The Film Adaptation of Stephen King's THE TOMMYKNOCKERS Moves Forward with the Writer of THE EXORCIST
It looks like the feature film adaption of Stephen King’s classic novel The Tommyknockers is moving forward. The Exorcist showrunner, Justin Slater, has been hired to write the screenplay for Universal Pictures. James Wan, Michael Clear, and Roy Lee are set to produce the film. Collectively these guys have produced some amazing horror films such as The Conjuring, Insidious, The Nun, Annabelle: Creation and IT.
Just in case you who aren't familiar with the story, here's a description:
“Late last night and the night before, Tommyknockers, Tommyknockers, knocking at the door…”
On a beautiful June day, while walking deep in the woods on her property in Haven, Maine, Bobbi Anderson quite literally stumbles over her own destiny and that of the entire town. For the dull gray metal protrusion she discovers in the ground is part of a mysterious and massive metal object, one that may have been buried there for millennia. Bobbi can’t help but become obsessed and try to dig it out…the consequences of which will affect and transmute every citizen of Haven, young and old. It means unleashing extraordinary powers beyond those of mere mortals—and certain death for any and all outsiders. An alien hell has now invaded this small New England town…an aggressive and violent malignancy devoid of any mercy or sanity…
Here is the deal, I am glad that they brought on Wan, Clear and Lee to bring this film along. The Tommyknockers is one of the first books that I read all the way through, so it holds a special place in my heart. However, it is going to be a difficult story to bring to the big screen. If any of you were able to see the 1993 made for TV adaptation of this story, you know what I mean. Not even the great Jimmy Smits was able to make that stinker good. The producer of the original miniseries, Larry Sanitsky, is also on board as an executive producer. He previously had this to say:
"It is an allegorical tale of addiction (Stephen was struggling with his own at the time), the threat of nuclear power, the danger of mass hysteria, and the absurdity of technical evolution run amuck. All are as relevant today as the day the novel was written. It is also a tale about the eternal power of love and the grace of redemption."
The book holds a mirror up to society and shows us how for every action you take there is going to be an opposite reaction that goes along with it. Just because something makes you feel good (i.e. drugs, our phones, etc.) it doesn’t mean it is good for you. Do you think the guy who wrote the 2015 Fantastic Four is going to bring the intricacies of this story to life? I have my doubts, but we will see.
Source: The Wrap