NEWS -

Fantasy & Science Fiction cover

Posted: August 19, 2008, 00:18

Here is the cover for Fantasy & Science Fiction with King's new story The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates in it. It's being released on August 30 but you can read my review of it here now.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Casting call

Posted: August 18, 2008, 14:18

Here you’ll find a clip from the casting call of Children of the Corn.

Thanks to Bev Vincent.

Pre-order Captain Trips and Treachery

Posted: August 16, 2008, 00:16

If your looking for a place to pre-order all parts of Captain Trips and Treachery you can now do just that over at Tales Of Wonder.

Update on Little Sisters of Eluria

Posted: August 16, 2008, 00:15

Here is an update from Donald Grant:

THE LITTLE SISTERS OF ELURIA (which includes the revised
edition of THE GUNSLINGER) has been sent to the printer
and is being proofed (yet again).There will be a traycased and a
slipcased edition.

The book is illustrated by Michael Whelan and will contain
new art as well as the art originally published in the first edition
of THE GUNSLINGER.

Price, release date and other details will be posted on our web-
site and published in our newsletter. We expect that this will be
announced in four to six weeks.

We are not taking advance orders, reservations or putting peo-
ple on a waiting list.

Please do not call or email us for further details as we will just
refer you to our web site and suggest you remain subscribed to
our email newsletter.

The Pop of King: Stephen King: How TV Ruined Baseball

Posted: August 16, 2008, 00:14

King has a new column Stephen King: How TV Ruined Baseball out and you can read it here.

Thanks to Sonia Rodríguez

Latest on Children of the Corn

Posted: August 13, 2008, 23:58

The new Children of the Corn is rolling soon.

Iowa’s Quad-City Times reports that a remake of 1984’s CHILDREN OF THE CORN will be rolling on locations in the state next month. Written, produced and directed by Donald P. Borchers, one of the producers on the original movie (pictured), this CHILDREN will air Stateside on the Sci Fi Channel in 2009 and will play theatrically in Europe. Borchers tells the site that this adaptation of the Stephen King story will eschew the alterations that displeased both the author and his fans. “They put a lot of sugar, if you will, into the coffee,” he says. “Stephen King doesn’t take his coffee with sugar…it’s no longer requisite to have a happy ending. We wanted to stay faithful to the decisions in his original story.

“We are still scouting throughout the Quad-Cities and the countryside beyond, obviously, since it’s CHILDREN OF THE CORN,” Borchers says of his decision to lens in Iowa, where the ’84 film also shot. “My needs are quite simple. I need corn, and I understand you have that throughout the state.” Casting has not been finalized, though Borchers says, “I have a lot of interest of people wanting to be in it.”

Thanks to Al Mattice

Just After Sunset info

Posted: August 7, 2008, 23:14

According to Galley’s of Just After Sunset the book will have an intro by King that is four pages long and also notes, called Sunset Notes that runs 7 pages and looks quite a lot like the notes in Nightmares & Dreamscapes.

The covers for The Stand

Posted: August 6, 2008, 23:08

Here are all the three different covers for the first issue of The Stand. From left to right, standard cover, sketch cover and variant cover.

Stand trailer

Posted: August 4, 2008, 23:46

A trailer for the upcoming The Stand comic is now out. Check it out here.

The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates

Posted: August 2, 2008, 19:04

Check out my review of The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates.

Treachery preview

Posted: August 1, 2008, 20:44

Today I got a mail from Marvel with the following interesting stuff attachec.

The cover is the Dell’Otto variant version for issue #1 of Treachery .

Here are the first three pages from issue #1:

And here is the press release:

The critically-acclaimed comic book series, inspired by Stephen King’s seminal Dark Tower, returns with the follow up to this year’s national best selling sequel with Dark Tower: Treachery #1 (of 6). After every best-selling issue of the fan-favorite Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, the all-star team of writers Robin Furth & Peter David, artists Jae Lee & Richard Isanove, joined by special guest variant cover artist Gabriele Dell’Otto, present Roland Deschain and his ka-tet after they’ve safely returned back to Gilead. However, all is not well on the homeward front. Roland has held onto the evil Maerlyn’s Graprefruit and grown obsessed with gazing into its pinkish depths regardless of the negative effects it has taken on his body. And what the young gunslinger sees brings may be more frightening than the darkest of nightmares! Meanwhile, Roland’s father and a posse are hunting down John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters after they threatened the life of his son. And when he finally finds them, all may not go as well as expected.

To celebrate the release, Dark Tower: Treachery #1 goes on sale at 12:01 am, September 10th, at participating comic stores around the nation. Plus, Marvel is proud to announce they will be releasing a special top-secret gatefold midnight variant which is bound to please all Dark Tower fans.

Don’t dare to miss the series that everyone’s anticipating and never fails to wow the critics!

“The Dark Tower is some of Marvel's best work…They're delivering the next chapter in September. As the comics continue to venture farther out of King's original realm, my excitement continues to grow.” –Jesse Schedeen of IGN.com

“Jae Lee's haunting artwork and Stephen King's crumbling, dusty postapocalyptic world make for a powerful experience” – E.A. Solinas of TheFullReview.com

“The scripting by David is very strong, with a great sense of character…The artwork by Lee and Isanove remains spectacular as always…I'm really looking forward to the next announced Dark Tower series, to see what comes next in this gripping and thrilling tale.” – Adam Chapman of Comixtreme.com

It’s the next exciting chapter in the Dark Tower epic and no comic fan can afford to miss Dark Tower: Treachery #1 (of 6)! And be sure to check out Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born Premiere HC, collecting the best-selling, critically acclaimed Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1-7, in stores now!

Get N. here

Posted: August 1, 2008, 10:00

Get your daily dose of N. here. Every weekday until August 29 a new episode will be released.

Casting sheets for children

Posted: August 1, 2008, 09:57

Here is a part of a casting sheets for the Sci-Fi original production Children of the Corn:

ISAAC
AGE: 9 YEARS OLD. The leader of the Children of the Corn, this youngster is a smug, self-possessed, lethally self-righteous "little minister," maddened by power at a tender age. The so-called "prophet" who dictates the law in his secret community of religiously fanatical children, he bases his "theology" on bloody principles of sacrifice and sexuality. Proclaiming all adults "evil," Isaac allows his appointed "army" of youths to have their pick of the sect's females -- right up until the time that they become adults. Then, they, too, must be sacrificed to appease He Who Walks Behind the Rows, the quite possibly demonic entity who inhabits the cornfields that surround their community. When Vicky and Burt invade their sanctified, blood-soaked territory, Isaac orders them hunted down and sacrificed -- but learns that Burt is not the easy target he had anticipated...LEAD (23)

MALACHAI
AGE: 17-18 YEARS OLD. Preference for either football-player sized child or extraordinarily unique appearances. --- Isaac's right-hand man, this 18 year old youth heads the "army" of teens, armed with rude farm implements, that keeps order, insuring that Isaac's will is done. Convinced that Isaac is a prophet of the true God, Malachai willingly does his leader's bidding, however bloody. However, when Burt escapes his clutches, Malachai becomes Isaac's scapegoat, doomed before his time. Trying his best to keep his faith intact and his courage high, Malachai bids his pregnant girlfriend farewell and walks out to meet He Who Walks Behind the Rows -- a meeting from which no one has ever returned...LEAD (20)

The enitre thing can be read here.

Thanks to Rocky Wood.

Episode 1 is out!

Posted: July 28, 2008, 11:27

Episode 1 of N. is now out. Check it out here

10 year anniversary

Posted: July 27, 2008, 21:25

Bag of Bones is being released in a special 10 year anniversary trade paperback:

This special, low-priced 10th-anniversary trade paperback edition of Bag of Bones, features bonus text from Stephen King and is only available for fall 2008. It's his most gripping and unforgettable novel--a No. 1 bestseller around the world and to this day Scribner's bestselling King title--a tale of grief, of love's enduring bonds, and of haunting secrets of the past. The anniversary edition includes a Q&A with King where he talks about ghosts, secrets, and being alive

It’s being released on October 21 and you can pre-order your copy here.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

The Pop of King:

Posted: July 27, 2008, 00:19

King has a new column Stephen King's Guide to Movie Snacks out and you can read it here.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

All you need to know about N.

Posted: July 25, 2008, 20:15

Here is everything you need to know about N.:

When can I watch?
The first episode will be available Monday, July 28th, 2008 with a new one released EACH weekday until August 29th. Blocks of five episodes will be released on iTunes each Monday until August 25th.

How do I watch a preview of the first episode?
Just provide your name and email address and you can watch the first episode now on www.NisHere.com, before it is officially released.

How long is the series?
There are 25 episodes in total, with each episode running around 2 minutes.

Is “N.” an original video production?
Yes. The video series is based on King’s only previously unpublished short story from his forthcoming collection “Just After Sunset” (11/11/08), but it’s an original comic-style book adaptation specifically developed and produced for viewing on small screens. The episodes are presented in a highly designed “pan and scan” format, complete with comic book style graphics, an original score, sound effects, and a full cast of voiceovers that includes Emmy and Golden Globe award nominee actor Ben Shenkman.

Will “N.” ever be released as a comic book?
Yes. Stephen King and Marvel will be releasing a comic book miniseries based on “N.” in early 2009.

How can I get it?
You can watch “N.” online, on your mobile phone or download it at iTunes. Episodes will be made available simultaneously across the web and on mobile phones each weekday starting on July 28th.

Who's in it?
“N”: Jeff Perry
Johnny: Ben Shenkman
Sheila: Karen Ziemba
Charlie: Holter Graham

Can I read the press release?
Yes, you can read it here.

N. as an animated story

Posted: July 25, 2008, 13:27

King's story N. is being turned into a 25 episodes animated film. You can find out more about it on King's official site.

Here is N. official site and here is an article about it:

In his new short-story collection, "Just After Sunset," Stephen King delivers his usual spooky tales. But to promote the book, he's come up with something unexpected: a video series based on one of the stories.

In a promotion expected to be announced Friday at Comic-Con, the big comic-book convention in San Diego, a previously unpublished story by Mr. King has been transformed by Marvel Comics into an animated video. The 25 episodes will be distributed in a variety of online and mobile channels ahead of the book's publication Nov. 11. Starting Monday, new episodes will be released daily, five times a week, through Aug. 29.

The willingness of Mr. King and publisher Scribner, an imprint of CBS Corp.'s Simon & Schuster book-publishing arm, to remix the story, "N.," into bite-size video vignettes underscores how eager publishers are to come up with new marketing techniques at a time when book sales are flat or slumping. Five years ago, Mr. King's publisher might have taken the creepy short story and offered it to a literary publication like "The New Yorker" in expectation that a first serial sale would create interest in "Just After Sunset." The story focuses on an unlucky psychiatrist whose latest patient is "infectious."

Scribner and Mr. King are betting that a digital adaptation designed for those with short attentions spans will be more productive. They're trying an increasingly common marketing technique. Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. film studio recently released a new online cartoon series to promote its new Batman film "The Dark Knight."

Beginning Monday, Apple Inc.'s iTunes Store will sell a pass for all 25 two-minute episodes based on Mr. King's 54-page story for $3.99. Amazon.com Inc. will sell the series too, at the same price.

Video episodes will also be available free on Monday for subscribers of various cellphone services and on the Web, on sites including CBS.com. In a nod to the everything-should-be-free crowd, fans can snag the video player online, and post the episodes on their own blogs or on social-networking sites.

To lure those who see the video into buying the book, at the end of each episode viewers will be directed to a Web site, NisHere.com, where they can pre-order "Just After Sunset" from a variety of online retailers.

For Scribner, the venture is a shot in the dark. There's no way of forecasting how well the videos will translate into book sales. While Scribner's corporate sibling, CBS Mobile, cites Nielsen data showing that roughly 14 million cellphone users in the U.S. pay for video services, it doesn't know how many of those people are regular book buyers. However, the links from the videos to the NisHere.com pre-ordering Web site will allow Scribner to get a sense of how many sales result from video viewings.

Mr. King is optimistic about the video's prospects. "I think they're readers," he says of likely video viewers. But he admits that the venture is "something of a test" whose outcome isn't certain.

The veteran thriller writer likens the effort to the bumpy experience of the first electronic books. "The first soldiers out of the trench are always machine-gunned. But somebody has to go first, and I'm curious about this. You try these things and see what happens."

Scribner publisher Susan Moldow says the imprint expects to attract a younger generation of readers. "Once they try Stephen King, they'll want more," she says. Scribner won't disclose its investment in the promotion. There will be a Scribner edition priced at $37.50 that includes a DVD of all 25 video episodes in addition to the traditional $28 standalone book.

Mr. King has long been interested in digital technology and its potential for attracting new readers. Back in 2000, the author and his publisher successfully released the novella "Riding the Bullet" solely on the Web. The work, free on some sites and $2.50 elsewhere, attracted a total of 400,000 downloads in the first 24 hours.

Not all his digital experiments have worked. Also in 2000, Mr. King posted six chapters of a budding novel, "The Plant," on his Web site, StephenKing.com, asking readers to pay $2 for each chapter. But eventually Mr. King suspended publication.

Now Mr. King is trying again, this time with the help of Marvel Entertainment Inc.'s Marvel Comics. He teamed with Marvel in 2006, when the two launched a comic-book series based on "The Dark Tower" -- a series of seven related novels that Mr. King wrote over a 22-year period. Marvel is also working on a 30-issue comic-book adaptation of Mr. King's classic apocalyptic novel "The Stand" that will go on sale in 2009.

Marvel created the video episodes of "N." specifically for small screens, with tighter camera shots and slower movements. "This isn't about reading a comic book on a tiny screen," says Ruwan Jayatilleke, Marvel Entertainment's senior vice president.

Source, including a clip from N.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

The Stand preview

Posted: July 24, 2008, 23:58

Here is a preview of the first three pages of the first issue of The Stand.

And here is an interview with Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, writer for The Stand.

Thanks to Anders Jakobson

Perkins interview

Posted: July 24, 2008, 00:26

Here is an interview with The Stand artist Mike Perkins

Thanks to Anders Jakobson

Cover of issue #2

Posted: July 23, 2008, 13:52

Here is the cover of issue #2 of Treachery as well as the description of issue 1 and 2.

Issue #1
The ka-tet of Roland, Alain and Cuthbert have returned safely to their home in Gilead. But all is not well. Roland has kept the evil Maerlyn’s Grapefruit and has become obsessed with peering into its pinkish depths despite the deadly toll it’s taken on his health. And what the young gunslinger sees brings him the darkest of nightmares. Meanwhile, Roland’s father has led a posse in search of those who threatened his son’s life in Hambry—John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters. And in this encounter, Stephen Deschain’s life may be forfeit.

Issue #2
With the battle between the evil John Farson's Big Coffin Hunters and Steven Deschain and his gunslingers finally over, the true death toll is revealed. Will Roland's father be among the dead? Meanwhile, in Gilead, as Roland suffers from the after-effects of his multiple encounters with Maerlyn's Grapefruit, his ka-tet desperately requires his presence at the all-important coming-of-age feast the next night, or the consequences will be dire. Worse still, Cort, the gunslingers' mentor, has chosen his niece, Aileen, to become the betrothed of young Roland…and Cort rarely takes no for an answer.

King's new site

Posted: July 22, 2008, 22:26

The new official King site is now here...and it looks good!

The Stand illustrations

Posted: July 22, 2008, 15:33

Ain't it Cool gave us this images from The Stand today. The right one is the cover for issue #2.

Thanks to Anders Jakobson

Stephen King Goes to the Movies cover

Posted: July 17, 2008, 22:43

Here is the cover to Stephen King Goes to the Movies and a description of the book from The Fire Wire:

Here is the cover for the upcoming book, “Stephen King Goes to the Movies” which is scheduled to be released on January 27th, 2009. The #1 bestselling author reflects on the filming of five of his most popular short stories. Those movies are The Shawshank Redemption, 1408, Children of the Corn, The Mangler, and Hearts in Atlantis. The 400 page paperback book includes an introduction, his personal commentary, and behind-the-scenes insights by Stephen King.

Thanks to Larry Fire

More Children of the Corn

Posted: July 17, 2008, 22:41

Looks like a new Children of the Corn is on it’s way. This news is from Bloody Disgusting:

We broke the news back in June that Producer Donald P. Borchers would be writing and directing his own remake of Children of the Corn for the Sci-Fi Channel and Anchor Bay Entertainment, only that's just the beginning. We learned today that Dimension Films still owns the rights to the Stephen King story and has every intention of adapting it once again for the big screen! No word yet on who will tackle the project, but this could be cool if they do it right. More news as it comes in.

Thanks to everyone who sent me this news.

The Talisman demo

Posted: July 17, 2008, 22:36

Here is a short film based on The Talisman made by Canadian director Mathieu Ratthe. Maybe this one can get some attention so that this movie eventually be made.

SlashFilm came across an impressive demo reel created by Canadian director Mathieu Ratthe who took it upon himself to write, direct and produce a 6:30 minute demo reel based on the opening chapter of "The Talisman" written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. The rights to the film adaptation have been held by Stephen Spielberg for what seems like forever with directors such as Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog) and Ed Zwick (The Last Samurai) dropping off the project in the past. In 2006 TNT announced the book would be turned into an epic, six-hour adaptation of the story with Ehren Kruger (The Skeleton Key, The Ring) adapting the story. Word was that the adaptation would hit television screens in summer of 2008, but I can only assume if that was actually the case that the writers' strike put a huge kink in the works.
So, this leaves everything in limbo as far as I know, but with Ratthe's short, which actually runs only 4 minutes before the 2:30 minute credit sequence, some eyes may once again open.

He managed to get Cameron Bright (X-Men 3, Birth, Godsend) to star as Jack Sawyer, a boy who goes on a quest through this world and through a parallel world known as The Territories, experiencing both good and evil in each. His goal is to obtain a mysterious talisman that will save his dying mother's life, as well as the life of her twinner, the Queen of The Territories.

Check it out here.

Thanks to everyone who sent me this news.

The Pop of King: Horror Movies: Why Big Studio Releases Are Rare to Scare

Posted: July 7, 2008, 11:51

King has a new column Horror Movies: Why Big Studio Releases Are Rare to Scare out and you can read it here.

Thanks to Rocky Wood

Samuel L. Jackson in a new King movie?

Posted: July 3, 2008, 00:37

In an interview with Cemetery Dance Richard Chizmar and Johnathon Schaech revealed the following:

CEMETERY DANCE: You're also involved in several Stephen King projects. Can you update us on their progress?

CHIZMAR/SCHAECH: We have been working on FROM A BUICK 8 for so long and are finally so close to a "go" that we are afraid to talk too much about it and jinx it. What we can say is that we are currently working on one final rewrite for director Tobe Hooper and producer Mick Garris and the good folks at Amicus (producers of the recent STUCK and forthcoming IT'S ALIVE remake). Once the rewrite is completed, they are prepared to go right into pre-production with plans to film on the East Coast.

We also adapted BLACK HOUSE for Akiva Goldsman (A BEAUTIFUL MIND, I AM LEGEND, CINDARELLA MAN) and his Weed Road production company. As opposed to BUICK, where we are writers and producers, we are only writers on BLACK HOUSE, so we are just along for the ride. Hopefully, something will happen soon.

Finally, there is a third King adaptation we are working on with Samuel L. Jackson...but we can't say much about this for another couple months.

From a Buick 8 moving along

Posted: July 3, 2008, 00:33

Here are some info about the movie version of From a Buick 8:

CHIZMAR/SCHAECH: We have been working on FROM A BUICK 8 for so long and are finally so close to a "go" that we are afraid to talk too much about it and jinx it. What we can say is that we are currently working on one final rewrite for director Tobe Hooper and producer Mick Garris and the good folks at Amicus (producers of the recent STUCK and forthcoming IT'S ALIVE remake). Once the rewrite is completed, they are prepared to go right into pre-production with plans to film on the East Coast.

Under the Dome will be long

Posted: July 3, 2008, 00:24

According to King's MB moderator, the manuscript for Under the Dome is currently 1100 pages and may reach 1800 pages before he's finished.

And since the final three books in The Dark Tower series were 2500 pages in total in manuscript this is going to be a long book.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Sketchbook review

Posted: July 3, 2008, 00:23

Here are my review of The Stand sketchbook.

Two Dark Tower comic reviews

Posted: July 1, 2008, 07:56

Tomorrow Marvel released the last issue of The Long Road Home as well as Dark Tower: End-World Almanac. I’ve had the chance to read them and if you click on the covers below you can see what I think of them.

Sketch teaser

Posted: July 1, 2008, 07:54

Here is a taste from The Stand sketchbook I told you about yesterday. I got this page from the eminent blog and if you go there you’ll find even more.

Thanks to Larry Fire

Reviews of Locke & Key issue #4 and #5

Posted: July 1, 2008, 07:51

Here are finally my reviews of issue #4 and #5 of Locke & Key. If you haven’t already checked out this comic, do it now.

Dolan's Cadillac is filming in LA

Posted: July 1, 2008, 07:24

Dolan's Cadillac hits Las Vegas:

It's taken more than a decade to get its motor running, but "Dolan's Cadillac" has finally hit the streets of Las Vegas.

The big-screen Stephen King adaptation -- about a teacher (Wes Bentley) obsessed with avenging his wife's murder at the hands of the title mobster (Christian Slater) -- is scheduled to wrap a three-day shoot Tuesday at locations ranging from the Strip to the Fremont Street Experience to the desert.

The tale (featured in King's 1993 "Nightmares and Dreamscapes") takes place in Las Vegas, but most of the shoot took place far north of Glitter City, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Interview and sketchbook

Posted: June 30, 2008, 11:54

Here is an interview with Mike Perkins, who's illustrating The Stand comic. In it (among other things) he mentions a sketchbook that will be released within a week and (like with The Dark Tower sketchbook) it'll be free.

In other words; Go hunt for it now!

The sketchbook introduces you to the initial characters through the design work I've done. There's also some cover roughs and finished designs from myself and Lee Bermejo, as well as the promo piece that was teased in New York at Comic Con.

UK cover for Just After Sunset

Posted: June 29, 2008, 21:11

Here is the UK cover for Just After Sunset.

Thanks to Neil Jarvis

Stephen's Picks for the week of June 27th, 2008

Posted: June 29, 2008, 11:53

Stephen has been Reading:
Hollywood Crows
by Joseph Wambaugh
- It is excellent

Stephen has been Watching:
Poultrygeist
- It's hilarious

Stephen has been Watching:
The Happening
- ....so sue me

Stephen has been Listening To:
Just Us Kids
by James McMurtry
- A masterpiece!

Stephen has been Listening To:
Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
by Coldplay
- Close to a masterpiece!

Dolan's Cadillac

Posted: June 27, 2008, 00:13

More news about Dolan's Cadillac:

Director dishes on Dolan's Cadillac

Christian Slater, Wes Bentley and Jeff Beesley all have something in common. All of them have however, had a hand in filming the movie Dolan's Cadillac in recent weeks. The movie, which has been filmed in Moose Jaw, Las Vegas and other areas of southern Saskatchewan is just finishing filming near Bethune.

Moose Jaw's Jeff Beesley is directing the film. He says it's been an honour to work with such a talented cast and crew including Wes Bentley and Christian Slater, who play the lead roles. “He (Christian Slater) came in for the first 12 days of production and you know there's a reason he Christian Slater, he's fantastic. There was a long history to this project, a lot of actors wanted to play his part Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dennis Hopper and none of them for one reason or another could do it. So to actually see it happen and see someone like Slater do it I think audiences are really going to be satisfied with what he does”.

We caught up with Beesley during filming north of Bethune yesterday. He says while most of his colleagues have moved to places they consider "greener pastures" ... he says he's really blessed to be able to stay in Moose Jaw, make films and be with friends and family. “It's my hometown and the place I still live and I have long said how great it is for the economy and for the fabric of the community to shoot films in Moose Jaw. Everyone welcomed us with open arms... and I mean the Montreal crew that came and the producers and everyone from all over the world were blown away with the locations we got in Moose Jaw”.

Beesley admits it can be a challenge filming a movie in Saskatchewan that's supposed to be set in Las Vegas, Nevada. “We have to be very strategic about how we do it and we have to work very closely with the art department and the director of photography to make sure it's shot appropriately. There's going to be some CGI in the movie obviously sometimes when we're getting into areas that are too flat we'll be putting in some mountains and there is 4 days of shooting in Las Vegas so we will be getting a lot of authentic locations spun throughout”.

Dolan's Cadillac is based on a Stephen King short story. It's about a man who seeks to avenge his wife's murder We asked Wes Bentley, who plays the lead role what he thinks about working with Beesley. “Jeff's terrible, I hate working with him. He makes everyday so hard”, Bentley laughed. “No, Jeff's a great guy, he's a hidden talent. He took a script that could have been a typical generic revenge movie but Jeff is not a generic man. He's got a beautiful mind and he made this a real joy to work on as well”.

In the film, Wes Bentley plays a man looking to avenge his wife's murder. That means killing a well-protected mob boss played by Christian Slater. No word when Dolan's Cadillac will be ready for theatrical release, but the hope is that it might appear at a film festival as early as next spring.

The Death of Jack Hamilton

Posted: June 27, 2008, 00:10

Here is a review of Keith Clark's script for The Death of Jack Hamilton.

King, politics and bookplates

Posted: June 24, 2008, 00:10

King goes into politic and gives you the chance to get a signed bookplates. Here is a mail he sent out to the subscribers of his news list:

Read the complete text

King in EW

Posted: June 23, 2008, 08:16

A short article--about a 1/4 page, not a column--appears in the new EW, their 1000th issue. It's a part of a series written by various celebrities called "My Favorite Year". King's is 1999--or, more precisely, 7/1999-7/2000. You'll have to go to page 108 of the 6/27-7/4 issue to read it though.

Also, Playing Against Hype has finally arrived online, and here it is.

Thanks to willowlove.

New Dead Zone movie?

Posted: June 21, 2008, 23:44

Anthony Michael Hall talks about a Dead Zone movie:

Anthony Michael Hall, who played psychic Johnny Smith on USA Network's The Dead Zone, told SCI FI Wire that there's talk about a movie and that he'd be open to one, but added that he wasn't particularly optimistic about the possibility. Hall starred for six seasons on the show.

"There's talk about it," Hall said during an interview to promote the just-released DVD set The Dead Zone: The Final Season. "I don't think we had the size of a cult following that, let's say, The X-Files did. You look at Sex and the City or The X-Files, these movies were done long after the shows pumped out their last episodes."

Interestingly, The Dead Zone had a previous incarnation as a 1983 feature film, which starred Christopher Walken as Smith. Some shots of the Dead Zone TV pilot appear to have been borrowed from that film, though the TV show introduced new characters and departed greatly from the movie's premise. Both TV show and movie were based on Stephen King's book of the same name.

In any case, Hall said that he remains grateful for his chance to do the show. "I would certainly be open to the potential for [a reunion feature]," he said. "I would never turn my back on what [the show's late producer] Michael Piller did for me. He gave me this incredible opportunity. When I look back at [my] career, I view him and John Hughes as almost guardian angels of my career."

Piller handpicked Hall to play Smith after watching him play Bill Gates in the cable-television movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. "He and his son, Shawn, were great partners, along with [co-executive producer] Lloyd Segan," Hall said. "These guys, we made it a family affair. ... So I was grateful for the experience, and I would certainly entertain it if they wanted to pursue a film. Am I optimistic about it? Not really, but I certainly wouldn't turn my back on the opportunity." (USA Network is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.) --Ian Spelling

Long Road Home covers

Posted: June 18, 2008, 23:04

Here are all three covers for the fifth issue of The Long Road Home

Thanks to Takeo Harada

King on Under the Dome

Posted: June 18, 2008, 15:36

Here is a question about the upcoming Under the Dome from King's official site, with an answer from King himslef:

Question:
In his book The Art of Darkness, Douglas Winter quotes King as saying "I worked on a book called The Cannibals–I had started it five years before, but it was called Under the Dome then. It didn't get finished either time." So according to this quote The Cannibals and Under the Dome are the same book, or more precisely two attempts to write the same story. However SK's comments in the introduction to Blaze suggest that these are two different books. Could you please clarify this, Ms. Mod?

Here's Steve's response:
Those stories were two very different attempts to utilize the same idea, which concerns itself with how people behave when they are cut off from the society they've always belonged to. Also, my memory of THE CANNIBALS is that it, like NEEDFUL THINGS, was a kind of social comedy. The new UNDER THE DOME is played dead straight.

Treachery #1

Posted: June 18, 2008, 08:09

Here is some info about third arc of The Dark Tower comic; Treachery:

DARK TOWER: TREACHERY #1 (of 6)
Written by ROBIN FURTH & PETER DAVID
Pencils & Cover by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVE
Variant Cover by GABRIELE DELL'OTTO
Sketch Variant Cover by JAE LEE

The ka-tet of Roland, Alain and Cuthbert have returned safely to their home in Gilead. But all is not well. Roland has kept the evil Maerlyn's Grapefruit and has become obsessed with peering into its pinkish depths despite the deadly toll it's taken on his health. And what the young gunslinger sees brings him the darkest of nightmares. Meanwhile, Roland's father has led a posse in search of those who threatened his son's life in Hambry—John Farson and the Big Coffin Hunters. And in this encounter, Stephen Deschain's life may be forfeit.

40 PGS./Cardstock Cover/Parental Advisory…$3.99

Thanks to Takeo Harada

Captain Trips #1

Posted: June 18, 2008, 08:05

Here is some info about The Stand comic:

THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #1 (of 5)
Written by ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA
Penciled & Inked by MIKE PERKINS
Cover by LEE BERMEJO
Variant Cover by MIKE PERKINS
Sketch Variant Cover by LEE BERMEJO

It begins here: the apocalyptic epic battle between good and evil based on the classic bestseller by master of horror Stephen King! On a secret army base in the Californian desert, something has gone horribly, terribly wrong. Something that will send Charlie Campion and his wife and daughter fleeing in the middle of the night. Unfortunately for the Campion family--and the rest of America--they are unaware that all three of them are carrying a deadly cargo: A virus that will spread from person to person like wildfire, triggering a massive wave of disease and death, prefacing humanity's last stand! Be there as writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four) teams with artist Mike Perkins (Captain America) for the first arc in the next great Stephen King event!

32 PGS./ Cardstock Cover/Parental Advisory…$3.99

Thanks to Takeo Harada

Stephen King Goes to the Movies

Posted: June 17, 2008, 14:45

Here are some info about the book Stephen King Goes to the Movies:

Estimated Release: January 27th, 2009
The #1 bestselling author reflects on the filming of five of his most popular short stories. Those movies are The Shawshank Redemption, 1408, Disciples of the Crow, The Mangler, and Hearts in Atlantis.

Includes an introduction, his personal commentary, and behind-the-scenes insights by Stephen.

New design on King's site

Posted: June 17, 2008, 14:44

Here is a preview of the new Stephen King site that will launch in a month or so. Remember though that it's just a preview so far, a work in progress.

King and Hill at the movies?

Posted: June 17, 2008, 11:49

King and Hill collaboration to be a movie?

Producer Purchases King, Hill's Throttle
Source:Variety June 17, 2008

Before it has even published, the first literary collaboration between Stephen King and son Joe Hill (who's every bit as good as his pop in the old days) is being snatched up for the big screen.

Throttle, a 60-page novella, is set to appear in the 2009 anthology collection He is Legend, a tome dedicated to Richard Matheson (I Am Legend). According to Variety, producer Nick Wechsler recently optioned the adaptation rights. Wechsler was the key cat to bring Cormac McCarthy's The Road to Dimension Films. His next step is to find the King-Hill material a home to develop it.

Throttle follows a father and son, members of a biker gang, who are tailed by a 18-wheel tanker truck. Yes, there are shades of Duel, but what the hell do you expect from a story that was geared for a Matheson tribute?

King most recently penned Duma Key. Hill is stepping up his book-to-film adaptations with Heart-Shaped Box which is in development with Neil Jordan at the helm. His graphic novel Locke and Key is set up at Dimension.

Thanks to Rocky Wood

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