Stephen King fans have shared the same concern after a TV adaptation of one of his most famous novels was confirmed to be in the works.
Carrie, King’s debut 1974 book, is set to be reimagined as an eight-part series for Amazon Prime Video.
The book was first adapted into a feature film by Brian De Palma in 1976. Sissy Spacek starred as shy teenager Carrie White, who develops telekinesis and uses it to wreak bloody vengeance on the bullies who cruelly torment her.
Two more film adaptations followed in 2002 and 2013, starring Angela Bettis and Chloë Grace Moretz respectively.
Sissy Spacek as Carrie in the original 1976 film (MGM Films)
The showrunner is behind hit Netflix series including 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House, 2020’s The Haunting of Bly Manor, 2021’s Midnight Mass and 2022’s The Midnight Club.
The Fall of the House of Usher – an adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe short story – was his most recent adaptation for the platform last year.
Amazon MGM Studios says the new project will be a ‘bold and timely reimagining’ of the story.
A release date and casting for the series – which is would be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video – is yet to be confirmed.
Taking to Reddit, fans weren’t exactly thrilled at the prospect of another Carrie adaptation.
Responding to the announcement, one wrote: “Like no offense but we all know how it ends by now… I can’t picture this stretching out over a series. The original movie is awesome and creepy enough!!”
A second agreed: “Eh, I’d rather see an adaptation of something King that either hasn’t been adapted before or wasn’t adapted well.”
Some shared the same concern; that Flanagan’s version would venture too far from the source material.
One person wrote: “His take on Hill House and House of Usher were so different from the source material I think it will be a completely different story besides the basic framework.”
A release date for the series is yet to be confirmed (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Another commented: “Love Flanagan’s take on things, and how he can re-image classic stories, but going up against something as iconic as the De Palma movie is gonna be a hard sell.”
While a third admitted: “I love Flanagan, and he doesn’t really follow the source material to a T, so maybe he will create something that isn’t just another adaptation of Carrie, but I’m not rejoicing… I don’t think we need another Carrie adaptation.”
There were plenty of other King books from the author’s extensive body of work fans wanted to see Flanagan adapt instead.
One suggested: “….I don’t see how you do the first climax of Duma Key on camera, but man, just the THOUGHT of Flanagan’s take on the end of Revival and I am both terrified and weeping.”
A second agreed: “Revival would be INSANE. I’d love to see that!”
Someone else weighed in: “A dream for me would be Flanagan adapting The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.”
The original Carrie film is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.