The Duffer Brothers were set to be the latest creatives to bring the works ofStephen Kingto television, but the duo’s upcoming adaptation ofThe Talismanmay hit a setback that continues one legendary filmmaker’s struggles to bring it to screen. King is acclaimed for his many novels that range from chilling horrors to emotional, character-driven affairs. WhileKing’s tales have seen much success as movies,several of the author’s previous works are being adapted and expanded on television, including the upcoming prequelIt:Welcome to Derry, and Mike Flanagan and Prime Video’sCarrieadaptation.
Released in 1984 as a collaboration between King and Peter Straub,The Talismanis a fantasy tale that sees young Jack Sawyer set out to find a mysterious Talisman that can prevent his mother’s death as she suffers from lung cancer. In order to do so, the young boy learns about the Territories, a parallel world full of magic populated by twisted counterparts to the people whom Jack encounters in life. As such, Jack’s journey takes him across the US, as he switches between his own world and the Territories to find the magical artifact.
Spielberg Bought The Rights To The Talisman 2 Years Before It Was Published
The Filmmaker Quickly Purchased The Rings In The 1980s
WhileThe Talismanearned a mixed response from critics long after its initial publishing, the novel was planned to be brought to screens before readers were able to experience the world of the Territories for themselves. In 1982,the novel’s rights were purchased by Spielberg before they had the opportunity to be optioned to other companies. The production was expected to be handled by Amblin Partners and The Marshall/Kennedy Company.
Despite having the filmmaker attached and even having a script developed by Chris Sparling, little progress was made on adapting the movie for a theatrical release. According to King,The Talismanexperienced delaysthatcan be attributed to his experience with executive Sidney Sheinberg, a regular collaborator of Spielberg’s. The author believes that Sheinberg intervened too much and hindered the process.
However, in 2021, new hope was given to the project, asNetflix revealed that they were keen to adaptThe Talismanto screens.For this task, they enlisted the Duffer Brothers, who had earned acclaim for their work onStranger Things, to helm the adaptation. While they may have been a good fit for a King fantasy featuring alternate worlds, however, the pair’s slate of projects has become incredibly packed.
The Talisman Will Probably Continue To Languish In Development Hell
Despite Being Committed To Netflix, The Duffer Brothers Have A Packed Slate
While the Duffer Brothers may bebringingStranger Thingsto a close, the pair will still remain in that world with animated spin-offStranger Things: Tales from ‘85, alongside producing sci-fi seriesThe Boroughsand having been attached to a new live-action adaptation ofDeath Notefor Netflix, through their production company Upside Down Pictures. Furthermore,it was also recently confirmed that the pair would be developingThe Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionnealongside author Ron Currie. While these productions will keep the pair alongside the streamer, it is clear that other commitments will take priority.
The Duffer Brothers’ packed production slate may not be a death knell for the current incarnation ofThe Talisman’s adaptation, but it certainly isn’t an optimistic sign.The pair had arguably proven themselves the best fit for the storywith their work on their Netflix hit, whileThe Talisman’ssequel,Black House, andKing’s upcoming third novelcould allow the series to be a multi-season show for the streamer. However, despite King’s stories enjoying a screen adaptation renaissance, Netflix working with the Duffers on a new project means thatThe Talismanis likely nowhere close to an onscreen translation.
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
