Mike Flanagan laments Stephen King adaptation that got away

Director Mike Flanagan has given multiple Stephen King stories the live-action adaptation treatment, and he has more planned that are on the way. However, there is one adaptation of a King story that was scrapped before production, and that's the film Flanagan sees as the one that “got away.”




According to Screen Rant, Flanagan commented on his lost King film during his Echoes From Hill House: A Haunting Panel at Fan Expo Canada. He spoke about his failed plans to adapt King's 2014 novel Rebirthstill very satisfied with the script that was written for it. Unfortunately, the lack of immediate box office success for Flanagan's film Doctor Sleepanother King adaptation by the director, led to the Rebirth project that is rejected. The ordeal seems to still be coming for Flanagan, although he has not lost hope that the film will eventually see the light of day.


I wrote a screenplay from Rebirth that I love.” Flanagain said. “Man, it's really dark. We did the ending, and if you've read it, it's one of the darkest, most chilling endings that King has ever done, including Pet cemetery. It's dark, but man, I really liked that script.When people ask me what phantom limb is, what is the project that got awaywill always be RebirthI wrote it for Warner Bros. right after we started shooting. Doctor SleepBut Doctor Sleep it didn't work at the box office. I'm enormously proud of the film, and I hear from fans that it seems to be growing, but it didn't quite live up to the studio's expectations. And so a lot of the projects that we had at Warner Bros. died as a result, and Rebirth he was one of them.”


I wrote it for Warner Bros. right after we started shooting.
Doctor Sleep
But
Doctor Sleep
it didn't work at the box office.

Flanagan continued: “I have been grieving for it ever since, but I have no rights to it.. He's gone. And Steve, very wisely, doesn't like to burden the same director with more than one thing because it means something isn't progressing. There are other Stephen King properties that I'm fond of that took precedence over this one, and the choice was to pursue those or try to get Rebirth go somewhere else. We let it go, but I will always regret that movie. Maybe he'll come back. You never know with these things.”



Mike Flanagan Has More Stephen King Adaptations Coming

Previously, Flanagan directed a Gerald's Game adaptation in addition to Doctor SleepHe also has several other upcoming projects inspired by King's stories. His next film, Chuck's LifeIt's based on a King story, though it's definitely a horror film. He's also working on a TV adaptation of The Dark Tower.

Source: Screen Rant

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