Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Stanley Kubrick’sThe Shiningwas hated by author Stephen King. Although it received much adoration from horror fans, the creator of the book felt dissatisfied. Mike Flanagan wanted to adapt its sequelDoctor Sleepfrom the books to the big screens.
The king of horror hatedThe Shiningso much that the production of its sequel was halted when Stephen King denied Mike Flanagan his permission. The director eventually convinced King to let him make the movie and it turned out to be a fruitful decision.
Stephen King Had Halted Mike Flanagan’s Production
The Shiningfound much success in the 1980s. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film was lauded by all except its author Stephen King. Citing the reason to be major discrepancies between the book and the movie, King was afraid of letting another book go to waste.
In the later years,Mike Flanagan(fromThe Haunting of Hill Housefame) wanted to direct a sequel to the 1980 movie and continue the franchise. When he asked Stephen King for his permission to adapt the bookDoctor Sleepinto a movie, King stated a simple no.
Also read:“I strongly advise you to open Guillermo del Toro’s CABINET OF CURIOSITIES”: New Netflix Horror Series Has Stephen King’s Approval
TheMidnight Massdirector recently took to his Tumblr account to post the story of how he convinced the king of horror to trust him and let him make and directDoctor Sleep.
“I put together a proposal that outlined what I wanted to do – use Kubrick’s visual language, and keep the Overlook standing as a setting for the final battle. The initial feedback we got was “no.” King really, really didn’t like Kubrick’s film, and his priority was to adapt DOCTOR SLEEP – not to revisit THE SHINING.I told him that if he didn’t want me to do it, I wouldn’t – I’d walk away from the movie before I made something he hated.”
The director further continued,
“But as a last ditch effort, I said “imagine the Overlook, decrepit and rotten. And imagine Dan Torrance having walk in to ‘wake it up,’ the lights coming on above his head as he walks the halls. He finds his way to the Gold Room. To the familiar bar, where an empty glass is waiting for him. And we see a familiar bartender ready to pour for him, saying ‘good evening Mister Torrance.’ What if that bartender is his father?” After a bit of a delay, King got back to us. “Do it,” he said.
With a star cast of Edward Norton and Rebecca Ferguson, the film went on to make $72.3 million at the global box office.Stephen Kingwas also happy with the end result and therefore, his universe is set to expand further into the hidden depths ofThe Dark Tower.
Suggested:‘Elon Musk is a visionary. That said, he’s a terrible fit for Twitter’: Horror Legend Stephen King Praises Musk’s Reign as Tesla CEO But Calls Him Out on Draconian Social Media Antics
Stephen King’s Horrorverse To Finally Happen?
Related:“Nothing would be a bigger honor than to work on that”: The Midnight Club Creator Mike Flanagan Sets His Eyes on Stephen King’s Dark Tower After Unsuccessful Attempt by Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey
In the year 2017, a film titledThe Dark Towerwas released. The film starredIdris ElbaandMatthew McConaugheyand yet it failed in its performance. If one goes by the books,The Dark Toweris seemingly connected to many prominent works of Stephen King. The place works like a connecting common point (and maybe the cause) of all the horror occurring in King’s horror verse. The 2017 movie directed by Nikolaj Arcel crashed very hard with a low of 15% on Rotten Tomatoes.
With Mike Flanagan, things could very well be different. The director has much experience with the horror genre and was praised for creating series likeThe Haunting of Hill HouseandMidnight Mass.If things go well, Stephen King just may end up giving Flanagan the keys to his Horrorverse, andThe Dark Towerand all its related works might get a justified adaptation.
Doctor Sleepis available to stream on HBO Max.
Source:Tumblr
Visarg Acharya
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3264
Visarg Acharya is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 3000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past three years and a copywriter at a corporation. Visarg usually covers news and theories on the MCU and the DCU, with an emphasis on Avengers and Superman; Game of Thrones, and more.A Tarantino fan, Visarg, spends his time critiquing various directors’ filmographies and watching them with curiosity. Medieval fantasy like The Lord of the Rings or sci-fi movies like Interstellar, watching the latest horror movies, and listening to Hans Zimmer become his comfort zone. When idle, he can be found reading fantasy novels with a terrible cup of coffee in hand.
