Summary
What is it really like working on a movie or TV show based on aStephen Kingstory?Mike Flanagan has a lot of experience crafting memorable adaptations of the beloved author’s work, and he shared how much feedback he gets from King himself.
Besides his creepy and emotional Netflix horror TV shows such asMidnight Mass,Flanagan is known for writing and directing two King movies:Gerald’s GameandThe Shiningsequel,Doctor Sleep. The filmmaker also madeThe Life of Chuck, which has been a box office disappointmentbut has impressed fans with its moving, cheerful tone. Flanagan is currently hard at work on aCarrieseries for Amazon Prime Video and the highly anticipatedDark Towershow, which hecompared to “an oil tanker” because it’s “so big.“Since Flanagan is such a big fan of King’s singular scary stories, it’s exciting that he’s got so much in the pipeline. He also talked about what it’s like getting feedback from the popular author, and his comments are both fascinating and relatable.
Mike Flanagan Shares What It’s Like Getting Feedback From Stephen King On His Movie And TV Adaptations
In an interview withForbes,Mike Flanagan said there is “an enormous amount of freedom” when he’s adapting Stephen King’s work.He said King believes “the book is the book and the movie is the movie, and he has no interest in influencing or interfering with the filmmaker.” Flanagan said that freedom is a “double-edged sword” and added that while King doesn’t tell filmmakers what to put into a movie or what to exclude, he will definitely let filmmakers know when he’s not a fan of the end result.
Flanagan explained:
“I’ve known if he likes or doesn’t like an element, and I want him to be very happy, but he’s also emphatic that he’s like, ‘I want you to make the movie or show you want to make. I’m just the writer,’ and I’ll be like, ‘Well, yeah, but you’re Stephen King. You’re not just a writer. It goes a little deeper.'”
Since King is so masterful at his craft and has been so highly regarded in the literary world for so many decades,winning praise from other beloved authors like George R.R. Martin, it would definitely be tough to receive criticism from him. It would also be intimidating to show him the completed movie or TV series. It’s great to hear that, as Flanagan describes it, collaborating with King is a positive experience.
In his interview withForbes, Flanagan also mentioned that while he’s racking up a long list of King adaptations, another filmmaker has done even more. Mick Garris made the TV showsBag of Bones,The Shining, andthe 1994The Standminiseriesalong with the moviesRiding the Bullet, Desperation,Sleepwalker, andQuicksilver Highway.Garris has also shared positive stories of working with King. He toldSyFy.comthat working onSleepwalkerswas “a great time” and when he showed a cut of the filmto King and his wife, Tabitha King, it went well.
Amazon gaveCarriea series order in April 2025, and while there is no release date at this time, it’s expected to arrive in 2026, according to the IMDb page. There willlikely be a longer delay for Flanagan’sDark Towerseriessince the filmmaker is working onCarriefirst and, as he pointed out, there are so many characters and storylines to include. In the meantime, fans will keep wondering what theDark Towerwill be like, along withwhether the show will alter the ending.
Besides his King adaptations,Flanagan is also working on a reboot ofThe Exorcistfor Blumhouse.He previously said it’s a chance towork on “the scariest movie I’ve ever made,“which is intriguing. Considering Flanagan’s horror background and the eerie characters he’s crafted, includingthe Bent-Neck Lady inThe Haunting of Hill House, fans are in for a creepy treat.
