As a lifelong fan of Stephen King’s works, I can hardly contain my excitement about the upcoming adaptations and anthologies that are on the horizon! The Running Man, with Glen Powell, Katy O’Brian, and Daniel Ezra, is going to be an action-packed thrill ride when it hits theaters in 2025. And let’s not forget about the ensemble cast of The Institute, based on Stephen King’s 2019 novel. With talented actors like Mary Louise-Parker, Ben Barnes, Brendan Beiser, Mary Walsh, and Jordan Alexander joining the series, I have no doubt that it will be a must-watch for any King fan.
It’s not hard to see that Stephen King novels, like “Salem’s Lot” for example, often struggle when compressed into standard-length films. As I pointed out in my TopMob review, Gary Dauberman’s adaptation does a good job with the story and characters but falls short due to a lack of breadth. Historically, miniseries have proven more suitable for King’s intricate narratives. I was thrilled to hear about the latest adaptation of “Fairy Tale,” as it has switched from being a movie to a miniseries, which should allow for a more faithful rendition of the original work.
This week’s edition of The King Beat is bursting at the seams with news, leaving little space to delve deeply into the amusing trailer for Osgood Perkins’ movie, “The Monkey,” which was released on Tuesday. Besides updates about “Fairy Tale,” there are also recent cast announcements for Edgar Wright’s remake of “The Running Man” and MGM+’s “The Institute.” Additionally, we now have a release date for the upcoming anthology featuring short stories in the world of “The Stand.” There’s plenty to cover, so let’s dive right in!
A24 Is Getting Into The Stephen King Game Developing Fairy Tale As A TV Series
I couldn’t believe how swiftly Stephen King’s “Fairy Tale” was thrust into development! Just a few weeks after its store release in September 2022, I learned that renowned writer/director Paul Greengrass had taken it up for a feature film. However, updates on its progress have been scarce until now. But boy, did things take an exciting turn this week! It looks like the project has transformed into a captivating 10-part miniseries instead.
As reported by Deadline, the Fairy Tale project has moved to a new studio, but Paul Greengrass remains involved in a significant creative role. The trade reports that Universal found it “impossible” to condense the source material into a feature film, and as a result, they relinquished the project (having initially acquired it during a competitive bidding war). A24 is now supporting the miniseries, marking their first venture into Stephen King-related projects. Greengrass will collaborate with J.H. Wyman, writer for Fringe and Almost Human, to develop Greengrass’ film script. Wyman will serve as showrunner in this expanded television adaptation.
It’s rumored that the director of the Bourne franchise or Captain Phillips might also be involved in Fairy Tale, though it appears no agreements have been finalized at this time.
The story revolves around Charlie Reade, a teenage resident of Illinois. While on a walk one day, he overhears a dog’s distressed barking and ends up saving his elderly neighbor, Howard Bowditch. As a result, Charlie takes care of the pet while Howard is in the hospital, eventually becoming his caretaker once discharged. Throughout their time together, Charlie uncovers some peculiar facts about his cranky new friend. This ultimately leads him to the discovery of a magical, hidden world.
I’m quite enthusiastic about the upcoming Stephen King movies, but I also appreciate the shift in medium. It seems like this change is optimal for the original content. A key aspect that makes the novel stand out is its skillful transition between genres, a feat only achieved after it has earned it. Before diving into full-blown fantasy, it initially presents as a tale of a young boy’s journey, dealing with supernatural forces entering his life following a prayer he makes for his alcoholic father to stop drinking. This character development and the forming bond between Charlie, Howard, and their dog Radar are crucial elements that might get trimmed or diluted in a film version, focusing more on the alternate world the protagonist explores.
In the expansive format offered by the TV series “Fairy Tale”, it has the opportunity to delve deeply into the story’s details, giving it the proper depth, before transporting viewers on an enchanting journey brimming with strange wonders, magical elements, and fearsome creatures.
Incidentally, I’m equally excited about A24, a highly esteemed independent film studio at present, venturing into Stephen King’s world. This development takes place in the same year that Neon has taken on two upcoming King films (namely The Monkey and Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck). Given their genre credibility, it’s intriguing to observe this shift in distribution, moving beyond the major film studios and streaming platforms.
The only bit of bad news here is that the trade report doesn’t mention the speed of Fairy Tale’s development and when it might be targeting a start of production – but as more is reported about the project, you can be sure to find updates here on TopMob.
Both The Running Man And The Institute Have Added To Their Casts
By the end of 2024, two more projects based on Stephen King’s works will commence filming: Edgar Wright’s reimagining of “The Running Man” for the big screen, and a TV series adaptation of “The Institute.” Lately, both productions have been expanding their casts.
According to Deadline’s report, Karl Glusman is the most recent actor to sign up for the cast of “The Running Man.” This upcoming film will be more faithful to its original dystopian science-fiction source material than the 1987 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Notably, Glusman has previously worked with writer/director Alex Garland on the TV series “Devs” and the upcoming 2024 film “Civil War.” Additionally, he recently acted alongside Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy in Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders.” At this time, we are unaware of what character Glusman will portray in Edgar Wright’s new movie, which already has Glen Powell, Katy O’Brian, and Daniel Ezra on board.
The Running Man is being produced by Paramount Pictures and will be in theaters November 21, 2025.
Regrettably, we don’t have a specific date for when MGM+ will premiere the series The Institute, but the production team has recently added three new members to its cast. This upcoming show, directed by Jack Bender and co-created with Benjamin Cavell, is based on Stephen King’s 2019 novel and has been in active development for some time now. Over the past few months, the casting department has been hard at work, as evidenced by the growing ensemble. Previously announced in June were Mary Louise-Parker and Ben Barnes who will play significant roles, and since then, more actors have joined the cast.
This week, it’s been announced that the eight-episode series has brought on Brendan Beiser as a main cast member, while Mary Walsh and Jordan Alexander will appear in multiple episodes. Their characters are all associated with individuals outside of the central Institute, an institution where kidnapped children believed to possess telekinetic or telepathic powers are kept for experimentation. In the role of protagonist Luke Ellis is Joe Freeman, a young actor who was previously reported by The King Beat. Alongside him in the series are Fionn Laird (Under the Banner of Heaven), Hannah Galway (Under the Banner of Heaven), Julian Richings (Beau Is Afraid), Robert Joy (Julia), Viggo Hanvelt (Our Christmas Mural), Arlen So (Something Rotten), Birva Pandya (The Umbrella Academy), Dan Beirne (Ginny & Georgia), Martin Roach (Suits) and Jane Luk (Streams Flow From A River).
Filming of The Institute will commence in Nova Scotia before the end of the year.
The End Of The World As We Know It: New Tales Of Stephen King’s The Stand Is Now Available For Pre-Order
Around this same period last year, readers worldwide were introduced to an exciting Stephen King-themed literary endeavor that was in development. With King’s endorsement and encouragement, writers/editors Brian Keene and Christopher Golden have been diligently working on “The End Of The World As We Know It: Tales Of Stephen King’s The Stand“, an anthology of stories set within the realm of “The Stand“. Since then, a few details about this project have emerged (such as stories being set outside of the U.S.), but the most crucial pre-release news came out this week: a publication date.
The collection of short stories, penned with an introduction by Stephen King, is scheduled for publication by Simon & Schuster. This compelling anthology will hit the shelves on August 19, 2025. You can now pre-order either a hardcover or eBook version from retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and Bookshop.org.
As a gaming enthusiast diving into the captivating world of “The End Of The World As We Know It: Tales Of Stephen King’s The Stand”, I can’t wait to see who the talented lineup of authors will be! From what I’ve heard, big names like Paul Tremblay, Josh Malerman, Richard Chizmar, Bev Vincent, S.A. Cosby, Tananarive Due, Robert Cargill, Alex Segura, and even Wayne Brady are set to contribute to this exciting anthology. Can’t wait to see the masterpieces they’ll weave!
This concludes this week’s episode of The King Beat, but I’ll return with fresh updates about Stephen King next Thursday right here on TopMob.
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2024-10-17 19:38