Universal Pictures Wins Bidding War on James Wan's Film Adaptation of Stephen King's THE TOMMYKNOCKERS

Universal Pictures is set to produce James Wan's feature film adaptation of Stephen King's The Tommyknockers after winning a bidding war with Netflix and Sony Pictures. Wan set up the project a few weeks ago.

The book was released in 1987 and it was adapted into a TV miniseries by ABC with Jimmy Smits, which was pretty terrible. The story focuses on the residents of Maine town "who come under the influence of a strange object discovered in the woods. It turns out to be part of an alien spacecraft, which emits a gas that infects those who are exposed to it, eventually leading to chaos that only one man may be able to stop."

I know Tommyknockers is at the top of the list of best Stephen King books, but I liked it. I honestly think that if James Wan ends up directing, he would actually make a movie that is better than the book. As of right now, he's just attached to produce, but he is looking at directing it.

Here's the official book 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…

The producer of the original miniseries, Larry Sanitsky, is also on board as an executive producer on the film and he previously said: 

"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."

Are you excited about this adaptation of The Tommyknockers? I just really hope that Wan directs it.

Source: Deadline