Summary
Mike Flanaganhas made a name for himself over the past decade or so for being one of the brightest names in horror storytelling. Projects likeThe Haunting of Hill House,Midnight Mass,Hush,Oculus, andThe Fall of the House of Usherhave turned Flanagan into a go-to writer/director in the genre. Flanagan’s work, while suitably creepy and macabre, also leans more optimistic than usual horror fare, marking him as a bit of an outlier compared to his peers.
Another peculiar aspect of Flanagan’s career resides in his numerous adaptations ofStephen King’s work. The trend began with 2017’sGerald’s Game, based on King’s 1992 novel of the same name. Flanagan’s next film was 2019’sDoctor Sleep, based on King’s 2013 novel of the same name. Flanagan’s inclination towards adapting King’s work continued with the recently releasedThe Life of Chuckand is only growing stronger as Flanagan is currently working on new adaptations of bothCarrieandThe Dark Towerfor Amazon. With all of that said, what if Flanagan decided to move from adapting King’s work to adapting the work of King’s son, Joe Hill?
Joe Hill, AKA Joseph Hillström King, Is Stephen King’s Son And A Prolific Writer Himself
Like Father, Like Son
Joe Hill is the pen name of Stephen King’s second child, Joseph Hillström King [Ed. Note: for clarity’s sake, Hill will be the name used for the remainder of the article]. Hill hashad a storied writing career himself, publishing numerous novels, short stories, screenplays, and comic books over the years. Hill’s latest novel,King Sorrow, is currently set for release in October 2025.
Although Hill’s novels have earned him much notoriety, he is perhaps best known for writing horror comics. After all, the long-running, award-winningLocke & Keyseries was turned intoa Netflix television showback in 2019. Following the success ofLocke & Key, Hill went on to write other popular comic book series likeThe Cape,Basketful of Heads, andPlunge.
Heart-Shaped BoxIs Joe Hill’s Debut Novel That Was Released In 2007
Wonder If He Likes Nirvana?
AfterJoe Hill’s short-story collection20th Century Ghostswas published in 2005 to widespread acclaim,Heart-Shaped Boxsoon followed in 2007. It tells the story of a past-his-prime rock star who is extremely into collecting morbid curiosities. This leads him to a so-called haunted funeral suit online. The fading celebrity can’t help himself and purchases the suit, which is supposed to have the spirit of a deceased man somehow attached to it.
When the suit finally arrives at his door, it is placed in—you guessed it—a heart-shaped box. All kinds of chaos ensues when the suit turns out to actually be cursed, setting off a chain of events that goes down some really dark roads. Essentially, it’s everything you’d expect from the offspring of Stephen King. Also, the four distinct sections of the novel are named after songs by Led Zeppelin, AC/DC,Nine Inch Nails, and Pearl Jam, with the title of the book coming from the Nirvana song of the same name (duh).
Mike Flanagan Would Be The Perfect Person To AdaptHeart-Shaped Box
Even If He Is A Little Busy At The Moment
Funnily enough,Heart-Shaped Boxhas been slated for an adaptation pretty much since its initial release. Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the novel back in 2007, with Avika Goldsman ofA Beautiful Mind,Fringe, andStar Trek: Strange New Worldsfame set to produce. Neil Jordan, who directed ’90s hits likeThe Crying GameandInterview with the Vampire, was set to write and direct the project, but one has to imagine that having back-to-back box office flops in 2007’sThe Brave Oneand 2009’sOndinecaused WB to get cold feet.
A film adaptation ofHeart-Shaped Boxhas been stuck in development hell ever since, even though numerous adaptations of Hill’s work have come and gone.Locke & LeyandNOS4A2were both turned into television series, andHorns,In the Tall Grass, andThe Black Phonehave all been turned into films. And yet,Heart-Shaped Boxis stuck in the mud.
Flanagan would be the perfect person to bring the story to the big screen, assuming he could find time to do it. Look at something likeThe Haunting of Hill Housefor evidence of this, as bothHill HouseandHeart-Shaped Boxhave a lot to do with past family trauma manifesting in the supernatural. Hill’s 2007 debut novel isn’t an out-and-out horror tale, as it ends with the rock-star protagonist using paranormal means to wrong a decades-long wrong and getting married. Flanagan is an expert at using horrific tales to tell human stories, which is exactly what the story needs.
Mike Flanaganis just the person to getHeart-Shaped Boxout of development hell. Here’s hoping he can find the time to actually do so.
