Now, he’s also going to be tackling a fresh adaptation of ‘The Mist.’
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Deadline brings word that Warner Bros. has made a deal for Flanagan to write and direct a new take on King’s 1980 novella, which originally appeared in the collection ‘Skeleton Crew.’
(L to R): Marcia Gay Harden, William Sadler, Toby Jones and Jeffrey DeMunn in ‘The Mist’ (2007). Photo: Dimension Films.
King’s story concerns what happens when a small town in Maine is consumed by a thick mysterious fog from which creatures emerge to attack the townsfolk.
A group of survivors hole up in a local grocery store. As often happens with King’s fiction, anarchy and societal reordering brings out the best in some, and the absolute worst in others, sparking mob mentality and empowering unhinged extremists who become as dangerous as the horrors outside.
Spoiler alert: things get dark. Very dark.
When will ‘The Mist’ be on screens?
There is no date for the new version as of yet, but if you want to check it out in movie form, Frank Darabont brought a film of the story to screens back in 2007.
Thomas Jane in ‘The Mist’ (2007). Photo: Dimension Films.
(Left) Laurence Fishburne in ‘Cellar Door’. Photo: Lionsgate. (Right) Chiwetel Ejiofor as Roger in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Preview:
Laurence Fishburne and Chiwetel Ejiofor are part of the next ‘Exorcist’ movie.
Mike Flanagan is writing and directing the film.
Scarlett Johansson and Diane Lane are already in the cast.
As he prepares to make his take on a movie that exists within the world of ‘The Exorcist,’ writer/director Mike Flanagan is recruiting two additional cast members –– one new to him, and one he’s worked with before.
The new movie won’t be a continuation of David Gordon Green’s ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ as plans for a trilogy flamed out following the disappointing box office returns for that.
Instead, Flanagan has written his own script, and has the backing of Universal and Blumhouse.
Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
Flanagan is keeping his plans quiet for now –– no details have emerged, beyond the basic idea of demonic possession –– and we don’t know how the actors will factor in. We do know, however, that cameras will be rolling in New York this year.
When will the new ‘Exorcist’ movie be on screens?
Universal has scheduled the new movie for release on Friday, March 12, 2027.
(L to R) Cody Flanagan and director Mike Flanagan on the set of ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
(Left) Diane Lane as Slim Keith in ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.’ Photo: FX. (Right) Linda Blair in 1973’s ‘The Exorcist’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
Diane Lane is joining the next ‘Exorcist’ movie.
Mike Flanagan is writing and directing the film.
It’ll be an all-new approach.
After a brief detour into the more metaphysical side of filmmaking with ‘The Life of Chuck’ modern horror maestro Mike Flanagan is diving back into the terror genre via a new take on ‘The Exorcist.’
The new movie won’t be a continuation of David Gordon Green’s 2023 effort ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ as plans for a trilogy flamed out following the disappointing box office returns for that.
Instead, Flanagan has written his own script, and has the backing of Universal alongside genre stalwart production companies Blumhouse and Atomic Monster.
(L to R) Cody Flanagan and director Mike Flanagan on the set of ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Flanagan is keeping his plans quiet for now –– no details have emerged, beyond the basic idea of demonic possession –– and we don’t know how Johansson, Jupe and now Lane will factor in.
When will the new ‘Exorcist’ movie be on screens?
Universal has scheduled the new movie for release on Friday, March 12, 2027.
(L to R) Joshua Odjick as Parker, Jordan Gonzalez as Harkness, David Jonsson as McVries, Cooper Hoffman as Garraty, and Charlie Plummer as Barkovitch in ‘The Long Walk’. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate.
The latest adaptation of one of King’s novels, ‘The Long Walk‘, which he wrote when he was only 19 and was directed by Francis Lawrence, is scheduled for release in theaters on September 12th.
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In honor of the new film, and August 19th being “King Day”, Moviefone is counting down the 19 best Stephen King movie adaptations of all time!
Idris Elba in ‘The Dark Tower’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
A boy (Tom Taylor) haunted by visions of a parallel world aids its disillusioned guardian in preventing the destruction of the nexus of universes known as the Dark Tower.
Four boyhood pals (Thomas Jane, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant and Jason Lee) perform a heroic act and are changed by the powers they gain in return. Years later, on a hunting trip in the Maine woods, they’re overtaken by a vicious blizzard that harbors an ominous presence. Challenged to stop an alien force, the friends must first prevent the slaughter of innocent civilians by a military vigilante (Morgan Freeman)… and then overcome a threat to the bond that unites the four of them.
Author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.
27 years after overcoming the malevolent supernatural entity Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), the former members of the Losers’ Club, who have grown up and moved away from Derry, are brought back together by a devastating phone call.
Ewan McGregor in ‘Doctor Sleep’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Still scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) faces the ghosts of the past when he meets Abra (Kyleigh Curran), a courageous teen who desperately needs his help — and who possesses a powerful extrasensory ability called the “shine”.
One day in 1984, Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro), a brilliant high school boy fascinated by the history of Nazism, stumbles across an old man whose appearance resembles that of Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellen), a wanted Nazi war criminal. A month later, Todd decides to knock on his door.
Charlene “Charlie” McGee (Drew Barrymore) has the amazing ability to start fires with just a glance. Can her psychic power and the love of her father (David Keith) save her from the threatening government agency which wants to destroy her?
(L to R) Annalise Basso and Tom Hiddleston in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
In this extraordinary story of an ordinary man, Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
When twin brothers (Both played by Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
Withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) faces taunting from classmates at school and abuse from her fanatically pious mother (Piper Laurie). When strange occurrences start happening around Carrie, she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers.
After an accident, acclaimed novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by a nurse (Kathy Bates) who claims to be his biggest fan. Her obsession takes a dark turn when she holds him captive in her remote Colorado home and forces him to write back to life the popular literary character he killed off.
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Captain Benjamin “Ben” Richards in ‘The Running Man.’ Photo: Tri-Star Pictures.
By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style ‘The Running Man’, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian (Richard Dawson), where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.
A supernatural tale set on death row in a Southern prison, where gentle giant John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) possesses the mysterious power to heal people’s ailments. When the cell block’s head guard, Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), recognizes Coffey’s miraculous gift, he tries desperately to help stave off the condemned man’s execution.
After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Vern (Jerry O’Connell), Chris (River Phenix) and Teddy (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys’ adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd), must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren’t prepared for the madness that lurks within.
(L to R) Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates — including an older prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman) — for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
If you’re not up to date on the muddy man-monster, here’s your basic briefing on Clayface as a character.
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40, published in June 1940, as a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film.
Kane stated that the character was partially inspired by the 1925 Lon Chaney version of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and that his name was derived from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
The Reporter’s sources say the story focuses on an ascending actor (Harries) whose face is disfigured by a gangster. As a last resort, the actor turns to a fringe Elizabeth Holmes-style scientist (Ackie) for help. Minghella will play a Gotham City detective dating Ackie’s character.
Where else can we see Max Minghella?
(L to R) Max Minghella, Olivia Thirlby, Emile Hirsch and Rachael Taylor in ‘The Darkest Hour’. Photo: Summit Entertainment.
He’s also a directed, having made ‘Teen Spirit’ and the upcoming ‘Shell’, which premiered last year at the Toronto International Film Festival and is in cinemas at the end of the week. The film stars Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson and Kaia Gerber.
Minghella most recently worked on the fourth season of HBO series ‘Industry’, which should be on screens next year.
When will the Clayface movie be in theaters?
The movie has a scheduled plan for a UK shoot at Leavesden Studios in place, and Warner Bros. and DC Studios are confirming a September 11th, 2026 theatrical release for ‘Clayface’.
(Left) Naomi Ackie stars in ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’ (Right) DC Comics’ Clayface. Photo: DC Comics.
Preview:
Naomi Ackie is in talks to join the Clayface movie.
James Watkins is in the director’s chair.
Tom Rhys Harries has the lead role.
As ‘Superman’ continues to do solid business at the box office for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios, attention is turning to the other titles that have been confirmed for their take on the DC Universe.
If you’re not up to date on the muddy man-monster, here’s your basic briefing on Clayface as a character.
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40, published in June 1940, as a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film.
Kane stated that the character was partially inspired by the 1925 Lon Chaney version of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’; and that his name was derived from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
As for the tone of the movie itself, Deadline’s sources have heard that the Clayface movie is rumored to be a horror-thriller-tragedy, with the lead protagonist not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s usually seen as.
Where else have I seen Naomi Ackie?
Naomi Ackie in Tristar Pictures ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.’ Photo: Tristar Pictures.
In addition to the aforementioned roles in ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ and ‘Mickey 17’, Ackie’s star has been on the rise for the last few years.
The movie has a scheduled production plan for a UK shoot at Leavesden Studios in place, and Warner Bros. and DC Studios are confirming a September 11th, 2026 theatrical release for this one.
(Left) Elizabeth Henstridge and Tom Rhys Harries in ‘Suspicion’, now streaming on Apple TV+. (Right) DC Comics’ Clayface. Photo: DC Comics.
Preview:
Tom Rhys Harries has won the lead in the Clayface movie.
James Watkins is in the director’s chair.
The movie is set for a September 2026 release date.
With the current cinematic incarnation of DC Studios, run by James Gunn and Peter Safran launching with Gunn’s take on the Man of Steel, another developing movie from the company took a positive step forward by narrowing in on its lead.
If you’re not up to date on the muddy man-monster, here’s your basic briefing on Clayface as a character.
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40, published in June 1940, as a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film.
Kane stated that the character was partially inspired by the 1925 Lon Chaney version of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’; and that his name was derived from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
The character only appeared twice in the Golden Age but was the inspiration for the shape-shifting Silver Age version. And, as is usual in comic books, the name has been used for a number of similar takes on the character.
In the late 1950s, Batman began facing a series of science fiction-inspired foes, including Matthew Hagen, a treasure hunter given vast shapeshifting powers and resiliency by exposure to a pool of radioactive protoplasm, who became the second Clayface. He retained the title for the next couple of decades of comic book history.
In the late 1970s, Preston Payne became the third Clayface. A scientist suffering from hyperpituitarism, Preston Payne used the second Clayface’s blood to create a cure for his condition, but instead became a clay-like creature that needed to pass his new condition on to others to survive.
Sondra Fuller of Strike Force Kobra used the terrorist group’s technology to become the fourth Clayface, also known as Lady Clay. She formed the Mud Pack with the original and third Clayfaces. During this era, the original Clayface used the DNA of Payne and Fuller to become the Ultimate Clayface (talk about bragging!)
Sometime after the Mud Pack event, Payne and Fuller had a son named Cassius “Clay” Payne, who, as the fifth Clayface, also had metahuman shapeshifting powers.
That’s just a selection of the character’s alternates, who have appeared over the years in various films, series, animated works, video games and other forms of media.
Gunn and Safran have previously said that actors who play roles in the animated sphere for their DC Studios will also take on the live-action version, but we don’t know if that means Tudyk will return for the movie.
As for the tone of the movie, Deadline’s sources have heard that the Clayface movie is rumored to be a horror-thriller-tragedy, with the lead protagonist not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s usually seen as.
Where else have I seen Tom Rhys Harries?
(L to R) Kunal Nayyar and Tom Rhys-Harries in ‘Suspicion’, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Gunn’s big re-launch of DC-based movies kicks off next month with the launch of the aforementioned ‘Superman,’ featuring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Supes and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. It’ll be in theaters on July 11th.
Batman, as played by Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ is staying around (a sequel, despite delays, is still being scripted), but he’s as part of the extended “Elseworlds” stories, which exist outside of the DC continuity.
Gunn and Safran’s original announcement also included mention that ‘Batman: The Brave And The Bold’, was in development, adapting Grant Morrison’s run comics run.
It features yet another Bruce Wayne who tries to keep his son, Damien Wayne, in line as Robin. It’s intended to launch the “Bat-family” into the movie universe, but has been hit with scripting issues and delays.
Finally, we have ‘Dynamic Duo’ — an animated feature about Batman’s Robin sidekicks Dick Grayson and Jason Todd — which is tentatively scheduled for June 2028.
“We have to treat every project as if we’re lucky. We don’t have the mandate to have a certain amount of movies and TV shows every year. So we’re going to put out everything that we think is of the highest quality. We’re obviously going to do some good things and some not-so-good things, but hopefully on average everything will be as high-quality as possible. Nothing goes before there’s a screenplay that I personally am happy with.”
When will the Clayface movie be in theaters?
With a director and star now aboard, and production plans for a UK shoot at Leavesden Studios in place, Warner Bros. and DC Studios are confirming a September 11th, 2026 release for this one.
(L to R) James McAvoy (as Dalton) and Director James Watkins on the set of ‘Speak No Evil’.
Tom Hiddleston stars in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Mike Flanagan is not only one of the premier horror auteurs of the 21st Century, with films like ‘Oculus’ and limited series like ‘Midnight Mass’ under his belt, but he also has a flourishing sub-career as Director Of Difficult Stephen King Adaptations. From ‘Gerald’s Game’ (which was mostly about a lone woman chained to a bed) to ‘Doctor Sleep’ (a sequel to both one of the most iconic horror movies of all time and the very different book it was based on) to, now, ‘The Life of Chuck,’ Flanagan keeps excelling at bringing King stories to the screen that at first seem like insurmountable cinematic challenges.
‘The Life of Chuck’ (which first appeared in King’s 2020 collection ‘If It Bleeds’) reads on the page like one of the author’s strangest yet sweetest stories, with events taking place in three different timelines – and possibly more than one reality – of which the connections only become apparent as the story unfolds. Its centerpiece sequence involves two strangers doing an impromptu (and spectacular) dance in the middle of one of those outdoor shopping and entertainment destinations, and its three parts are told in reverse order.
It’s a strangely affecting story with a widescreen canvas and universal theme, and Flanagan effectively and faithfully translates it to the screen, helped by Eben Bolter’s gorgeous cinematography and moving performances from much of its cast. If some of its parts don’t work – such as an over-reliance on narration and a supernatural aspect that seems tacked on (as it did in the novella) – those are minor distractions from what is, for the most part, a compelling story that fits comfortably alongside other non-horror King adaptations like ‘Stand by Me’ and ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’
Story and Direction
(L to R) Director Mike Flanagan and Tom Hiddleston on the set of ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
‘The Life of Chuck’ begins with ‘Act III – Thanks Chuck,’ the most overtly frightening section of the film. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Marty, a high school teacher who is trying to hold his class and life together as the world starts to literally crumble from some unexplained apocalypse. As California falls into the sea following a 9.1. earthquake, and other disasters wreak havoc worldwide (followed by the loss of the internet, which may not seem as such a bad thing), Marty and others start to see and hear strange billboards and commercials thanking someone named Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz for a ‘wonderful 39 years’ – although who ‘Chuck’ is remains a complete mystery.
‘Act III’ ends with Marty and his ex-wife, an exhausted, despairing nurse named Felicia (Karen Gillan), reconnecting as events around the world grow even grimmer. It’s during the final moments of this segment that we also get our first, flickering images of Chuck (Tom Hiddleston) himself, in ways both inexplicable and melancholy. Both scenarios give way to ‘Act II – Buskers Forever,’ in which a middle-aged, suit-and-tie-wearing Chuck – an unassuming, mild-mannered accountant, as we find out from the narration provided by Nick Offerman – sits quietly on a bench at that downtown destination following a day at an out-of-town bookkeeping seminar.
It’s on his way back to his hotel that Chuck is drawn to a busker (Taylor Gordon) who is banging out a beat on her drum kit. Something stirs within Chuck and he begins to dance – and not just a little tapping of the feet and swaying of the shoulders but a full-fledged, spectacular routine like something Fred Astaire might take on. He’s joined by Janice (Annalise Basso), a complete stranger who’s just been dumped by her boyfriend, but who finds connection with Chuck and the busker through this one random moment together.
It’s in ‘Act I – I Contain Multitudes’ that we learn the origin of Chuck’s skills on the dance floor, as we meet a younger version of him (played primarily by Jacob Tremblay) as well as his grandfather (Mark Hamill) and grandmother (Mia Sara). The Krantz family goes through both remarkable tragedy and simple moments of happiness together – but we also learn why dancing was not in the cards for Chuck’s future and why his grandpa (or ‘zayde’) keeps the upstairs cupola in their house locked up tight.
It’s in this third segment that the pieces of the story fully fall into place, but it’s also where the movie’s heavy emphasis on narration (as good as the wry, always slightly sardonic Offerman is) and the secret of the cupola mix unevenly with the movie’s shifting tones and a late supernatural element that seems randomly dropped into the proceedings. No spoilers here, but Flanagan’s slightly off-balance juggling of these elements slightly dilutes the film’s drive to tie together its themes and narrative into a coherent whole, leading ‘The Life of Chuck’ to wind down into a moderately affecting conclusion instead of a poignant, universal crescendo of emotion.
Cast and Performances
Mark Hamill in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Although the movie is called ‘The Life of Chuck’ and it’s that central image of the title character that represents the film, Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz is very much part of an ensemble here. Tom Hiddleston makes the adult Chuck a bit of a cipher in some ways, a man who seems almost inconsequential – until he does his dazzling dance in the middle of the square. Hiddleston gives his all during this sequence (and is tremendous in it), while also showing how Chuck comes fully alive here for perhaps the one time in his adult life.
He’s very good, but the work from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay as the teen Chuck (and the younger actors portraying him as a little boy) hits harder. Ejiofor and Gillan are believable and poignant as two people trying to find their way back to each other with barely any time to lose, while other minor characters are given brief but textured life by veteran actors like Matthew Lillard and Carl Lumbly.
And then there’s Mark Hamill and Mia Sara as Chuck’s zayde Albie and bubbe Sarah. The latter (of ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ fame) brings warmth and light to the role of Chuck’s grandma, while the former is equally warm but also a man living with the pain of knowledge he’s not supposed to have. Hamill – appearing in the first of two Stephen King adaptations this year (he has a quite different role in September’s ‘The Long Walk’) – is engaging and sensitive, especially in a scene where Albie, an accountant his whole life, expounds to Chuck on why math is the bedrock for everything in existence, guiding his grandson to a decision that will have repercussions for the rest of his life.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Stephen King has always been a deeply humanist writer, and it’s his empathy and compassion that Mike Flanagan seems drawn to and able to capture. Like predecessors such as Rob Reiner and Frank Darabont, he gets King in a way that many other filmmakers don’t. That’s why he aims for the same profundity found in earlier King classics like ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ even if ‘The Life of Chuck’ struggles to hit the exact same high mark.
But there’s no question that the message of this story, while in the end quite simple, is still a moving one: that every moment in a life is precious in some way, and that every life is made up of those moments, which we must recognize for what they are and hold onto. We do contain multitudes, King and Flanagan seem to say, and they’re all beautiful, rich, and worthy in some way, no matter how fleeting. In a world that seems to be coming unglued on a daily basis, that is a message worth repeating. Whether it’s Chuck’s life or yours, it’s important.
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What is the plot of ‘The Life of Chuck’?
Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Hiddleston about his work on ‘The Life of Chuck’, his first reaction to the screenplay by Mike Flanagan and the way he adapted Stephen King’s source material, and the challenges of preparing for and shooting the massive dance sequence.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan.
Tom Hiddleston stars in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and the way Mike Flanagan was able to adapt Stephen King’s source material?
Tom Hiddleston: I remember it so clearly. It was Easter of 2023 and I read it in a single sitting. In the UK, the Monday after Easter is a public holiday, so it’s a day off. Bank Holiday Monday, we call it. I was so moved and inspired by what I read because initially I felt like, I was so intrigued by the first act. It felt like a film about the end of the world, but with such tenderness and such truthfulness about the uncertainty of that experience through Marty and Felicia, the characters played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan. Also, because I had the letter from Mike, I knew he’d asked me to play Chuck and just like everybody else, I was like, well, who’s Chuck? Who is this guy? Then when it was revealed, what was happening, in terms of the narrative, and I don’t want to spoil too much. But when the stars started to be extinguished and I understood what that meant for Chuck’s life and how it turned into a meditation on joy and an exploration of the magic of the ordinary life of every human being, that none of us are one thing. We all contain multitudes, which is to say that inside the soul of every ordinary human being is an internal world of infinite possibility. That infinite possibility can create a universe in every life, a universe of connections, of people, of experiences, of memories. That when that life comes to an end, so does that universe. It sums up the way I think about life and that sometimes the small moments aren’t small at all, and they end up, in your mind becoming the big moments, in your memory. Really, in the last hours of our lives, all we will carry in our hearts and our minds are the people we loved, the memories we shared with them, the connections we made. That is all that matters. I was so struck by it and so moved by it and so inspired by how Mike had put the film together, and I just immediately wanted to get on the phone with him and say, please, can I do this with you? It was a very special experience and a film that’s very close to my heart.
(L to R) Annalise Basso and Tom Hiddleston in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
MF: Finally, can you talk about rehearsing for the dance sequence and how many times did you have to shoot it to get it right?
TH: Well, I had, in my own life, less formal dance training than Charles Krantz had. I’ve always loved dancing, but I’ve never danced like this. I had about five weeks and the brilliant, extraordinary Mandy Moore, our choreographer and her assistant, Stephanie Powell, who was working with me in London, we worked every day, and we did salsa, swing, Charleston, Bossa Nova, polka, samba, and jazz. I mean (we did) every dance under the sun, you name it. We put the thing together. It was so thrilling to do it, but by the time we got to set, I think the first four days of principal photography on the entire picture, we shot the sequence in the mall when Chuck starts dancing to the beat of those drums. It was me and Taylor Gordon on the drums and Annalise Basso. We shot it consistently across the same stretch of time so that the light matched, essentially. So, it was between about 11am and 3pm across four days. We just did it from every angle. Every camera was wide, it was high, it was dancing with us, it was Steadicam, and it was on a crane. But I will say, the very last take we did, because we’d do the whole sequence from start to finish every time, was on the fourth day, the Thursday. We went back to a setup we’d done before. It was almost an homage to the great musicals, which contained the entire thing. It wasn’t close-up; it wasn’t a mid-shot. It was both Annalise and me and the drum kit and Taylor and the crowd. We played it from start to finish. It was a moment I will never forget. It was a kind of magical take, and a lot of the sequence is from that take. Mike knew it. I knew it. Annalise knew it. The crowd knew it. Mandy knew it. It was like a perfect thing. That’s where we stopped.
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What is the plot of ‘The Life of Chuck’?
Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
But back in 2022, Amazon tempted Flanagan and producing partner Trevor Macy’s company Intrepid Pictures away with a lucrative, exclusive, multi-year overall series deal.
This is what the duo said at the time:
“Amazon is a studio that we have long admired. Their commitment to engaging in groundbreaking series and content aligns with the ethos of what we have built at Intrepid. We are looking forward to working with the entire Amazon team as we bring our brand of genre productions to the service and audiences around the globe.”
And since the deal took shape, the pair has been quietly developing several projects, with the first now officially emerging, after being announced as in the works in October.
Amazon has officially ordered a series based on Stephen King’s novel ‘Carrie,’ which has previously been brought to screens a few times.
There was also a 2002 TV movie version handled by David Carson, with Angela Bettis in the lead. Oh, and 1999 saw an attempt to craft a sequel, with ‘The Rage: Carrie 2,’ which didn’t feature the character, but continued the story after her death.
Given his history, we have faith in Flanagan coming up with something much more successful than the more recent efforts. Ready the blood bucket!
What’s the story of the ‘Carrie’ TV series?
(L to R) Sissy Spacek and Betty Buckley in ‘Carrie’. Photo: United Artists.
‘Carrie’ is Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel. Set in the town of Chamberlain, Maine, the plot follows Carrie White, a friendless high school girl from an abusive religious household who discovers she has telekinetic powers.
According to the official spiel, the show is described as, “bold and timely reimagining of the story of misfit high-schooler Carrie, who has spent her life in seclusion with her domineering mother. After her father’s sudden and untimely death, Carrie finds herself contending with the alien landscape of public High School, a bullying scandal that shatters her community, and the emergence of mysterious powers.”
Who will star in the ‘Carrie’ TV series?
Summer H. Howell in ‘Hunter Hunter’. Photo: IFC Midnight.
According to Variety, Summer H. Howell is nearing a deal to star in Flanagan’s series as Carrie.
On the lighter side of things, she starred in the Disney+ film ‘Clouds,’ which was based on the acclaimed memoir ‘Fly a Little Higher: How God Answered a Mom’s Small Prayer in a Big Way’ by Laura Sobiech.
Siena Agudong in ‘Upside-Down Magic’. Photo: Disney Channel.
In the novel and subsequent film adaptation, Sue initially joins in bullying Carrie but later decides to try to befriend her. Amy Irving played the character in the original film and ‘The Rage: Carrie 2,’ with Kandyse McClure and Gabriella Wilde playing her in subsequent ‘Carrie’ movies.
Agudong most recently starred in the Tubi movie ‘The QB and Me,’ which she also executive produced. She was also the female lead in Kevin Smith’s coming-of-age film ‘The 4:30 Movie.’
‘Carrie’ TV series: The Executives Speak
Sissy Spacek in ‘Carrie’. Photo: United Artists.
With the show now officially announced, team Amazon is naturally happy to talk about it.
Here’s Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios:
“ ‘Carrie’ is an iconic story that has withstood the test of time with continued cultural relevance. With Mike Flanagan at the helm and the accomplished team assembled including executive producer Trevor Macy this provocative series is sure to captivate our global customers.”
‘The Life of Chuck’ will be on screens on June 6th.
He’s also in pre-production on a new movie based on classic horror ‘The Exorcist,’ having taken over shepherding that particular franchise for Universal from David Gordon Green.
And beyond that, he wrote the script for DC Studios and Warner Bros.’ ‘Clayface’ movie, which has ‘Speak No Evil’ filmmaker James Watkins in the director’s chair.
When will the ‘Carrie’ TV series be on screens?
Eight episodes of the show have been ordered and production is scheduled for this summer in Vancouver, but there is no official premiere date for ‘Carrie’ just yet.
