Author Stephen King has taken to social media to say he isn’t happy about a film adaptation of his 1975 horror novel Salem’s Lot being seemingly held back by Warner Bros.
The novel is about a writer who returns to his hometown in Maine and later discovers that the town’s residents are vampires. The novel went into cinematic development back in 2019 and was filmed in 2021. Initially, a theatrical release was planned for 2022 but as yet, the film still has no planned release date.
King took to X, formerly Twitter, to ask why Warner Bros. had still not released the film.
“Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good,” King posted to his followers. “Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.”
Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 19, 2024
Last year, King noted on X/Twitter that Warner Bros.’ Salem’s Lot remake was “currently shelved,” and he called the movie “muscular and involving.”
“It has the feel of ‘Old Hollywood,’ when a film was given a chance to draw a breath before getting to business,” he wrote at the time. “When attention spans were longer, in other words.”
The Warner Bros remake of SALEM’S LOT, currently shelved, is muscular and involving. It has the feel of “Old Hollywood,” when a film was given a chance to draw a breath before getting to business. When attention spans were longer, in other words.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 1, 2023
According to Variety last year, Warner Bros. were reportedly considering a release directly on streaming service Max instead of cinemas.
A source told Variety at the time that it was not “a reflection of the film’s quality but simply due to the fact that the SAG-AFTRA strike created a growing need for Max content.” A spokesperson for Warner Bros. added last year that “No decision has been made about the film’s future distribution plans.”
NME has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.
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