The Talisman” series, co-written with the late Peter Straub. The author has confirmed that he is currently “beavering away” on the book, which is inspired by an idea Straub shared with him before his passing. Like the previous two books in the series, “The Talisman 3

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Over the past week, Hollywood has been grappling with how to continue functioning during the ongoing crisis caused by the fires in Los Angeles. The catastrophic natural disaster has led to postponements in the award season. In response to the tragedy, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to extend the voting period for the Oscars and push back the announcement date for nominations (originally January 17, now rescheduled for January 23). This decision was made with sympathy towards those in the film industry who have experienced significant losses recently. However, Stephen King has voiced concerns that not enough consideration is being given to the situation, going so far as to propose that the entire awards event this year should be cancelled.

Is that the correct choice for this week’s The King Beat? Among the three major stories I have prepared, it includes Stephen King’s thoughts on the 9th Academy Awards, updates about his upcoming work titled “The Talisman 3”, and the theater release of Leigh Whannell’s “Wolf Man”. This last point makes me wonder if an underappreciated book could be a great candidate for a fresh adaptation. With so much to explore, let’s dive right in!

Stephen King Says He Won’t Be Voting For The Oscars This Year, But Supports The Show Becoming A Charity-Centric Event

Is it appropriate for Los Angeles to revel in the legendary glamour of Hollywood at this moment? This question has sparked intense debate on social media recently, with Stephen King joining the fray by voicing his negative opinion. Amidst the ongoing battle to control the devastating wildfires in southern California, King announced on Bluesky this week that he will not be voting for this year’s Oscars and shared his thoughts about the event proceeding as planned. He wrote, “I can’t support something so tone-deaf.

Opting out of participating in the Oscars this year, as I believe they might be better off postponed or reconsidered given the current situation with Los Angeles experiencing fires. The grandeur and glamour seem misplaced amidst such devastation.

Typically, Stephen King is an active participant in the Academy. In 2021, he voiced his concerns about the nomination process during a time when movie theaters globally were closed due to COVID-19, and he openly expressed frustration the following year when Greta Gerwig was not nominated for Best Director for Barbie. However, in 2025, he believes it’s inappropriate for the film industry to hold a grand celebration when the community’s primary location is facing such severe hardships.

While it’s clear that this viewpoint is logical, it’s also one that could spark controversy. It might seem inappropriate to host such a grand event during a time of city-wide turmoil, but there are significant points worth considering. Firstly, the Oscars can generate numerous job opportunities for those in need. Secondly, the event and its associated parties can serve as a beacon, putting the city in the spotlight. Lastly, the broadcast could be utilized to highlight charitable organizations and provide information on how to assist people who are suffering.

In response to Stephen King’s proposal that the 97th Academy Awards be transformed into a Farm Aid-like event for raising awareness and collecting donations, a Bluesky user agreed, expressing this sentiment with the phrase, “I like that idea, absolutely!” or simply, “That sounds great to me!

Originally scheduled for March 2nd, the Oscar awards show will be aired as planned, with Conan O’Brien set to host, despite a temporary delay in accepting nominations.

Stephen King Provides Fans With An Update On His Progress With The Talisman 3

For over two decades now, Stephen King’s dedicated readers have yearned for another adventure with protagonist Jack Sawyer. If fortune favors us, that long wait may soon be over. In the summer of 2023, King hinted at the possibility of a sequel to his novels “The Talisman” and “Black House,” both co-authored by Peter Straub. Although King has yet to make any definitive promises about its completion and release, it’s clear that concepts are being penned down, and we received our most recent update on the potential book this week.

In recent times, Stephen King has shared via his personal Threads account that the work on his upcoming book is still in progress. Although he didn’t delve deeply into the details of his writing journey, he did post an update.

Beavering away on TALISMAN 3.

It’s clear there isn’t much given at this point, but the author didn’t exhaust all his insights about the evolving novel. To keep readers informed, he not only reinforced that the narrative is inspired by an idea Peter Straub shared before his passing in 2022, but also hinted that similar to The Talisman and Black House, this novel will carry a co-author credit.

Inspired by Peter Straub prior to his demise, the concept of dual credit for a potential novel was conceived, similar to ‘The Talisman’ and ‘Black House’. However, I can never fully anticipate if a book will be completed until it actually is. This work still has a significant distance to cover.

For those unaware, Stephen King’s writing style is quite distinct. Unlike many other authors who meticulously plan their entire story before starting a book, King adopts a different approach. He initiates his work with characters and basic concepts, allowing them to guide him throughout the creative process. This method has undeniably contributed to his achievements in his career. However, it also carries the risk that a project may become stagnant and fail to progress (as hinted by his cautious remarks).

If the project progresses as planned, fans of The Talisman series might have to wait anywhere between five to ten years to read the third installment. This delay certainly challenges our patience, but there’s a bright side: we won’t have to wait nearly that long for the author’s upcoming work! In fact, we’re only a few months away from getting our hands on it, as Never Flinch – featuring the quirky detective Holly Gibney – is set to hit shelves everywhere on May 27.

A Second Reboot Of The Wolf Man Is In Theaters This Weekend, But When Can We Finally Get A Cycle Of The Werewolf Remake?

This weekend, Leigh Whannell’s “Wolf Man” hits theaters, but honestly, I’m not a huge fan of this film. In my two-star review for TopMob, I mentioned that it has some impressive effects and innovative approaches to the classic monster story, but its construction is haphazard and it overly manipulates werewolf lore, losing touch with the rich history of werewolf cinema. Despite my feelings of disenchantment, I find myself eagerly anticipating a Hollywood adaptation of Stephen King’s “Cycle Of The Werewolf.” Whether as a new feature film or a limited series, I can’t wait to see how they bring this classic tale to life once more.

If you’re new to the title, let me tell you that “Cycle of the Werewolf” wasn’t originally intended as a book. In 1983, it was planned as part of an illustrated calendar collaboration with artist Bernie Wrightson. However, Stephen King’s creativity went beyond expectations and what started as a dozen 500-word vignettes morphed into a novella. The story takes some creative liberties with the moon phases, using each chapter to depict monthly happenings in the small town of Tarker’s Mill, Maine, which is terrorized by a lethal werewolf. But fear not, for this beastly menace can only be defeated by our young hero, Marty Coslaw – a brave 10-year-old who happens to be paralyzed from the waist down.

In 1985, the original author transformed the tale into a screenplay, renaming it “Silver Bullet”. While this movie serves its purpose, there’s definitely room for improvement through a remake. As I mentioned in my article on adapting Stephen King works, disagreements regarding the film’s tone between director Daniel Attias and producer Dino De Laurentiis resulted in a somewhat conflicted final product – it straddles the line between a family-friendly monster movie and a gory horror production filled with violent imagery. However, the narrative itself is compelling, and with the right director at the helm, a fresh adaptation could be just as captivating.

There’s certainly interest in creating a remake of this project, as evidenced by previous statements from director Keith Thomas and filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier. Thomas expressed his desire to adapt Stephen King’s “Cycle Of The Werewolf,” while Saulnier showed appreciation for the book last fall. However, as far as I know, no active development is currently underway. It would be fantastic if a new adaptation could be made from the compact source material. If a streaming platform or TV network wanted to take a daring approach, a 12-episode miniseries, with each episode focusing on events that occur within a single calendar month, would be a captivating choice. Here’s hoping for the best!

This concludes today’s installment of The King Beat. Each week, there’s always something fresh and fascinating happening in the realm of Stephen King, and I’ll catch up with you all here on TopMob next Thursday with another roundup of the latest news. To hold you over until then, don’t forget to check out our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide, where you can find a list of all the exciting projects inspired by his books that are currently in development!

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2025-01-16 20:40