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Author Stephen King’s novels have been adapted multiple times, with acclaimed directors such as Stanley Kubrick taking a stab at his stories. The noted horror author is known for his thrilling stories such as theItfranchise andThe Shiningthat tap into humanity’s deepest fears.
The author’s popular novel ‘Salem’s Lot’was adapted for the third time in a film by Gary Dauberman but it has been sitting on the shelves of WB studios since it was done. The film was first supposed to be released in cinemas in 2022 but was then postponed to 2023. During the SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film was planned to be streamed directly on Max before being shelved. However, the author slammed the studio for not planning a release for the film despite it being good.
Stephen King Slammed WB For Not Releasing ‘Salem’s Lot
AuthorStephen King’snovels have been adapted multiple times with varying degrees of faithfulness to the source material. The author famously said that he had a problem with the way director Stanley Kubrick handled the adaptation of his novelThe Shiningas many elements from the novel were changed for the film (viaTCM’sA Night at the Movies).
While the author has approved some of the more recent adaptations of his novels, such as theItfranchise, Stephen King recently slammed Warner Bros. Studio for keeping the upcoming horror film ‘Salem’s Lot’on the shelf. The film, which was supposed to be released in 2022, has yet to receive a release date, despite being finished.
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King took toX (formerly Twitter)and said that he had watched the Gary Dauberman directorial and that he liked the film. He then went on to slam the studio for not giving a clear release date. He said,
“Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the f*cking things.”
The shelving of ‘Salem’s Lotwas the third instance of WB shelving a finished project after films such asBatgirl, Scoob! Holiday Haunt, andCoyote vs. Acmewere also shelved. The former film was reportedly canceled while in post-production as the studio reportedly used it as a tax write-off (viaVariety).
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Why Was ‘Salem’s LotNot Released?
Stephen King has often expressed his love for his 1975 novel ‘Salem’s Lot’. The novel follows a writer, who comes back to his hometown to write when he finds out that the town is haunted by a vampire. Stephen King admitted in an interview with The Highway Patrolman magazine (viaScreen Rant), that the novel was his favorite of his books. He said,
“In a way it is my favorite story, mostly because of what it says about small towns. They are kind of a dying organism right now. The story seems sort of down home to me. I have a special cold spot in my heart for it!”
The novel had been adapted twice before, once by Tobe Hooper in 1979 as a two-part miniseries, and once by Mikael Solomon in 2004 as a TV miniseries. A third adaptation of the novel into a film was announced by WB in 2019, withItwriter Gary Dauberman set to write and direct, andThe Conjuringdirector James Wan set to produce.
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However, the film was shelved after multiple delays by WB. According toVariety, the film was set to be released in cinemas and then was thought about for a straight-to-digital release on Max during the SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, the film remained unreleased, with Stephen King taking toXagain to slam the decision by WB. He said,
“The Warner Bros remake of SALEM’S LOT, currently shelved, is muscular and involving. It has the feel of “Old Hollywood,” when a film was given a chance to draw a breath before getting to business. When attention spans were longer, in other words.”
Despite Stephen King’s efforts to market the film as a good adaptation, the film seemed to have no takers as it sits on the shelves of WB studios.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
