Director Mike Flanagan, known for his work on Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, is once again collaborating with legendary horror author Stephen King. This time, in a longer format.
The pair is adapting King’s 1974 novel Carrie into an eight-episode series for Amazon. According to Deadline, Flanagan will serve as the showrunner of the series. For those who are familiar with Flanagan’s IMBD, he is no stranger to King’s works. In the past, he has brought several of the author’s stories to life on screen.
Carrie is the novel that put King on the map. And in so doing so, it launched his career as one of the most prolific and successful writers of all time, not just in the horror genre. The story follows a young girl with telekinetic powers who, after enduring relentless bullying from her classmates and suffering under the control of her domineering and often sadistically abusive mother, unleashes devastating powers.
The consequences, of course, are quite bloody.
The novel was first adapted into a film by Brian De Palma in 1976. It starred Sissy Spacek in the lead role and had the talents of John Travolta, pre-RoboCop Nancy Allen, and Piper Laurie. Since the movie’s release, it has become a horror classic and an excellent entry point into the genre for many.
While De Palma’s adaptation is often regarded as one of the best King films, Carrie has seen several other versions over the years. These include The Rage: Carrie 2 in 1999 and a 2002 TV movie. There was also a 2013 remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. Each of these retellings attempted to balance the shadow of the 1976 film while bringing something new to the table, but none have had the luxury of the extended format that Amazon’s eight-episode series will provide.
The longer format of a series allows Flanagan to explore the psychological and supernatural elements of Carrie in more depth, something that shorter films and TV movies couldn’t fully achieve. This move is part of a growing trend in Hollywood to expand Stephen King’s novels into longer, episodic content. A24’s upcoming adaptation of Fairy Tale, another King novel, highlights the industry’s recognition that King’s stories often require more time to fully unfold. Similarly, Amazon’s Carrie series will give the characters and plotlines room to breathe, heightening both the emotional tension and the horror.
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King’s works are experiencing a renaissance in film and television. In addition to Carrie, there are several other adaptations in the works. Lionsgate is adapting The Long Walk, which King wrote at the age of 19 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, while Edgar Wright is directing a new version of The Running Man, starring Glen Powell and Katy O’Brian.
So why Flanagan? Well as mentioned above, he has previously worked with King’s material. And due to the positive reception to those adaptations, it has earned him a reputation as one of the best directors working in horror today. His adaptation of Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining, and his critically acclaimed take on Gerald’s Game showcased his ability to translate King’s intricate storytelling – which for many other directors has proven notoriously difficult over the decades.
With Trevor Macy set to executive produce, Carrie is positioned to become another hit in the growing list of Stephen King adaptations, proving once again that King’s tales remain as compelling and terrifying as ever.