Horror icon Stephen King has raised concerns over the delayed release of Warner Bros.' new film adaptation of his 1975 horror novel, 'Salem's Lot.
'Salem's Lot follows Ben Mears, a writer who revisits the town of Jerusalem's Lot (or 'Salem's Lot) in Maine. Ben spent his childhood there, residing from the ages of five through nine. Upon his return, he discovers that the town's inhabitants are undergoing a transformation into vampires.
The latest adaptation, directed and written by Gary Dauberman, boasts a talented cast, including Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbaek, Alfre Woodard, and William Sadler. Previous adaptations of King's novel include a two-part CBS miniseries in 1979 starring the late David Soul and a TNT limited series in 2004 starring Rob Lowe.
The film was initially set for a theatrical release in September 2022 but has yet to hit the screens in 2024.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, King expressed his confusion about why the studio is holding back the movie, despite his positive feedback:
"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**king things."
You can see King's post below.
@StephenKing/X
Others have also criticized the studio and joined the acclaimed author's call for the film's release.
Last year, King reported that the new adaptation was "currently shelved" but described it as "muscular and involving" with a cinematic feel reminiscent of "Old Hollywood."
His statements followed an article in Variety featuring quotes from inside sources who said the film would likely be streamed on Max, Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming platform.
While the move is attributed to the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, insiders emphasize that it doesn't reflect the film's quality. The strike has created a heightened demand for content on Max, and Salem's Lot is among several Warner Bros. films being considered for this transition.
A Warner Bros. spokesperson clarified, stating that no decision has been finalized regarding the film's distribution plans.
Originally slated for a September 2022 release, the movie, which was shot in Massachusetts in 2021, faced delays due to COVID-related postproduction issues. Despite being moved to spring 2023, it later disappeared from the schedule, sparking speculation it would be a tax write-off similar to 2022's Batgirl.
