Is Hollywood About to Ruled by a King? In particularly A Stephen King?

It's been a mere matter of days and already Andy Muschietti's adaptation of Stephen King's 1986 best selling novel  IT has already shattered a numerous amount of records. Having already made $51 million dollars, IT has set a record for the biggest opening ever for a horror film. It is also the biggest opener ever in the beginning of September.  If that isn't enough IT has also surpassed Deadpool as being the biggest Friday ever for an R rated film.  Seeing that Paranormal Activity currently holds the record for the biggest overall weekend for a horror film ever at $52.6 million dollars, look for the papers to read that IT tore that record to shreds early Monday morning.


With all of these records being broken and set, it can't help but make one wonder if we're in for an era of Stephen King remakes. The truest fact about Hollywood is that its bottom line is the almighty dollar and what ever makes the most Benjamin's is what we'll see the most of on the silver screen. If Stephen King adaptations, remakes and reimaginings are what Hollywood thinks we the paying public want to see, then Stephen King is what we're going to get.

STAND BY ME, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE GREEN MILE and THE MIST are all King adaptations that most love and feel were made right the first time.  Yet for the majority of King adaptations the general consensus is that they all had an excellent premise that failed to deliver in execution. Fans look back on these films and imagine with great enthusiasm what they could have been but recollect with bitterness as to what they actually were. With the success of IT we could be in for a feast of King movies so rich in quality and value that by the time we're done we're stuffed with satisfaction and delight.

We already know that IT: Chapter Two is in our future. It has also been confirmed that PET SEMATARY has been confirmed for a reimagining as well. What other King adaptations would we like to see?

MISERY

Although Kathy Bates gave both an Academy Award and Golden Globe winning performance as Anne Wilkes, the rest of the film falls a bit flat. Not that it is a bad film, because it isn't. It simply could be better. Like Tim Curry as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, topping Bates or even coming close to her will be to the level of difficulty a nose-hair below impossible. Yet like Bill Skarsgard, whoever the actress is that would get the part, would bring it to life in her own unique way. Already one of King's personal favorites, a remake could be even better.

THE TOMMYKNOCKERS

Much like the 1990 made for television miniseries of IT, the 1993 made for television miniseries of THE TOMMYKNOCKERS suffers from the same problems. The films strengths are in its story, and strong performances of Jimmy Smits, E.G. Marshall, John Astin, Robert Carradine and Joanna Cassidy. Yet being made for television meant a smaller budget for special effects, thus forcing for more exposition than visual and an unbalanced hinge between drama and horror that left viewers top heavy on the drama and rather empty handed on the horror.

A remake here could take an already good adaptation and propel it to the same heights as the first chapter of the reimagining of IT.  A bigger budget for special effects and the freedom of an R rated film could balance the level of horror and drama to give us the experience that the story was meant to be.

MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE/TRUCKS

There have already been two versions of Stephen King's TRUCKS.  First 1986's MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE and then 1997's made for television TRUCKS. Both films had their strengths but were mediocre in their own ways. Whereas MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE was over the top, silly and over-dramatic, TRUCKS is the polar opposite in being too serious, too mundane and having serious need for comic relief.  A happy medium between the two King variations would most likely result in a fun, successful box office hit.

SILVER BULLET

Even back in 1985, critic Felix Vasquez Jr referred to SILVER BULLET 's visual effects as outdated and critic Scott Weinberg thought the film while not bad seemed more like an after school special for teenagers than it did a horror film that belonged in theaters. Looking at it 32 years later, the special effects are quite silly and Nickelodeon's ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK produced more terrifying episodes.

This is a story that has great potential to be a great film and it would benefit from a remake. Better writing, mixed with better special effects could make for a mesmerizing story full of horror, excitement and heart that the 1985 film lacked.

CUJO 

This 1983 film adaptation of King's 1981 lacked the heart and soul of the novel. Whereas other King adaptations suffer from being heavy on the drama and light on the horror, this film did the opposite. It focused so strongly on making us afraid of a rabid St. Bernard that it forgets to pull us in with the mesmerizing and touching effect of King's story.  With greater focus on Cujo being a loyal, protective and loving dog who is driven crazy by the rabies, the audience could connect better with the story, thus leaving the theater with a mixture of lasting emotions, rather than simply feeling frightened for a few moments. Adding a perspective of the dog, as does the novel, to where when he is killing a human being, he believes he is killing the bat who gave him rabies, would add even greater effect.  This rather forgetful film could with the right writing and directing be one of King's best adaptations yet.

THE LANGOLIERS

This film had it all. It was written well, it was directed well, and it had an all star cast of well known and beloved actors. The mystery and suspense kept audiences glued to the screen for three hours in anticipation to see what happens. Then in a matter of minutes, it is all ruined by the most anti-climatic ending that a King adaptation has ever seen. (Some may argue that the giant spider in the second half of IT's 1990 miniseries was worse.)

It is sad that a rather good film is ruined by such a wretched ending. Poor special effects should not have that much emphasis on a film's reception, but this one did. A remake could easily fix that problem as well as condense the story down a bit to have a faster pace and a bit more energy along with its story.

CAT'S EYE 

Perhaps the film that could benefit the most from a remake/reimagining is 1985's CAT'S EYE which is essentially three stories meshed into one for the film. For those familiar with the film, there is little argument that the third story of the traveling cat is the most compelling. A remake, at least in the opinion of this blogger would be better suited to omit the first two stories altogether to give a stronger build and focus to the third. 85.5 million cats owned in the United States compared to 78 million owned dogs, gives testimony that cat lovers would flock to the theaters to see the one story of an heroic cat in the sea of what has been heroic dog movies.


Will King soon rule Hollywood with a series of remakes and reimaginings?  With the success of IT, the possibility is strong.