Stephen King‘s ‘The Tommyknockers‘ is getting a new lease on life as Universal has just picked up the rights to the film in a fierce bidding war! This classic 1987 novel by the master of horror was already adapted in a cult-classic 1993 miniseries on ABC and is now getting a new adaptation as a feature film. As a bonus for horror fans everywhere, James Wan is set to produce the film through Atomic Monster and might be directing it. Joining Wan as a producer will be Roy Lee, Larry Sanitsky, Michael Clear, and Jon Berg.
Going for the rights of the film were Uni, Netflix, and Sony in a four-way bidding war with Universal ending up coming out on top. This is another movie which has been being pitched to various studios before even New Line and Warner Bros. snagged the rights to ‘It’ in the recent studio love-fest for King’s work.
The miniseries was a classic that held up even against full films at the time in a testament to how well it was done. The novel was set in Maine where the residents become different due to an object found in the woods. Those exposed to the object become different with a mysterious agenda, and only one man might have a chance to put a stop to what is happening.
The news is fresh, so there is no word on who is writing this take on ‘The Tommyknockers’ or who might be starring in it as of yet, but if Wan directs you know that we’ll be in for something amazing. Wan, who is about to be coming off of ‘Aquaman’ which could be the DCEU’s second hit with critics and fans, has a track record in horror that puts his name at the top of the list of modern directors when it comes to the genre.
Do you feel that ‘The Tommyknockers’ is ripe for a remake or is there any reason to redo such a classic? Would this story be just as effective set in modern times or should it be a period piece? Share your thoughts below!
Source: Deadline
