The King Beat is a weekly feature here on CinemaBlend because seven days rarely go by without some kind of development from the world of Stephen King – but this week is nonetheless special: it’s Never Flinch week! The latest novel from the legendary author has arrived in stores, and Constant Readers around the world have begun devouring the latest Holly Gibney mystery. But that’s not the only big headline I have for you, as King has also revealed plans for a cameo in an upcoming adaptation that didn’t come to pass and has provided an update about one of his most exciting in-the-works projects.
This new edition of The King Beat is piping hot with news about The Institute TV series, The Talisman 3 and Never Flinch, so without any further ado, let’s dig in!
Stephen King Was Hoping To Make An Appearance In The Institute TV Series, But Back Pain Got In The Way
While not quite matching the on-screen legacy of Stan Lee, Stephen King has a considerable history of playing roles and making cameos in adaptations of his works. His first was in 1982, playing the dim-witted titular character of “The Lonesome Death Of Jordy Verrill” in Creepshow, and his list of credits since then includes 1989’s Pet Sematary, 1994’s The Stand, and an episode of the TV series Under The Dome. It’s always a delight when King pops up in a movie or show… which is why it’s definitely a bummer to learn that his most recent effort to add to his acting filmography didn’t work out as planned.
Based on the novel of the same name, the upcoming MGM+ series The Institute is one of the five remaining Stephen King adaptations set to debut in 2025 (arriving in the months following Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey theatrical run this winter), and according to a new interview with the Toronto Star, there were plans at one point to make the show a little extra special by including an appearance from the author. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out: while the idea was for King to travel to the set in Nova Scotia, Canada for a “small part,” he was unable to make the trip due to chronic back pain.
Constant Readers last got to see Stephen King flex his acting skills playing a shopkeeper in a scene opposite James McAvoy’s Bill Denbrough in 2019’s IT: Chapter Two, which is one of his most substantial cameos to date. He is also featured in an episode of the 2020 miniseries remake of The Stand, but he only appears photographed on a poster, not in person.
The Institute is the latest Stephen King adaptation from director/producer Jack Bender, who previously got King to make an appearance in a Season 1 episode of the underrated series Mr. Mercedes. As for the role that he might have played, that’s an unknown that we’ll hopefully get some clarity on later this year when we get closer to the show’s debut.
Featuring a cast that includes Ben Barnes and Mary-Louise Parker, the show centers on a secret government facility that is designed to house kidnapped children with psychic abilities – with the ultimate goal being to enhance their powers for nefarious, secretive purposes. A specific release date has not been announced, but The Institute has been reported to be part of MGM+’s 2025 slate (one of two King series to debut this year, with the other one being HBO’s IT: Welcome To Derry).
The First Draft Of The Talisman 3 Is Done, So Let’s Celebrate That It’s Actually Happening!
Stephen King has been very careful about not getting out over his skis when it has come to discussing his work on the untitled The Talisman 3 – the sequel/trilogy capstone following 1984’s The Talisman and 2001’s Black House. In the last two years, he has frequently discussed the fact that he has been working on the book, getting Constant Readers excited for his return to the expansive, fantastical reality known as Mid-World, but he has been ultra-careful not to make any kinds of promises. Mentions of the project in interviews were couched with warnings that the whole thing could fall apart and that it could get canned if momentum or ideas evaporated. He made no promises that the novel would be completed.
Well, now things are different: the first draft of The Talisman 3 has officially been completed.
This exciting update is featured alongside the news of the not-to-be Institute cameo in the interview with the Toronto Star. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that it will be Stephen King’s next book as that designation technically belongs to the new illustrated edition of Hansel & Gretel with art by Maurice Sendak that will be published in the fall (specifically on September 2), but the author did confirm that the first draft of The Talisman 3 is done. Said King,
I call it ‘T3.’ It’s done, so now I wander around the house and try to catch up with the real world.
Stephen King co-wrote both The Talisman and Black House with Peter Straub, who passed away in 2022. In the writing of the untitled sequel, King has been expanding on an idea that Straub presented to him via a letter, and he has said that he has been channeling his friend/collaborator’s writing voice (per The Kingcast). Both authors will be credited on the cover of the tome.
For those unfamiliar with the previous books, they tell the story of protagonist Jack Sawyer – who we first meet in The Talisman as a 12-year-old who is on the verge of becoming an orphan as his mother is dying of a fatal cancer. Thanks to the help of a stranger named Speedy Parker, however, he learns of a fantastical way to save her: he has a special capacity to “flip” between parallel universes, and in an expansive world known as The Territories is a magical talisman that has the power to save his mom’s life.
Black House reintroduces Jack as an adult. Having become a celebrated detective in Los Angeles and has opted for early retirement, he moves to a backwoods town in Wisconsin to live a peaceful life… but fate has other plans for him. The community is terrorized by a sadistic serial killer who has been nicknamed The Fisherman, and when the protagonist becomes involved in the investigation to stop the madman, he discovers that the monster has specific ties to the fantasy world from his childhood.
Stephen King has previously said that Peter Straub presented him with an idea for the book inspired by the terrible crimes of killer Charles Starkweather – but the exact creative direction where that leads is presently unclear.
Does this mean that we could potentially be getting our hands on the long-anticipated sequel novel in 2026? Nothing has been guaranteed, but no other title from the author has been announced for the calendar year, I don’t imagine that King is looking to break his streak of publishing at least one book every year since 1976 (the year between Salem’s Lot and The Shining). You can be sure that I’ll be paying attention to news about this book intensely in the coming months, so be on the lookout for new updates and release information here on CinemaBlend.
Never Flinch Hits #1 On Amazon’s Hot New Releases Book List
And now for some news that will surprise exactly nobody.
Stephen King has been a juggernaut in the literary world for decades, and when he releases a new book, it’s a worldwide event. His works have topped best-seller lists for the majority of his career – his success at one point even making the author wonder if it was his name or the quality of his writing that perpetuated sales (an element leading to the creation of his Richard Bachman pen name). This in mind, it makes all the sense in the world that a few days after arriving in stores, Never Flinch is now the #1 title on Amazon’s list of hot new release books.
Never Flinch is King’s latest contribution to the world of mystery literature, continuing the adventures of private detective Holly Gibney following her battle with a pair of elderly cannibals in 2023’s Holly – though this new book is a different beast story-wise, as it has been described by the author as a plotted novel. There are multiple narrative threads involved, but the book will see the protagonist hired as a bodyguard for a feminist activist who needs protection from a stalker. Simultaneously, a serial killer begins unleashing a horrific plan in what he sees as an act of justice.
Never Flinch is available in a number of formats depending on how you like to read. Physical media collectors like myself will find the novel is available in both hardcover and paperback. It’s also available digitally on eReaders, and there is an audiobook narrated by Jessie Mueller.
That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat – but without giving away too much, you’re definitely going to want to head back here to CinemaBlend next Thursday, as my next column is going to be extra special! In the meantime, you can work to expand your Stephen King fanhood by learning out the very long history of King books and stories in film and television by checking out my series Adapting Stephen King.
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