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Since the publication of "Carrie" in 1974, Stephen King has knocked out over 60 books (which have been turned into 59 movies). That's better than a book-per-year pace, which is doubly impressive considering that he's still, at the age of 77, the United States' most prominent author of fiction. Every book isn't necessarily a winner, but he delivers the spine-tingling goods frequently enough to keep his massive fanbase happy.

Though he's still regularly acquiring new fans thanks in large part to the timelessness of novels like "The Shining," "It," and "Pet Sematary," his longtime readers are, in some cases, more than just fans. They're collectors. And they guard their early purchases fiercely due to a combination of sentimental value and actual monetary value — because depending on how early you started buying King's books, you might have some immensely valuable volumes resting on your shelf or stashed away in storage. How valuable? A signed 1st...

Once set up at Netflix, Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy’s production company Intrepid Pictures now has an exclusive multiyear overall series deal with Amazon MGM Studios – and one of the shows they’re working on for Prime Video is Flanagan’s dream project, a series adaptation of Stephen King’s Dark Tower novels. This project was officially announced twenty-five months ago… and during an interview on the podcast The Kingcast, King revealed that he has seen scripts for Flanagan’s Dark Tower series – and he thinks they’re perfect!

We previously heard that Intrepid was able to get the Dark Tower rights because Flanagan sent Stephen King “a very, very detailed outline of what I wanted to do with it. And it was in response to that, that he gave us the rights. A project like this, I wouldn’t want to be involved in it at all If...

During a recent appearance on The Kingcast, Stephen King praised Mike Flanagan‘s take on his magnum opus, The Dark Tower.

“I’ve seen screenplays and pitches, and he starts where he should start,” the author says. “The beats are perfect. They’re just perfect.”

King lovingly refers to Flanagan — who previously adapted Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and the forthcoming The Life of Chuck — as “the King whisperer.” The filmmaker revealed in late 2022 that his Intrepid Pictures acquired the rights The Dark Tower.

Tangentially related to the Dark Tower saga, King is currently working on a third Talisman novel. He expressed his excitement to return to the parallel world he created with the late Peter Straub.

“I’ve been channeling [Straub] like a motherfucker while working on Talisman 3. I find myself using his verbs. People don’t necessarily walk into a room. They bustle into a room, because that’s a very Straub-ian word.

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Mike Flanagan is a modern horror master who's adept at telling stories on both the big and small screen. From "The Haunting of Hill House" on Netflix to his underseen micro-budget thriller "Hush," the man has proven time and time again he's got the goods. More specifically, Flanagan has shown that he knows what it takes to make a great Stephen King adaptation, with the filmmaker putting his stamp on "The Life of Chuck" later this year. For King fans, (hopefully) the best is yet to come as Flanagan is working on bringing the author's "The Dark Tower" saga to life as a TV series.

While much remains up in the air, King has given the project his blessing. More than that, he's gone so far as to classify Flanagan's take on "The Dark Tower" as "perfect." On a recent episode of "The Kingcast,...

One of the more underrated Stephen King novels is "The Talisman," published in 1984, a fantasy book that he co-wrote with another well-known horror writer, Peter Straub. Although "The Talisman" has never received a live-action adaptation of its own (although Netflix is apparently trying), the book still has plenty of hardcore fans. 

In 2001, Straub and King published a sequel titled "Black House." Today, King is writing a third "Talisman" book, but this time he'll be writing it on his own: Straub passed away in 2022 at 79 years old. In a 2023 interview, King explained, "Before he died, Peter sent me this long letter and said we oughta do the third one, and he gave me a really cool idea and I had some ideas of my own." Now, in a new podcast interview on "The Kingcast," King has elaborated on how the process of writing without Straub has been going. 

"This book has...

Almost every literary work written by Stephen King has been adapted in some form. If we are to look solely at the future, several of King's novels are currently in the adaptation pipeline, including Mike Flanagan's take on "Carrie" and "The Dark Tower" novel series. Even King's early short stories, like the lesser-known "Here There Be Tygers," have been recently adapted into an animated short that might've completely flown under your radar. While the cinematic medium has made good use of the author's vast catalog of delightfully strange and moving stories, a certain artistic medium has never quite tapped into them as one would expect. I'm talking about the infinitely rich, evocative world of video games.

Now, as a gamer, I have to say that there's no dearth of games that directly reference King's prolific works or sprinkle Easter eggs about the author himself. Take "Alan Wake" for instance.

The A-List includes the best of the best actors in Hollywood, but that doesn't always mean the movies that book these top tier actors use them to the best of their abilities. While Hollywood is constantly churning out movies, and these can range in quality drastically, most blockbuster films from the big studios have a budget that allows them to book the most notable talent in the industry. As actors prove their worth in Hollywood, their prices go way up, and that means they take up a chunk of the budget.

However, while these actors may be able to claim a bigger paycheck from a large studio film, it's not always the case that the movies actually use them properly. Whether the character development was poor, the vision too small, or the people behind the camera simply failed to coax the actors' talents out, some movies with the biggest names...

Stephen King is writing a sequel to Black House. The Talisman and its sequel, Black House, were co-written by Peter Straub, and respectively published in 1984 and 2001. Straub later passed away in 2022. In 2024, Stephen King teased a new story, sharing on X/Twitter that he was "back in Mid-World...and the Territories." With Mid-World being from The Dark Tower books and the Territories being a fantastical universe from The Talisman books, it was unclear whether the upcoming story would be more connected to The Dark Tower or The Talisman.

On Threads, King has now confirmed that he is writing a third Talisman novel. He revealed that "Straub had a terrific idea before passing away" about how to continue The Talisman series. King is now writing a sequel based on this idea and shared that Straub will be given co-author credit, just as with The Talisman and Black House. He also emphasized...

Stephen King teasing more Mid-World stories bodes well for Mike Flanagan's The Dark Tower show. Flanagan has directed film adaptations of the King novels Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep. He also directed an adaptation of the short story The Life of Chuck, set for a theatrical release in May 2025. Adapting King's work is set to continue with Mike Flanagan's Dark Tower series that is still in development. This is not the only major Dark Tower universe project currently in the works, though, with King teasing that he is writing a new Dark Tower book.

In October 2024, King shared on X (formerly Twitter), that he was back "in Mid-World...and the Territories." This tease made it unclear whether the developing story is more of a Dark Tower book, as per the Mid-World reference, or if the Territories mention means that the story will be the third installment in The Talisman series.

Former MoviePass CEO Ted Farnsworth, who gave moviegoers the best deal in moviegoing history, admitted that $9.95 for unlimited movie tickets may not have been such a great deal for his investors. A hero in some circles for providing latchkey cinephiles with a remarkable bargain, Farnsworth pleaded guilty to defrauding investors,...

Idris Elba McConaughey Young Odin (Photo Credit – Instagram/Facebook)

So, here’s a fun throwback: Idris Elba once pitched Matthew McConaughey as the perfect young Odin for the MCU. Yep, Thor’s dad. Elba, who killed it as Heimdall in the Thor movies, was all in on the idea after working with McConaughey in The Dark Tower. He even said, “He could be Thor’s dad. Play a young version of him. Smash it.” Bold, right?

Now, if you’re thinking, McConaughey as Odin? Seriously?—same here. But let’s not forget, this was post-McConaissance. The man had left his rom-com era in the dust and was straight-up slaying in Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar, and True Detective. By then, McConaughey wasn’t just back in the A-list club—he was running the show. Marvel even tried to reel him in for Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Thus far, the character of Holly Gibney has appeared in six different Stephen King books, with the seventh book, Never Flinch, on the way this year. Holly Gibney has become something of an anti-Randall Flagg, appearing across multiple series as a force for good. While Holly Gibney has been controversial among Stephen King readers, King himself clearly loves her and she's become an integral character.

Interestingly, Holly is one of the only Stephen King characters to appear in multiple Stephen King screen adaptations, with Cynthia Erivo playing Holly in The Outsider miniseries and Justine Lupe in the Mr. Mercedes TV show. Clearly, she's here to stay. For those curious about diving into her story, reading the books in chronological order is always the best way, but it's also fun to look at her appearances so far and rank them.

Books In Which Holly Has Appeared

Release Date

Mr. Mercedes

August...

Stephen King once had big words of praise for an impactful dystopian fiction book that showed real-life scenarios can be as terrifying as any pure horror book out there. That book is the 2018 dystopian YA fiction by father-son duo Neal and Jarrod Shusterman. The book dives into a near future in which California has completely run out of water after conservation measures have failed, and neighbor turns on neighbor as the dire reality of a life in which water is the scarcest resource sinks in.

King is clearly no stranger to dystopia, having written a few classics in his time, including The Stand, which is getting its own anthology series, The End of the World As We Know It, and The Dark Tower series, with Roland's world having moved on. Granted, King's own more dystopian novels have introduced an element of horror, whether subtle or overt, but that doesn't mean horror,...

Movies based on Stephen King books are terrifying all on their own, but even they have pulled their punches, cutting out a few nightmarish scenes from the original books across the years. Adapting Stephen King books is always a risk, as so much of the small details and on-the-page character work that makes King's books pop don't translate well to the screen. The result is that some Stephen King movie adaptations have been fantastic, while others, like The Dark Tower 2017 and its mangled ending, show what happens when a movie adaptation doesn't fully grasp what King is selling with a particular story.

Still, he is the King of Horror for a reason, and some of the best scenes in his movie adaptations have been ripped straight from the books. What works in a book is sometimes too dark for the parental advisory rating of a movie, though, and, as a result,...

While the upcoming anthology based on Stephen King's The Stand is exciting enough in its own right, it features a reunion that makes it all the better. The anthology, titled The End of the World As We Know It, will be a first for Stephen King. In it, a collection of notable horror writers will come together to pen stories not just inspired by, but set in the world of The Stand. The authors included in the Stephen King-inspired anthology have inspired great confidence that it will be excellent, if an interesting and slightly risky experiment.

On top of that, with Stephen King teasing a return to Mid-world and the Territories, it's made fans wonder if the new anthology will become canon. It could, perhaps, even more firmly tie together the worlds of The Stand, The Dark Tower, and The Talisman. Either way, it's an exciting thing to see...

Akiva Goldsman has had many highs and many lows in his Hollywood screenwriting career. The scribe won an Academy Award in 2001 for writing "A Beautiful Mind," but he had previously been nominated for Razzies (honoring the worst in filmmaking) for writing the screenplays to "A Time to Kill" and the atrocious "Batman & Robin." He's been deeply involved in major blockbusters and media franchises, writing "The Da Vinci Code," 1998's "Lost in Space," and "The Divergent Series: Insurgent." He also penned "I, Robot," "I Am Legend," and most recently, "The Dark Tower." 

Since 2017, Goldsman has fallen in with the head honchos at "Star Trek," serving as one of the franchise's executive producers and writing multiple episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery," "Star Trek: Picard," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." He has also directed five episodes, embracing his new place atop the "Trek" heap. Goldsman is also working on other projects...

Was Matthew McConaughey almost cast as Ego? (Photo Credit – Facebook/Hotstar)

Yes, Matthew McConaughey was almost the celestial villain in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Sounds wild, right? But yes, it almost happened.

Back in 2015, Guardians director James Gunn reportedly had his sights on McConaughey for the role of the main bad guy. But McConaughey, being McConaughey, passed. Not because of script issues, not because of creative differences—but because he didn’t want to feel like just another “big-name actor” bolting onto a successful project.

Matthew McConaughey famously said, “I’d feel like an amendment.” Translation: He didn’t want to just add star power to the MCU mix. McConaughey wasn’t about being a filler; he wanted to carve out something significant. Instead of playing a cosmic daddy figure to Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, McConaughey chose to embody Randall Flagg—the villainous antagonist in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower.

Despite being one of Stephen King's best and most regularly recurring characters, Holly Gibney continues to be controversial among a segment of his fanbase. Holly is soon appearing in another book, Stephen King's upcoming Never Flinch. This has led to mixed reactions from his readership, with some happy to get another crime novel from him, and others rolling their eyes that Holly will pop up in another book.

The reaction isn't surprising. Holly Gibney has been a divisive figure among Stephen King readers. Some love her, others hate her, and others think she's fine but would prefer not to see her so much. There are several reasons for this, but regardless of how people feel, it's clear that Holly is here to stay; Stephen King has said she's one of his favorite characters. While she didn't appear in his most recent book, the collection You Like It Darker, she will be in Never Flinch,...

Stephen King impressed with You Like It Darker in 2024, but the collection's success puts even more pressure on his next book, Never Flinch. With a nickname like "The King of Horror," it goes without saying that almost everything King writes is worth a read. However, his older books tend to get more praise, especially the ones that lean into supernatural horror and darker themes. You Like It Darker feels like a return to form on those fronts, and that's something the collection has received praise for.

King recently teased a potential return to the Territories and Mid-World, which is one way the author could top his 2024 release in the future. However, King's next book will be part of his second-largest universe after The Dark Tower, as it features Holly Gibney. Holly is a fairly divisive character. Some readers appreciate the novels she crops up in, while others aren't as fond of her adventures.

There is one obvious reason that ensures the second-biggest universe by Stephen King can never compete with his most interconnected series, The Dark Tower. Stephen King's new book Never Flinch continues the author's dive into the crime thriller genre, although it is still unknown if King will include some of the supernatural staples he is known for, as he did in previous thrillers. His newest book also marks the return of one of his most recent major characters, adding another story to his new tangled world: Holly Gibney.

Stephen King's Holly Gibney universe has been steadily growing for the past decade. First appearing in 2014 in Mr. Mercedes, Holly Gibney's storyline is now nearing the length of King's other seminal work, The Dark Tower series, as there are nine works in that series, and Never Flinch is Holly's seventh appearance. However, while Holly's universe is growing in size, it is...

The recent tease by Stephen King that he's returning to Mid-World and the Territories is even more exciting when considered in the context of the upcoming anthology based on his work. The recently-announced The End of the World As We Know It anthology is a first for Stephen King, a surprising fact considering his long career has already seen so many notable firsts. The anthology will find multiple horror writers coming together to pen stories that are not just inspired by King or inspired by one of his classic novels, but actually set in the world of Stephen King's The Stand.

Shockingly, despite Stephen King's interconnected book universe and deep lore, it's the first time anything has been set in one of his universes that he himself hasn't written. As such, it's a really fascinating project with a lot of potential that could, in turn, get King's own creative juices...

Horror legend Stephen King has written a fair few books over the years. Ever since he burst on the scene with "Carrie" in 1974, he's given fans at least one book nearly every year. Since most of his work has been extremely popular, he's also established himself as a bit of an authority on the horror front -- and isn't shy about commenting about either the genre or his craft as a writer.

Thanks to King's status as a horror luminary and extensive work in many other genres, we've analyzed his work many times before. You may have seen us discuss why King's endings have a reputation for being disappointing, look into his biggest career regret involving (of all things) a forgotten TV commercial, and examine the one Stephen King book that will never get a film adaption due to the author voluntarily scrubbing it from his catalog.

However, in order...

"Liam Neeson-led action movie" is basically a genre nowadays. Be honest, can you name them all? I can't and I do this for a living (though you can read our picks for the best "Old Man Neeson with a Gun" movies here). With so many out there, some are bound to rise to the top of the streaming algorithm. Right now, the hot topic is 2015's "Run All Night." During the week of December 4, 2024, it was the fourth most viewed film on Netflix, in esteemed company such as the first two "Transformers" films and 2017's "The Dark Tower." 

Neeson stars as Jimmy Conlon, an over-the-hill hitman for the New York Irish mob. Jimmy is a drunk and a joke, but he's kept around because his best (and only) friend is boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris). Then Jimmy's estranged son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) witnesses Shawn's son Danny (Boyd Holbrook) commit a murder.

Adaptations of Stephen King's works are often hit or miss. While some efforts translate to the big screen rather well with competent screenplays, others fail to grasp the core appeal of the source material. Plus, there are also those that inhabit the grey area of commendable effort and middling execution, with foundational aspects of King's fiction inevitably getting lost in the visual medium. However, even the most under-the-radar King adaptations have had their (rightful) resurgence over the years, such as 1997's "The Night Flier," which tells an unconventionally chilling vampire tale despite its glaring flaws. Moreover, new releases such as Gary Dauberman's "Salem's Lot" have become a streaming hit on Max despite receiving unfavorable reviews for leaving a lot to be desired.

But what about a highly-anticipated, yet ultimately disappointing adaptation that was both a critical and commercial failure? Well, Netflix has accomplished the improbable again. Nikolaj Arcel...

Nikolaj Arcel's 2017 adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower, with its deep lore and mythology, may leave some audiences with questions about the ending. Truth be told, The Dark Tower, which has recently hit Netflix, is only an adaptation of King's books in name only; some of the story beats are the same but happen far earlier than they do in the books, while others are changed entirely from the original story. The gunslinger protagonist, Roland of Gilead (Idris Elba), is also wildly different than in the books, with his core motivation being completely different.

Those who know the backstory of The Dark Tower adaptation won't find this surprising. The production was famously troubled, requiring multiple rewrites, reshoots, and editing compromises that come through in the finished product. The Dark Tower's strong cast, led by Elba and Matthew McConaughey in his first villain role, was a stellar...

The end of the year is the perfect time to catch up on movie watching. Whether it's the latest new releases or those movies you missed out on when they were originally released, the cold days of December are best spent indoors, under a warm blanket, and having a movie marathon.

We can always count on Netflix to have a wide selection of movies, from its own original titles to the hit or underrated movies the streamer acquires. While you might be working your way through Netflix's new Christmas rom-coms or checking out other originals like Spellbound or The Piano Lesson, the top 10 most popular movies ranking is full of must-watch titles.

Looking for some good movies to watch on Netflix? Here are the currently most popular movies on the streaming service in December 2024 you should add to your watch list!

AfraidRelease Year: 2024Director: Chris WeitzCast: John Cho, Katherine Waterston,...

One of the wildest scenes in Stephen King's The Dark Tower will be difficult for Mike Flanagan's upcoming adaptation to get right, but the show absolutely has to include it. Stephen King has described The Dark Tower as his magnum opus, and the series is incredibly important to King and his fans. The 2017 movie version of The Dark Tower, however, didn't live up to the novels' legacy. Luckily, acclaimed horror writer and director Mike Flanagan is developing a Dark Tower show that more closely follows King's novels. While that should give it an advantage over Matthew McConaughey's first major villain role, it will also introduce some problems.

Staying true to King's source material will let Mike Flanagan's The Dark Tower adapt some incredible moments from the books. It also means that Flangan's Dark Tower can include some forgotten characters and get into more of King's sprawling story.

Lindsay Lohan has made a comeback in acting in recent years. She was originally known as a child actor, providing her talents to movies like The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday. In 2004, she made a splash in the teen comedy Mean Girls, wherein she played Cady Heron. Lohan's teenage years in acting were defined by films like these, which in turn became definitive works of family comedy. Mean Girls has a long legacy that has resulted in a Broadway musical and then a back-to-film adaptation of that musical, and Freaky Friday is also getting a new sequel.

After her active period in the early 2000s, however, Lohan's career slowed down significantly in the 2010s. For a while, her acting career only consisted of brief television appearances and short films. This changed in 2022, however, when Lohan signed a deal with Netflix that would allow her to star in a series of films.

Jake Chambers' (Tom Taylor) "shine" in The Dark Tower is the source of his psychic powers, and it also connects to Danny Torrance's powers in The Shining and Doctor Sleep. Jake's "shine" was a major plot point in the movie adaptation of The Dark Tower. Walter Padick (Matthew McConaughey) believed Jake's shine was so pure that it could single-handedly destroy the Tower that supported the entire universe. It was also what allowed Jake to see Roland Deschain (Idris Elba) in the first place, and what allowed him to speak directly to the gunslinger through telepathy.

What was most confusing about Jake's shine, however, didn't come from The Dark Tower, but another Stephen King movie adaptation, The Shining. In The Shining, Danny Torrance also has psychic abilities called shine, yet he only experiences the horrors of the Overlook Hotel, rather than the visions of Mid-World that Jake saw. Still, however,...

The Life Of Chuck, based on Stephen King’s novel and directed by Mike Flanagan, is confirmed for a 2025 release.

Coming out of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, there was a feeling that Mike Flanagan’s upcoming adaptation of the Stephen King novel The Life Of Chuck could be an awards contender. Not only is this year’s race for Best Picture said to be one of the most open we’ve had for years, but The Life Of Chuck would win TIFF’s coveted People’s Choice Award, historically a strong indicator that a film would go on to earn a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Twelve of the last 14 winners have gone on to do so.

The film’s US distributor Neon, however, has instead elected to give the film a May 2025 release slot according to Deadline. Not only does that preclude the film...

Matthew McConaughey's first major villain role was in The Dark Tower, and it will soon be remade by horror writer and director Mike Flanagan. Most of Matthew McConaughey's best movies put him in heroic roles: Dallas Buyers Club's Ron Woodroof became a hero by the film's ending, and Interstellar's Cooper is the definition of a tragic hero. It's rare that the actor plays a villain, but he got a chance to play his first major antagonist when he joined the cast of The Dark Tower in 2017.

In The Dark Tower, McConaughey plays Walter Padick, the mortal enemy of Idris Elba's Roland Deschain. Walter was a sorcerer who was determined to bring down the eponymous Tower, which would destroy the entire universe. He's the main antagonist of The Dark Tower, and since Mike Flanagan is making a Dark Tower show, Walter will show up again, albeit with a different actor.

December is the perfect month to relax with a binge or two and Netflix is providing plenty of new options.

Leading the hype charge for the final month of 2024 is the hotly anticipated second season of “Squid Game.” The story of the runaway cultural phenomenon picks up where Season 1 left off. Also featured in December are the first two live NFL games on the streamer. Both the Chiefs/Steelers and Ravens/Texans games will stream back-to-back on Christmas Day.

Other notables are the “30 for 30” Collection, the latest season of “Virgin River,” the first “Transformers” film and Sabrina Carpenter’s Christmas special, “A Nonsense Christmas.”

See the full list of what’s coming to Netflix in December 2024 below.

Dec. 1

“A Different World” Season 1-6

“Faster”

“Run All Night”

“Transformers”

“The Dark Tower”

“Top Five”

Dec. 2

“30 for 30” Collection

Dec. 3

“Sleeping Princess”

“Fortune Feimster: Crushing It”

Dec. 4

“Churchill at War”

“That Christmas”

“The Children’s Train...

The 2017 adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower had a star-studded cast to bring Roland Deschain's quest for the Tower to life. The Dark Tower follows Roland Deschain (Idris Elba) as he takes Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) on a quest to stop Walter (Matthew McConaughey) from destroying the titular Tower that holds the universe together. Unfortunately, The Dark Tower is one of the few adaptations that Stephen King criticized himself, but it's certainly not because of its cast.

While Mike Flanagan's upcoming The Dark Tower series will redefine the characters King created in live-action, the 2017 movie still had an important role in bringing them to the screen. Even though The Dark Tower is often criticized for being one of the least faithful and worst Stephen King movies, its cast is one of the few things that most fans agree was worthy of praise. It's clear to see why,...

Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba's 2017 sci-fi Western adaptation of a Stephen King novel is now streaming on Netflix, which is a great sign for the franchise's future. Some of Matthew McConaughey's best movies are the ones that cast him against type. For instance, in 2013, no one expected much out of McConaughey in terms of dramatic acting, yet Dallas Buyers' Club won him an Oscar and the following year Interstellar became one of his most beloved roles. While not every experiment has been a success for McConaughey, they all do bring something exciting.

Now, McConaughey's first movie where he played a villain is streaming on Netflix: The Dark Tower. Not only did it give McConaughey a chance to be the bad guy, it also gave him his only opportunity to work with Idris Elba so far. McConaughey and Elba's collaboration was one of the best things about The Dark Tower...

Writer/director Mike Flanagan shares several recommendations for uplifting movies. Flanagan is best known for his work in the horror genre with films such as Hush, Oculus, and Ouija: Origin of Evil. He saw success with Netflix series, including The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and Fall of the House of Usher. He also adapted the Stephen King novels Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game. He has three more King adaptations in the works with The Life of Chuck, Carrie, and the genre-crossing epic The Dark Tower. In addition to those, Flanagan is busy with a new Exorcist movie.

Although Flanagan's career largely focuses on horror, the director has said his future work will end on a hopeful note, despite some previous bleak endings. Flanagan stated that when his children eventually watch his work he does not want to leave them with a sense of hopelessness and that "no matter how dark a story gets,...

Did Matthew McConaughey pass on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Yes, Matthew McConaughey turned down the MCU. And not because he didn’t love the script or because of creative differences. Nope. The reason McConaughey gave us was a whole vibe shift. He didn’t want to feel like the “amendment” to an already successful project. My ego went to Kurt Russell, and we got golden Dad vibes. McConaughey? He had bigger (or maybe we should say darker?) plans in mind.

Here’s the tea: McConaughey wasn’t looking for another blockbuster role to “add some star power” to the mix. In his own words, he didn’t want to be part of a movie just to fill a colorful part for a “big-name actor.” Instead, he opted for something else—a villainous choice—starring as the twisted, sinister Water Padick in The Dark Tower. The...

Matthew McConaughey was at the height of his fame, when he up and left Hollywood for his Texas ranch. At the time, he was just jumping from one romantic comedy to another, and he knew that there was so much more he could bring to the Hollywood table.

Matthew McConaughey On the Value of Saying “No”

McConaughey is one of those rare stars who have not only enjoyed successful Hollywood careers, but a long and meaningful one as well.

In his latest chat with tennis pro Nick Kyrgios for the athlete’s Wednesday, Nov. 20 episode of Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios, he talked about taking his career into his own hands.

“Look, man, the devil’s in the infinite yeses, not the nos,” McConaughey, 55, began. “No, it’s just as important, if not more important. Especially if you have some level of success and access. No becomes more important than yes.

Author Stephen King is one of the most recognized and prolific authors of this era. Best known as a horror writer, King began his work as a published author through 1974's Carrie, which earned him massive acclaim. He has since gone on to publish The Shining (1977), Firestarter (1980), Pet Sematary (1983), and countless other legendary works. Throughout his career, he has released dozens of books and hundreds of short stories.

Unsurprisingly, having so much attention on King's works brought Hollywood to his doorstep. The renowned author has seen numerous adaptations. Children of the Corn (1984), Misery (1990), It (2017), and Kubrick's The Shining (1980) were all inspired by his stories. While some of his movies have failed, King's name generally serves as a boon for any project that bears it. There are, however, some works that have not seen success. One of them is now coming to a new streaming home.

Did You Know: There...

Is there a Hollywood actor more hooked on franchise acting gigs than Idris Elba? The MCU, the Dceu, Fast And The Furious, Alien, Sonic The Hedgehog, Star Trek, Zootopia… We're shocked, in hindsight, that the man never got a toehold in the Dark Universe. If a script calls for a budget above $100 million,...

Stephen King's best book of the 2020s was released earlier in 2024, but one of the prolific author's upcoming stories is poised to be even better. Since his first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974, Stephen King's best books have been consistently acclaimed as they cover a wide range of genres and topics. Carrie,The Shining, and It are standout horror novels that have received iconic adaptations that further solidified them as staples of popular culture. King has proven just as adept at writing the multi-genre Dark Tower books and the inspiring novella "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption."

His works in the past decade have continued to be compelling, including the story of The Institute, which is being adapted into a television series, and the novella "The Life of Chuck," whose movie adaptation won the People's Choice Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Kings next book is confirmed to...

Stephen King's next book has been announced and solidifies his biggest universe outside The Dark Tower. Many of Stephen King's best books are among the eight novels in The Dark Tower series, which, despite ending the main story in 2004, expanded in 2012 with The Wind Through the Keyhole, a story that is set between the fourth and fifth installments. While many of King's other books are not directly part of this series, they still connect, including The Stand's connections to The Dark Tower.

While it is not a Dark Tower book, King's next novel, Never Flinch, is set for release on May 27, 2025 (via Entertainment Weekly) and has significant implications for the expansive universes he has created. The upcoming novel follows a murderer fixated on revenge and a vigilante stalking a feminist celebrity speaker. The two stories are separate until they eventually intertwine in the book's thrilling climax. While there are many new characters,...

Stephen King has announced he has a new book coming out next year, Never Flinch, and with it, Holly Gibney is officially established as his counter to Randall Flagg. Never Flinch is being described as another in King's crime stable, featuring two intertwined narratives that come together in the third act. In it, a madman sends a letter to the Buckeye City Police Department, threatening to kill 14 people in what he claims is an act of atonement. With that, Detective Izzy Jaynes turn to her old friend for help: private investigator Holly Gibney.

Holly Gibney is a well-known name to Stephen King's readers, and, thanks to Justine Lupe portraying her in the Mr. Mercedes adaptation, and Cynthia Erivo portraying Holly Gibney in The Outsider miniseries adaptation, she's also a well-known face. Along with those two adaptations, the character's first starring novel, Holly, is also in development as a TV show.

Mike Flanagan has addressed the potential for more "The Haunting" TV shows like The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor after moving his future productions from Netflix over to Prime Video. The horror creative produced the two horror miniseries as Netflix exclusives, the first adapting Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel of the same name, and the second based on Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw. Despite critical praise, The Haunting season 3 was never created, with Flanagan later leaving Netflix for Prime Video in 2023.

Now, Flanagan has responded to a question about more The Haunting TV shows on Bluesky, confirming the horror anthology series isn't coming back. However, he has confirmed multiple new series are in the works for Prime Video, specifying that his first for them is going to be an adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie. Check out what Flanagan had to say below:...

The Stephen King cinematic universe continues to expand, with new adaptations of Carrie, The Dark Tower, The Long Walk, The Running Man, and more currently in the works to add to the dozens that already exist in film and television. For five decades, the Master of Horror’s prolific storytelling has been a consistent source of entertaining adaptations, which means the Stephen King Universe is sprawling indeed. Luckily for fans, almost every title is available to stream or rent, so here’s a breakdown of where to find every single Stephen King adaptation right now (in alphabetical order). ‘11.22.63,’ Hulu 11.22.63 – Tubi 1408 – Peacock 1922 – Netflix Apt Pupil – Amazon Prime Video, Roku Channel Bag of Bones – Available for rental or purchase Big Driver (adapting Big Driver) – Lifetime via YouTube, Amazon Prime Video The Boogeyman (adapting “The Boogeyman” from ...

Everyone agrees that, after fifty years of publishing, Stephen King is the unquestioned King of Horror, but that isn't the only genre that the New England author has found success in. King's The Stand, first published in 1978, is less an outright horror novel and more of a post-apocalyptic cautionary tale about a world-ending plague called Captain Trips, although modern readers may consider that much more of a horror theme than it was intended as. The Stand, with its wild plot twists, has often been considered not just one of King's best works, but one of the best modern novels ever written.

Now, for the first time, authors other than King will be contributing to the lore surrounding this modern epic. Announced in October and now up for pre-order, the new anthology The End of the World as We Know It: Tales of Stephen Kings The Stand is an exciting new...

Stephen King is selective when it comes to writing sequels, only penning them when he feels they're necessary but there's one great book of his that has huge sequel potential and hasn't gotten one yet. King's philosophy when it comes to sequels makes sense, as far too many books and movies get continuations for the sake of it. Among the books the author has broken his sequel rule for are The Shining and The Talisman, along with a few novels, like Cujo, that have gotten short story follow-ups. The author has also written series like The Dark Tower.

Needless to say, sequels aren't totally off the table for the "King of Horror" but they need to make sense. And his 2019 novel, The Institute, has far too much potential to remain a standalone. The Institute lands among the few King books that really do demand sequels. It's unclear if one will ever happen,...

Mike Flanagan, known for his adept adaptations of Stephen King’s work, has taken on perhaps his most challenging project yet: translating the sprawling epic ‘The Dark Tower’ into a television series.

This saga, celebrated as King’s magnum opus, spans eight novels plus additional writings, weaving a complex tapestry of genres and themes that defy simple conversion to screen.

Previous efforts to bring ‘The Dark Tower’ to life, including the 2017 movie, fell short of capturing the series’ unique blend of fantastical elements and deep narrative.

Critics argue that the film missed the mark by simplifying and altering much of the original material’s richness and depth.

In a recent update from The Hollywood Reporter in September 2024, Flanagan sheds light on the challenges facing his adaptation.

That thing’s launching an oil tanker. But we’re working on it. It was stalled first by me moving from Netflix to Amazon...

There are many Stephen King books for which the legendary author has written follow-ups, but some of his most notable titles, surprisingly, have yet to get sequels. Several of King's books have been expanded upon before, but their continuation may not necessarily count as a traditional sequel. For example, King's The Dark Tower books continue certain parts of 'Salem's Lot's narrative, but this series isn't technically a sequel.

Because there are numerous upcoming Stephen King movie and TV show adaptations, many avid readers are revisiting the King of Horror's bibliography. While some titles don't warrant a sequel, there are still plenty of others that deserve an extension and could benefit from elaboration upon the original story. Readers are keen to find out what happens to the characters next, and several King books could absolutely use a sequel.

'Salems Lot (1975) What Is The Fallout Of Ben Setting The Town On Fire?...

Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" saga — which comprises eight novels, a novella, and a children's book — can be considered his magnum opus. The sheer breadth of its story, along with its breathtaking mishmash of genres, helped create an epic that embodies unfiltered storytelling. Magic is an integral aspect of "The Dark Tower," as exemplified by the existence of the Man in Black, along with demons, mutants, and the titular Tower itself. In many ways, "The Dark Tower" resists adaptation. For starters, the depth of this engrossing, fantastical story cannot be encapsulated in a single installment, and the best aspects of the saga demand an interiority that is best experienced in the written format.

Nevertheless, attempts to adapt "The Dark Tower" for the screen have been made, with 2017's "Dark Tower" movie emerging as a failed adaptation that sidesteps the wonderful strangeness of the original books for some reason. It...

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(This post contains spoilers for several Stephen King books. If you see the title of a book mentioned, expect to see a spoiler soon after.)

Every Stephen King fan remembers their first experience with a bad King ending. For many it's "The Stand," where after over a thousand pages of build-up the day is saved by God himself swooping down and blowing up the bad guys. For other readers, it's "It," which features a sex scene so controversial that most non-book readers think you're joking when you tell them about it.

My first disappointment with King came at the end of "The Long Walk," a riveting 300-page thriller King wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. I read the entire book in one sitting almost without even realizing it; it was disturbing, immersive, and fast-paced, and by the final chapter I...