Horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan has recently become the king of King adaptations. Over the last half-decade or so, the horror director has helmed a number of Stephen King adaptations, including Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, and was in line to direct another in the form of Revival, King’s 2014 novel.
However, Flanagan may have lost his crown. During an interaction with a fan on Twitter, Flanagan confirmed that he’s no longer involved in the project.
Sadly, it's not. That project won't be moving forward unfortunately. While REVIVAL and MIDNIGHT MASS both involve priests, MIDNIGHT MASS was conceived several years before REVIVAL was published, and similarities stop at the white collar. Really wish I could've done them both!
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) January 4, 2021
This is the first update on the project since last summer. Flanagan was originally brought on board to write a draft of the adaptation with an option to direct. King’s novel follows a charismatic young preacher who becomes obsessed with electrical experiments after his wife and child are killed in an accident.
Since being published in 2014 and being heralded by some as one of King’s most haunting works, Hollywood has been trying to get Revival to the big screen. But it’s had a surprisingly rocky road. The New Mutants director Josh Boone was initially attached to the project, even completing how own screenplay and having Russell Crowe in line to star.
But that version stalled, and Boone stepped aside to focus on a different King adaptation – the new version of The Stand. Flanagan seemed an obvious choice thanks to his previous King adaptations – and King himself has wildly praised Flanagan’s Netflix series The Haunting Of Hill House – but now the project is looking for another director.
Considering the huge amount of King adaptations in the works, it’s almost a surprise when one hits a snag like this. There should be bucketloads of horror filmmakers lining up to direct King for the silver screen though, so it shouldn’t take too long to find Flanagan’s replacement.
As Flanagan referenced in his Tweet, he’s instead working on the similar Midnight Mass, a 7-episode mini-series for Netflix that revolves around an isolated island community that experiences supernatural events after the arrival of a mysterious priest.
#Peace.Love.Revival
