The deadline for reports on horror master Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, Midnight Club, Haunting of Bly Manor) has been attached to direct a new short series consisting of eight episodes adapted from Stephen King’s Carrie for Amazon.
Naturally, the story revolves around Carrie White, a high school student who is chronically bullied and suffers at the hands of her cruel classmates at school and her controlling mother at home. As studies conducted by the US government show, severe emotional shock may lead to telekinetic powers, and as the story unfolds, you can bet on your lowest dollar, and no one will be returning home happy on Carrie’s fateful prom night.
Discounting Broadway and off-Broadway musical adaptations, Riverdalesalutes, and scoffs at Rage: Carrie 2, this will be the fourth filmed version of the story so far. Following Brian De Palma’s original unbeatable 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek in the lead role, a made-for-TV version was broadcast written by Bryan Fuller and starring Angela Bettis on ABC in 2002. In 2013, Chloe Grace Moretz took on the role in another stage play. A walk from director Kimberly Pierce and written by (I guessed it!) Riverdale model Roberto Aguirre Sacasa.
While Flanagan has achieved about 100 points in his recent film and TV projects, the immediate question that arose on the prestigious io9 Slack channel was “Does this story really need to be eight hours long?” De Palma’s film was only 98 minutes long, while Pierce’s new version was good but not great at 99 minutes long.
With an extra six and a half hours, I assume we might get better ideas about Sue Snell and Chris Hargensen’s home life, or maybe even past memories about Margaret White’s failed marriage to Carrie’s father, Ralph – a character either separate from her (as in the movies) or killed in a construction site accident (as in the book). In both cases, his absence is a key element of the Carrie tradition, yet to be shown on screen.
Unfortunately, as the news has just spread, there are no actors currently attached to the project, but you can bet the competition to play both Carrie and Margaret White (roles that earned Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie Oscar nominations on the day) will be fierce.
Since Flanagan has a roster of favorite actors he likes to work with, there is already an intriguing list of potentials including Margaret or the well-intentioned Mrs. Dejardin/Collins/Gardner (for every book/movie/Broadway), including Heather Langenkamp, Elizabeth Lail, Kate Siegel, Carla Gugino, Katie Parker, Samantha Sloyan, Alex Essoe, and/or Elizabeth Reaser. Let’s quote Carrie White’s reaction to Tommy Ross’ English class poem for Mr. Fromm: “It’s beautiful.”
Who do you want to see in a Flanagan film? Carrie? Let us know below!
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