Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #212

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of everything that’s going on in the Stephen King Universe. There are so many projects underway or about to get underway or that could possibly some day get underway that it boggles the mind. This is a new Golden Age for King, especially when it comes to the various adaptations of his work to screens large and small, silver and otherwise. I’m here to help you keep track!

Flight or Fright, the anthology of turbulent tales I co-edited with King, will be out in trade paperback from Scribner on June 4.  A dozen translations are also in the works, some of which have appeared already.

Scribner released an excerpt from for The Institute, King’s next novel, which will be out on September 10, 2019. You can read that here, and then check out the animated cover in the tweet below.

Though this isn’t a Stephen King publication, per se, it’s certainly of interest to King fans. Richard Chizmar has written a follow-up to Gwendy’s Button Box called Gwendy’s Magic Feather, which will be out on November 19. The book will have an introduction by King. Rich talked about the new book with Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly.

In case you missed it, King talked at length about Pet Sematary with Anthony Breznican.

King will appear on director Mick Garris’ Post Mortem podcast to mark the 25th anniversary of The Stand miniseries.  His hour-long conversation with Eli Roth for History of Horror will be released this week on the series’ uncut podcast, too.

“In the Tall Grass” and “Throttle,” King’s two collaborations with Joe Hill, will be included in Hill’s forthcoming collection Full Throttle.

The webcomic adaptation of “Little Green God of Agony,” illustrated by Dennis Calero, appears in issue #293 of Heavy Metal magazine.

Hardly a day goes by when there isn’t news of another King property being adapted for the big screen or one of any number of small screen services. Here’s the current batch, limited to the ones that are either definitely or probably going to happen:

• It: Chapter 2: in theaters on September 6.
• Doctor Sleep: in theaters on November 8.
• Adrienne Barbeau, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tobin Bell will star in the new Creepshow episode based on King’s story “Gray Matter,” adapted by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi and directed by series showrunner Greg Nicotero. Barbeau, of course, starred in the original Creepshow movie.
• Julianne Moore will star in Lisey’s Story, an eight-episode miniseries scripted entirely by King for  Apple Drama, to be produced by J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot Productions.
• Amazon Studios is set to move ahead with production on their adaptation of 13 one-hour episodes of The Dark Tower, executive produced by a team consisting of Glen Mazzara, Akiva Goldsman and King. Sam Strike  will play young Roland in this adaptation based on Wizard and Glass and Jasper Pääkkönen will play Marten (presumably). Jerome Flynn (Bronn from Game of Thrones) has also joined the cast, possibly as Eldred Jonas. Production of the pilot episodes is currently under way in Croatia.
• Alistair Legrand has been set to direct a feature based on “Mile 81.”
• James Wan is producing a new adaptation of ‘Salem’s Lot, this one meant for the big screen.
• Legendary has attached Alex Ross Perry to write and direct a film adaptation of “Rest Stop.”
• Taylor Hackford is in talks to direct an adaption of Duma Key at Legendary and Optx Entertainment.
• Mike Barker is set to direct a big-screen adaptation of The Talisman for Steven Spielberg‘s Amblin Partners and The Kennedy/Marshall Company.
• Owen King will write a pilot for a possible AMC series based on Sleeping Beauties. You may recall that the Kings started that project as a miniseries before converting it to a novel.
• In the Tall Grass, awaiting release on Netflix.
• The Stand, to be a miniseries on CBS All Access written and executive produced by Josh Boone and Ben Cavell with Boone also set to direct.
• The Outsider, in production as a 10-episode limited series adaptation for HBO.
• Castle Rock in production for Hulu. Season 2 will feature a young Annie Wilkes, Pops and Ace Merrill and will reportedly feature a visit to Jerusalem’s Lot.
• Mr. Mercedes in production for Audience Network. Season 3 will adapt Finders Keepers.

Speaking of adaptations, I’ll be attending a Dollar Baby film festival at Northern Fancon in Prince George, B.C. this weekend. The films to be screened are:

• • • The Doctor’s Case – directed by James Douglas
    • Everything’s Eventual – directed by J.P. Scott
    • Survivor Type – directed by Billy Hanson
    • Rainy Season – directed by Vanessa Ionta Wright
    • Rest Stop – directed by Stephen Baxter
    • For The Road – directed by Simon Scott
    • I Am The Doorway – directed by Simon Pearce
    • Popsy – directed by Jon Mann