Netflix series ‘Stranger Things’ took a lot of inspiration from Stephen King – and it now appears the show may, in turn, influence the upcoming big screen adaptation of one of King’s best-loved novels.
Dan Lin, producer on the in-production feature adaptation of ‘It,’ has likened the project to the hugely acclaimed 8 episode series from the Duffer Brothers.
Lin tells Collider, “I think a great analogy [for the tone of ‘It’] is actually ‘Stranger Things’… It’s very much an homage to ’80s movies, whether it’s classic Stephen King or even Spielberg.
“Think about ‘Stand By Me’ as far as the bonding amongst the kids. But there is a really scary element in Pennywise.”
What makes this all the more interesting is that writer-director-producer twins Matt and Ross Duffer recently confessed to The Hollywood Reporter that ‘Stranger Things’ was, at least in part, born out of their disappointment at being denied the opportunity to direct ‘It’ as a feature film.
Matt Duffer says, “that’s why we ended up doing this, because we’d asked Warner Brothers. I was like, “Please,” and they were like, “No.””
‘Stranger Things’ is similar to ‘It’ in that it follows a group of middle American pre-teen friends who suffer a loss which leads them to discover that a sinister supernatural being is preying on their town.
However, as ‘It’ also picks up with the kids thirty years later as adults, it boasts a considerably more expansive narrative. King’s novel spans upwards of 1000 pages, and the first version of the story put to film – the 1990 TV mini-series with Tim Curry – was three hours long.
Initially the plan had been for this new big screen take on ‘It’ to be two separate movies, when ‘True Detective’ director Cary Fukunaga had been on board – but all indications are that it will now be a single feature, with Andrés Muschietti (‘Mama’) in the director’s chair.
Bill Skarsgard takes over from Tim Curry as the infamous evil clown Pennywise, Lin stating that he was cast after he “frankly freaked us out” at his audition. Lin also promises the young cast portraying the ‘Loser’s Club’ have a “really great dynamic.”
‘It’ is one of a number of high-profile Stephen King movies currently in the works, as ‘The Dark Tower’ is currently in production with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. An adaptation of another of King’s most epic stories, ‘The Stand,’ is currently stuck in development hell.
‘It’ is due in cinemas September 2017; no UK release date has been confirmed yet.
Picture Credit: Warner Bros, Netflix
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