The director behind the upcoming Salem’s Lot film for Max has shared his appreciation for Stephen King ahead of the October release date. Inspired by Stephen King’s 1975 novel of the same name, the gothic story focuses on Ben Mears, who returns to his hometown of Salem’s Lot (an abbreviation for Jerusalem’s Lot) to write about a house that has tormented him with terrors since childhood.
Speaking to Total Film (via GamesRadar), Gary Dauberman, who has received recognition for his work within The Conjuring Universe, said he was “extremely thankful” for King’s support in making the film, starring Lewis Pullman as Ben Mears. “Let’s just say it provided some shock support for some of the more bumpy portions of this journey and leave it at that.”
In a social media post from King last November, famous for penning Christine, The Green Mile, and The Shawshank Redemption, this is what he had to say about the adaptation: “The Warner Bros remake of SALEM’S LOT, currently shelved, is muscular and involving. It has the feel of “Old Hollywood,” when a film was given a chance to draw a breath before getting to business. When attention spans were longer, in other words.”
Salem’s Lot is scheduled to arrive on Max in October 2024 and is the third adaptation of Stephen King’s source material – following two miniseries in 1979 and 2004. Written and directed by Dauberman, executive producers James Wan and Michael Clear (Atomic Monster), Roy Lee (Vertigo), and Mark Wolper join the project.
Salem’s Lot further stars Makenzie Leigh, Pilou Asbæk, Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, and Jordan Preston Carter.
