture landscape. TheCarrieshow will have to fight an uphill battle, as it will undoubtedly be compared to the classic horror movie.
Given thatCarriealready has what feels like a definitive version of the story on screen, Flanagan’s show will have to do something different. The themes inCarrieare evergreen, like high school bullying or having a difficult family situation. The series will have to feel familiar to the source material, while also forging its own path.
Mike Flanagan’s Challenges With Carrie Will Be More Intense Than Doctor Sleep’s The Shining Comparisons
Flanagan is no stranger to dealing with comparisons to a classic King adaptation. He wrote and directedDoctor Sleepin 2019 and had to walk a seemingly impossible tightrope of bringing King’s novel to life, while at the same time being a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’sTheShining.Doctor Sleepfollows an adult Dan Torrance years later as he has to confront literal and metaphorical demons.
Although it was a box office bomb,Doctor Sleepsomehow managed to appease fans of King and Kubrick. King famously dislikedThe Shiningmovie, but softened on it after seeingDoctor Sleep. AsCarriewill be operating in the space of not having a separate sequel, but rather a new take, it will be subject to more direct comparisons.
When returning to The Overlook Hotel (something that does not happen in the novel,Doctor Sleep), thesets were painstakingly reconstructed to match the Kubrick movie. There were also some shots and music cues to make that world feel familiar.Carriewon’t be able to lean as heavily on those elements, so the comparisons will focus more on the cast and story.
Carrie’s Reception Will Be A Big Test For Mike Flanagan’s Dark Tower Adaptation
Roland Already Tried To Reach The Tower On Film Once Before
If there is a King adaptation that seems insurmountable, it’sThe Dark Tower.Flanagan is working on an adaptation of King’s magnum opus. The fantasy-western series follows Roland Deschain, a gunslinger, and his friends (or Ka-tet) on their journey to The Dark Tower. The series involves countless references to King’s other books, and pop culture ones that include The Beatles,The Wizard of Oz, and Marvel Comics.
Flanagan snuck severalDark Towerreferences intoDoctor Sleep,including Tet Transit for the bus line Danny rides, and Carl Lumbly’s Dick Halloran saying “Ka is a wheel,” a phrase spoken repeatedly inThe Dark Towerseries.
Outside of adapting King, Flanagan has an impressive pedigree with TV series, includingThe Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass,andFall of the House of Usherto name a few. However,Flanagan has never turned a King novel into a series before.
Given that the story takes place over eight novels and one short story,bringingThe Dark Towerto the small screen makes more sense than a film series, considering how much material needs to be covered. However, there was already aDark Towermovie in 2017 that failed to connect with critics, general audiences, and was overall loathed by fans of the novels.
AsThe Dark Towermovie was a failure, Flanagan’sCarrieseries may present a challenge for the show. IfCarriedoes not connect with audiences, they may not be willing to check out a series that covers a topic that already flopped once. That said, Flanagan has done nothing but produce excellent King movies so far, so I have faith that he can successfully adaptCarrie.
Carrie
Cast
Carrie is an adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic novel of the same name, which tells the story of a bullied youth who develops supernatural abilities. Unlike previous adaptations of the work, this version—helmed by Mike Flanagan—will be a series instead of a feature film.
