Warner Bros. has dropped the first trailer for Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. The film follows an adult Danny Torrance, played by Ewan McGregor, who remains psychologically traumatised over the events at The Overlook Hotel, but has managed to push forward and create a normal life for himself.
However, ghosts from the hotel, including the woman from room 237, still want to find Danny and harness and consume his incredible shining power. He also encounters a teenager named Abra, who also has the shining and has sought him out as she’s desperate for help against Rose the Hat and her followers, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality.
The trailer is fine, but there’s probably something worrying when the most distinctive and spine-tingling parts of it are simply clips from The Shining. While you can’t really fault Warner Bros. for making the sequel – after all, Stephen King wrote the follow-up novel himself – this does feel a little like a lazy cash-in on King’s sudden surge of popularity following IT.
However, Mike Flanagan is helming the film. He’s had a solid horror career, directing films such as Absentia, Oculus, and even another King adaptation, Gerald’s Game. He’s got an eye for good horror imagery and, along with an always-reliable McGregor, should be able to make Doctor Sleep at least somewhat interesting. Let’s hope it doesn’t just riff off the classic moments from Stanley Kubrick‘s film.
Starring alongside McGregor are Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Bruce Greenwood, and Jacob Tremblay. The film hits cinemas Friday, November 8.
#Peace.Love.DoctorSleep
