The Duffer Bros.’ Series Adaptation of Stephen King's THE TALISMAN Is Dead at Netflix
Stephen King adaptations are usually a safe bet, but even the Master of Horror isn’t immune to the shifting ground under modern streaming production. In a frustrating bit of news for genre fans, the long-gestating adaptation of The Talisman is officially no longer happening at Netflix.
The project, which had been in development with Stranger Things creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, quietly came to an end, cutting short what many hoped would finally be the screen version of King’s epic fantasy adventure.
The Talisman, co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub, has been circling Hollywood almost since its original release. Studios, producers, and creatives have tried and failed to crack it for decades. At one point, even Steven Spielberg was attached. Nothing ever stuck.
When the Duffers came aboard fresh off the massive success of Stranger Things, it felt like the stars had finally aligned such that it would actually happen.
The brothers had already proven they could balance supernatural horror, emotional storytelling, and large-scale adventure. Their sensibilities seemed tailor-made for Jack Sawyer’s journey across parallel worlds. Netflix backing the project only added to the optimism.
But, the show wasn’t moving forward, which is a shame. The Talisman isn’t the only King adaptation that’s recently been scrapped. According to Matt’s Inside Line, The Revelations of ’Becka Paulson is also no longer in development.
That series, first announced back in 2020, was meant to adapt King’s short story for television. The cancellation appears tied to The CW’s 2022 acquisition by Nexstar, after which the network pulled back from expensive genre projects under new leadership.
That one was a little harder to anticipate, though it does have history on its side. The story was previously adapted in 1997 as an episode of The Outer Limits, so it wasn’t entirely untested material. Still, its sudden cancellation adds to a growing list of King projects that have fallen apart before cameras could roll.
What makes the timing especially strange is that Stephen King adaptations have been performing well in 2025. Projects like It: Welcome to Derry and The Long Walk landed stronger reactions than many expected, reinforcing the idea that audiences are still hungry for King’s worlds when they’re handled with care.
In comparison, The Revelations of ’Becka Paulson was never considered top-tier King, and it’s easy to imagine concerns about comparisons factoring into its demise.
The Talisman is a different story entirely. It’s one of King’s most beloved novels, and expectations were always going to be high. That also means a massive budget. The scope, the fantasy elements, and the world-hopping narrative would demand serious resources to do it right.
While the success of Stranger Things and It: Welcome to Derry shows what’s possible, Netflix obviously wasn’t 100% sold on what The Duffer Bros. were planning.
