In the realm of mystery and horror, there are few better sources for adaptation than the work of Stephen King. The guy has become rightfully known as a master of the genre, and his influence can be felt all across the television landscape. That idea will come to a head with the upcoming Hulu series Castle Rock (named for King's fictional town), and there's quite a bit to start getting excited about. And according to Stephen King, he hasn't specifically written anything for the upcoming Castle Rock series, although he has been in contact with J.J. Abrams to hash out ideas to use on the show. King explained:
I don't have any plans to write for it but I'm in contact with (executive producer) J.J. Abrams. We've talked about a couple of interesting ideas, and I know at least one of the stories that has a Castle Rock background will figure in the TV series. It's a little like sending your kids off to college: Here's what I've got for you, I've raised you right, hopefully you'll go off and you won't get into trouble. Sometimes they do anyway!
So while Stephen King isn't going to officially write anything for Castle Rock (per his comments to USA Today), we can rest easy knowing that he has definitely involved himself in the development process. By conferring with J.J. Abrams about the overall direction of the series, King has (at the very least) put his mark on Castle Rock, and ensure a degree of authenticity that not every King adaptation has achieved.
It really is a perfect time for Stephen King adaptations. In addition to the upcoming debut of Castle Rock, we will also soon see an adaptation of his iconic IT story directed by Andres Muschietti -- with actor Bill Skarsgård set to take over the infamous role of Pennywise the Clown from Tim Curry.
Oddly enough, Bill Skarsgård is currently listed as a member of the cast of Castle Rock -- albeit in an unrevealed role. Does this mean that Pennywise will actually make an appearance in the upcoming Hulu series? At this point, we have no way of knowing, but the possibility of legendary Stephen King stories and characters intermingling with one another is enough to get any self-respecting King fan excited.
Of course, Castle Rock isn't the first TV series based on a concept created by Stephen King. From The Dead Zone to Children of the Corn and the adaptation of The Mist (not to mention the Dark Tower series that is also in development), King's work has become a go-to source for small screen adaptations in recent years. Castle Rock is obviously unique because the anthology takes a more cinematic universe-oriented approach to its subject matter, so our hope remains high that it becomes the best of the bunch.
CinemaBlend will keep you posted with more information related to the upcoming debut of Castle Rock as new details are made available to us. As for silver screen Stephen King adaptations, The Dark Tower is currently in theaters, and IT will debut on September 8.
