Gary Dauberman’s new adaptation of Stephen King’sSalem’s Lotfinally has a streaming date of October 3 on Max, but it may have become another of Warner Bros. abandoned projects if not for the intervention of King himself, and his love of sharing his thoughts on social media.
The journey ofSalem’s Lothas not been an easy one, which has been surprising to many consideringDauberman’s successful resume as the writer of several entries inThe Conjuring Universe, as well as dabbling in the world ofStephen Kingas co-writer ofItand sole writer ofIt Chapter Two. He also directedAnnabelle Comes Homein 2019, and acted as executive producer on bothThe NunandThe Nun II. For this reason, whenthe movie’s original 2022 release date was wiped from schedules, fans were rightly confused and worried.
Salem’s Lot
Salem’s Lot is a 2024 remake of the movie of the same name released in 1979. The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 novel stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, and Bill Camp, with Gary Dauberman writing and directing the Max original film. The plot revolves around a writer who discovers a vampire in his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot upon returning home for inspiration.
One person who was also confused was King, and backin February he shared a post on X/Twitterthat would end up providing the “shock” that Warner Bros. needed to get the movie back on track for release. That post read:
“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.”
Stephen King Saved Salem’s Lot From Getting a Stake Through the Heart
While Dauberman did not reveal too much detail about what King’s jab at Warner Bros. actually shook loose, speaking withTotal Filmhe made it clear that the weight of King’s words certainly got some wheels turning. He said:
I’m extremely thankful for Steve’s support. Let’s just say it provided some shock support for some of the more bumpy portions of this journey and leave it at that.
For many years, every King novel came with four words printed on the bottom of the front cover;words are his power. It seems that this doesn’t only apply to the author’s ability to tap into the fears of modern society, but to influence through just a few short words on his social media accounts. As well as seemingly givingSalem’s Lota final push that it needed, in the last several months, King has been partly responsible for boosting the popularity of several TV shows and movies that he is not affiliated with in any way other than as a regular viewer.
10 Recent Horror Movies Stephen King Praised
If Stephen King says it’s good, then it must be. These are the recent horror movies that the king of horror books has praised.
Titles that have benefited from a few positive words from King includeNight Swim, Under Paris, andBaby Reindeer(everyone remembers his initial “Holy sh*t!” response to that series). As one of the world’s greatest living authors,with a tally of over 60 novels/novellas and more than 200 short stories to his name, it is hardly surprising that King’s opinions on such things are often jumped on by those looking to find something worth watching on a never-ending list of channels and streaming platforms.
Salem’s Lotis just one of the new adaptations of King’s work set for release in the coming months and years. Others include Mike Flanagan’sThe Life of Chuck, Osgood Perkins’ take onThe Monkey, along withseveral in development projects such asBilly Summers, Fairy Tale,and remakes ofChristineandThe Running Man.
Salem’s Lotwill debut on Max on October 3
