Rachel Nichols Clocks In For Stephen King's Ten O'Clock People

Writer-director Tom Holland continues to add pieces to his upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s short story Ten O’Clock People. As we reported earlier, Justin Long has been attached to the lead role. Now THR adds that Rachel Nichols is negotiating to join him in the horror-thriller.

King’s story – pulled from the old anthology Nightmares and Dreamscapes -- follows a man who tries to quit smoking. His efforts, however, wake him up to a disturbing reality about people in authority surrounding him in the real world. He’s prompted to join a mysterious group called The Ten O’Clock People. Nichols would play a member of that posse.

People will be a return to the horror genre for Long, who starred in the Jeepers Creepers franchise early on in his career. Holland, meanwhile, was the “father” of several classic horror films from our youth. He directed the original Fright Night and the first Child’s Play. He adapted King for the TV movie The Langoliers, and tackled several episodes of HBO’s long-lost Tales from the Crypt.

Nichols, however, is making a name for herself in the action genre. Yes, the former model was in the 2005 Amityville Horror remake alongside Ryan Reynolds. But her top credits include a stint on Alias and roles in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek, 2011’s Conan the Barbarian reboot, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. No real clarification on what her part would be in Ten O’Clock People, but the fact that Holland continues to add cast members means he’s likely ready to begin filming, shortly.

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.