Is IT: Welcome To Derry Setting Up An Awesome Stephen King Crossover With The Shining?

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As a devoted Constant Reader who has been following Stephen King’s works for decades, I can’t help but feel like a kid waiting for Christmas while staring at an empty stocking. The anticipation of the upcoming IT: Welcome To Derry and the Dune: Prophecy, along with the much-awaited return of Pennywise the Clown, has me all aflutter. But there’s another adaptation that’s been simmering on the back burner for far too long – The Talisman.

Enjoying a dedicated reader of Stephen King’s works, one delight lies in recognizing the intricate connections, locations, and characters that create a cohesive universe across his stories. While some links are more apparent (such as the Castle Rock tales), others are subtler (like the Overlook Hotel’s appearance in 2021’s Billy Summers). The intricate web of The Dark Tower adds another layer to this connection. Unfortunately, these intricate links often don’t persist through adaptations, but recent developments about the upcoming series IT: Welcome To Derry have sparked hope that it might incorporate a unique touch for King enthusiasts – potentially linking to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep.

This week’s The King Beat focuses primarily on its main topic, but with the 40th anniversary of “The Talisman” fast approaching, I’ve made time to explore the current state of development for the adaptations. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s delve deeper!

With Certain Details About IT: Welcome To Derry Confirmed, I’m Keeping Fingers Crossed For A Dick Halloran Appearance

Last week’s Halloween festivities saw Entertainment Weekly hosting a special sneak peek for the upcoming HBO series, IT: Welcome To Derry, set in 2025. Although there remains much mystery about the series, some critical details have been disclosed. The main action will take place in the year 1962, a full 27 years prior to Pennywise’s appearance in 1989, as portrayed in IT: Chapter One. Jovan Adepo is set to play a member of the Hanlon family, possibly William Hanlon, the father of Mike Hanlon from the Losers Club. Moreover, the series will delve deeply into the chilling tale of the Black Spot, as found in Stephen King’s novel.

In an email to a magazine, filmmakers Andy and Barbara Muschietti explained their plans for the upcoming prequel series.

In every 27-year interval, Pennywise enters a dormant phase. This period corresponds to distinct eras in American history, each brimming with unique anxieties for both children and adults, considering the escalating tensions of the Cold War. Our story primarily unfolds in 1962, but occasionally jumps back into the past…. During these cycles marked by two significant events, one at the start and another towards the end, we have chosen to base our narrative on an event known as the Black Spot, around which numerous tales are woven.

In Stephen King’s novel, IT, the Black Spot has a striking significance for two primary reasons. Firstly, it is a chilling event in Derry, Maine’s history, marked by a hate crime that results in the deaths of many people by fire. Secondly, one of the significant figures associated with this incident is none other than Dick Halloran, who gained prominence as the head chef at The Overlook Hotel in The Shining. This character was portrayed by Scatman Crothers in Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation and by Carl Lumbly in Doctor Sleep.

As a gamer, I’d put it this way: “In the chilling world of IT, I stumbled upon the eerie tale of the Black Spot, a story I heard from my dying father while he lay in his hospital bed, battling cancer. During his service in Derry, my father and his fellow African-American soldiers were forced to seek their own recreational spaces due to racial segregation. This struggle gave birth to the Black Spot – initially a makeshift shed for drinking and unwinding, which eventually evolved into a bustling club complete with live music and a kitchen.

The Black Spot became a popular hangout… but its popularity incensed white locals. William Hanlon and Dick Halloran – then a private and a mess cook – were friends and among the 200-plus people at the club the night that the local Legion of White Decency rode up in white robes and hoods to set the place on fire. Dick ends up saving the lives of both William and pal Trevor Dawson when instinct (likely an example of his “shining”) convinces him to steer them away from what turns out to be a jammed door as the flames grow and panic rises.

Following the event, William observed a person being lifted into the sky by a colossal bird supported by balloons – this spectacle hinting at the impact of Pennywise on the escalation of the hate crime.

Incorporating Dick Halloran, who plays a significant part in the original story, into IT: Welcome To Derry seems quite logical. Moreover, I’d like to highlight that tying him to connections between Stephen King’s IT, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep wouldn’t face any rights-related obstacles since all the adaptations mentioned here are under Warner Bros.’ production, making this scenario feasible.

It’s possible that Chris Chalk, who’s yet to reveal his role in the series, could be playing Dick in the upcoming show, as suggested by the blank nametape on his uniform in the official still. This might be a strategic move by the marketing team to keep the special connection between Dick and the series a secret until closer to its premiere next year. Interestingly, age-wise, Chris Chalk and the character of Dick, who is portrayed as being in his late 60s/early 70s in the ’80s-set The Shining/Doctor Sleep, seem to be a close fit, given that Chris Chalk is currently 46 years old.

As a fervent admirer, let me share some exciting news! Alongside Jovan Adepo and Chris Chalk, the highly anticipated mini-series IT: Welcome To Derry will also feature acting talents such as James Remar, Taylour Page, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, and Bill Skarsgård. Notably, Bill returns to his chilling role as Pennywise The Dancing Clown! This series, along with “The Penguin” and the upcoming “Dune: Prophecy,” is part of an innovative initiative that brings big-screen worlds to our small screens. The premiere for HBO and Max subscribers is scheduled for 2025, though the exact date remains undisclosed as of now.

The Talisman Is About To Turn 40. Where The Hell Is The Netflix Series?!

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but ponder the situation regarding Stephen King adaptations, even though we’ve recently been blessed with a fresh one in October, and rumors suggest as many as six new projects might surface in 2025. However, this month marks the 40th anniversary of “The Talisman,” co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub, which was first published in November 1984. This significant milestone has me yearning to know what’s happening with the streaming series that Constant Readers were anticipating for over two years now.

In case you’ve forgotten, back in March 2021, it was revealed that Netflix was working on a TV series based on The Talisman, with key contributors from the popular show Stranger Things involved – specifically Matt and Ross Duffer as producers, and Curtis Gwinn as the showrunner. However, since then, progress seems to have slowed down significantly, much like molasses. While some of this delay can be explained by the slow development process for Stranger Things Season 5 (now set to air in 2025), the absence of any new updates has been a bit disheartening.

A significant part of the discontent arises because fans, known as Constant Readers, have been anticipating a movie adaptation of The Talisman for nearly three decades. Despite numerous attempts, Hollywood has yet to bring this Stephen King novel to life on screen. Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment even secured the perpetual rights to the book when it was first published. However, various film and TV adaptations have been proposed over the years, but none have progressed far enough to commence filming.

In simpler terms, “The Talisman” is a story about Jack Sawyer, a young boy who learns about a magical world called The Territories. He embarks on a dangerous mission to find a powerful talisman capable of curing his mother’s terminal cancer. In 2001, Stephen King and Peter Straub collaborated again to write a sequel, “Black House.” Unfortunately, King passed away in 2022 at the age of 79. However, he has hinted at completing the series as a trilogy, which may finally lead to the adaptation of “The Talisman” as a Netflix show, with the aim of adapting all three books if they move forward.

This week’s episode of King Beat concludes here, but don’t worry, I’ll be back on TopMob next Thursday with fresh updates from the realm of Stephen King. Until then, feel free to delve into my series “Exploring Stephen King’s Adaptations” which offers an in-depth look at the complete chronicle of King books in film and television.

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2024-11-07 20:12