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My review of Popsy

Posted: March 26, 2007, 12:09

Here is my review of the Dollar Baby version of Popsy

Issue #1 with a new cover

Posted: March 24, 2007, 11:31

The first issue of The Gunslinger Born gets a second printing with a new cover by Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada.

Thanks to Steve Wain

The Mist turns grocery store into horror show

Posted: March 23, 2007, 14:28

Here is an article about The Mist from The Shreveport Times.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Webisode from The Mist

Posted: March 23, 2007, 13:05

Here is the first (of many I hope) webisode from the set of The Mist.

Thanks to Anders Jakobson

Stephen King Guest Editor For 2007 Edition Of "The Best American Short Stories"

Stephen King is the editor for the new edition of "The Best American Short Stories," an anthology that is organized by a well-known guest editor each year. King said he picked 20 stories to be featured in the 2007 edition, which will be out in October, after reading more than 400.

King also said the book will contain a list of 100 short stories that weren't chosen for the collection but made the "honor roll."

He wrote in the introduction to the collection: "There isn't a single one ... that didn't delight me, that didn't make me want to crow 'Oh man, you gotta read this!' to someone. I knew it would be that way. That's why I took the job. Talent does more than come out; it bursts out, again and again, doing exuberant cartwheels while the band plays 'Stars and Stripes Forever.'"

The BASS anthology first came out in 1915. Past guest editors include Amy Tan, Raymond Carver, Joyce Carol Oates, Garrison Keillor and John Updike.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

The Dead Zone 5 on DVD

Posted: March 19, 2007, 09:17

Here are the DVD cover and info for the fifth edition of The Dead Zone:

All episodes will be presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1), with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Special features include:

"The Other side of the Camera" explores the directorial debut of series stars Chris Bruno (Sheriff Walt Bannerman) and John L. Adams (Bruce Lewis) and how they made the challenging and exciting move to the director's chair for Season Five.

"A Day With JLA” is a guided tour of a typical day on set with series star John L. Adams (Bruce Lewis).

Four Audio Commentaries on:
- Eps #4013 "Articles of Faith" with: Actor/Producer Anthony Michael Hall, DVD Producer Robert Chynoweth, Writer/Supervising Producer Michael Taylor

- Eps #4016 "Revelations" with: Actor/Director John L. Adams, Writer James Morris, Writer Shintaro Shimosawa

- Episode #4014 "Independence Day" with: Director Chris Bruno, Actor Dylan Bruno and Executive Producer Shawn Piller

- Episode #4020 "The Hunting Party" with: Executive Producer Tommy Thompson, Executive Producer Lloyd Segan and Writer Adam Targum

Review of Graduation Afternoon

Posted: March 16, 2007, 22:29

Here are my review of King's Graduation Afternoon, enjoy.

King about Graduation Afternoon

Posted: March 16, 2007, 14:08

Stephen King says the following about his story Graduation Afternoon, which appears in Postscripts Magazine, issue 10, due out in late April. If you can't wait until then, the 'magazine' (352 pages, 160,000 words) will be launched at this year's World Horror Convention in Toronto (29 March to 1 April).

“When I woke, I slid to the floor, glad to be awake and amazed that any human brain could hold such a powerful image. I know I had to write about it, I know the story had to be short – no more then a vignette – and I know I would never be able to do the image (God, don’t let it be a vision) justice.”

Reason for Guidebook push

Posted: March 16, 2007, 01:45

As reported yesterday the Gunslinger's Guidebook has been pushed back to August. Co-author Anthony Flamini posted this on the Marvel DT board:

"Yeah, the Gunslinger's Guidebook was originally envisioned as a handbook focusing on Roland's Hambry adventure and everything that occurred prior to that. But as Robin Furth and I discussed things in greater detail, we decided that we also wanted to feature profiles on the all-new Mid-World characters who would be debuting for the first time in the comic adaptation following the Hambry story arc . . . characters such as the ferocious General Grissom (of the blue-faced barbarians). So that's the primary reason for the book's delay -- but you'll be getting a superior product packed with much more original content! The wait will be worth it!"

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Spielberg go French?

Posted: March 15, 2007, 09:24

It looks like Spielberg has gotten the poster for The Talisman from a French edition of the book. Here is the book cover.

Thanks to Jerome Luc Paulin

Guidebook pushed forward

Posted: March 14, 2007, 22:59

Marvel just told me that the Gunslinger Guidebook has been pushed forward to August.

Pre-order Duma Key...the UK ed.

Posted: March 14, 2007, 22:50

Now it's time to pre-order the UK editions of Duma Key. You can do it here:

UK hardback
January 10, 2008

UK audio
January 10, 2008

UK paperback
November 13, 2008

Thanks to John Hanic

The Talisman poster?

Posted: March 14, 2007, 22:48

The Talisman is now listed on Spielbergs site and there you can also find the following illustration.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

The Talisman as both a miniseries and a TV series?

Posted: March 14, 2007, 11:37

The Talisman may be both a miniseries and a TV series:

Turner Broadcasting System executives told advertisers that The Talisman, a limited series from Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television that will air on TNT in 2008, could become a series in 2009, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The announcement was made March 6 at New York's Museum of Modern Art. It was part of a presentation on TBS, TNT, Court TV, Turner's broadband site Super Deluxe and Turner Sports.

Spielberg will executive-produce a six-hour miniseries based on Stephen King and Peter Straub's best-selling supernatural thriller The Talisman for the summer of 2008, with DreamWorks Television producing. Spielberg, who produced Into the West for TNT, will be joined by his longtime partner Kathleen Kennedy as executive producer, along with Ehren Kruger (Skeleton Key, The Ring), who will adapt the King/Straub novel. Darryl Frank, who heads up DreamWorks Television, will be co-executive producer, along with Justin Falvey.

The Talisman, which was published in 1984, marked the first collaboration between King and Straub. It tells the story of Jack Sawyer, a boy who goes on a quest through this world and through a parallel world known as "The Territories" on a mission to obtain a mysterious talisman that will save his dying mother's life and that of her "twinner," the Queen of the Territories.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Hodder to release Blaze and Duma Key

Posted: March 14, 2007, 11:29

Hodder & Stoughton announced today that they have bought both Blaze and Duma Key:

ANNOUNCING PUBLICATION OF TWO NEW STEPHEN KING NOVELS ....

Hodder & Stoughton is delighted to announce the acquisition from Chuck

Verrill at Darhansoff, Verrill, Feldman and Arthur B Greene respectively of two new books by Stephen King.

The first, a Richard Bachman novel, BLAZE, will be published as a hardback

in June 2007 with a Foreword by Stephen King. This 'lost' Bachman book,

written in 1973 rediscovered last autumn amongst King's papers - lodged at

the Universaity of Maine's Fogle Library. Originally deemed by him to be

too 'sweet', compared to the other Bachman novels, BLAZE was put on hold.

Upon re-reading it over thirty years later, however, King realised it has

surprising strength - a crime story both charming and suspenseful. It is

with great pleasure that Hodder will publish it for the first time ever

alongside the re-designed Bachman back-list titles: THE REGULATORS, THINNER,

THE RUNNING MAN and THE BACHMAN BOOKS.

The second new book by Stephen King, DUMA KEY, will be published also in

hardcover, in January 2008. This stunning novel comes hot on the heels of

King's huge bestseller, LISEY'S STORY, and tells the story of a man who

discovers an incredible talent for painting, after a freak accident makes

him change his way of life. But the paintings themselves become eerily

predictive - and even dangerous to those who buy them. King's mastery of

suspense and narrative drive have never been stronger.

Colorado ARC

Posted: March 13, 2007, 00:11

Here is the first look at the ARCs of PS Publishing's The Colorado Kid.

Thanks to John Hanic

New interview

Posted: March 12, 2007, 23:20

Here is a new interview with King from CNN.

Thanks to Dean Jones, Ari and Chris Barna

Pictures from The Mist

Posted: March 11, 2007, 22:56

Here are some pictures Frank sent me from the set of The Mist. They show Frank in action and a scene in which Norm the bag boy is really in trouble.

Enjoy these and stay tuned...Frank said more was coming.

The Pop of King: All In Good Fun

Posted: March 9, 2007, 23:41

Here is a new column by King. This one is called All In Good Fun.

Thanks to Paul Poroshin

JJ Abrams and The Tower

Posted: March 9, 2007, 00:20

JJ Abrams talks The Dark Tower:

Wired News: Turning to your Stephen King project for a second, The Dark Tower wasn't well-received by most critics or even some die-hard Stephen King fans. What attracts you to the project?

Abrams: This is something that we are just now talking about with Stephen, so it's too early for me to say that we're even officially doing it yet just because the thing is in the early stages of discussion. I love what the The Dark Tower is. Damon Lindelof is obsessed (with it). We met Stephen, who was just the greatest, and hit it off. What's exciting to me about it is that it is a very edgy epic. You could . . . say it's his Tolkien Ring series, but I feel like it has a potential of being a lot more. I think that sense of that great hero, that sort of Western, iconic, almost spaghetti-Western-type hero in this landscape is just an amazing -- it feels iconic to me.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

More Blaze

Posted: March 8, 2007, 16:32

Here is another description of Blaze. This one is from Cemetery Dance:

"Blaze is the story of a giant, mentally challenged man who decides to kidnap a baby and hold it for a $1 million ransom. The novel flips back and forth between the current story of Blaze's kidnapping and flight from the law to stories of his abusive past. There's another character named George, who is Blaze's best friend; it's George who actually convinces Blaze to kidnap the baby. The only problem is, George may or may not be dead, and thus be a psychological manifestation ... or perhaps a ghost."

Thanks to Neil Jarvis

Remake of Children of the Corn?

Posted: March 8, 2007, 16:27

Here are some news about a remake of Children of the Corn from Moviehole.net:

Dimension has been trying to get the “Children of the Corn” back in the summery fields – and theaters – for forever and a day. Finally, It looks like the lil’ blonde bastards may be returning to work.

A few years back, screenwriter Joe Harris (“The Tripper”) was attached to pen a new sequel to the George Goldsmith-penned original… but the plan fell through like a president’s promises.

Now, according to IESB, the plan is to remake the first film - which starred a pre-Terminator Linda Hamilton - with “Saw 3” helmer Darren Lynn Bousman attached to direct. Though the studio, or Bousman’s reps, won’t confirm the news… it sounds like the report is as solid as frozen yogurt.

I haven’t seen the original film in years – maybe a decade – but I did recently pick up a copy of the film for about $2 at a video store closing down sale. I really should give it a look again. From memory, it wasn’t a bad film.

Based on the short story by Stephen King, “Corn” told of a boy preacher named Isaac who goes to a town in Nebraska called Gatlin and gets all the children to murder every adult in town.

Ya know what? For once, I think I’d rather a straight-up remake here… rather than just another sequel. The “Children of the Corn” sequels they were churning out (most of them, direct-to-video) were just bullshit. Near unwatchable. The original film is getting a bit long in the tooth too, so it could probably do with a make-over. Heck, if I don’t remember it that well… then chances are everyone under the age of say, 30, doesn’t remember it at all.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

King spills guts

Posted: March 8, 2007, 16:26

Here is a (very) short interview with King.
Thanks to Bev Vincent

Michael Marshall adapting King

Posted: March 7, 2007, 16:04

Bev Vincent found the following in an interview with Michael Marshall.

At the moment, I'm about to start a television adaptation of a Stephen King short story, and am co-writing and co-producing a feature adaptation of my short story 'Hell Hath Enlarged Herself'.

No word on what story it is or for what channel though. Stay tuned for more…

Thanks to Bev Vincent

No ending for 1408...yet

Posted: March 6, 2007, 18:24

Here is part of an interview with Lorenzo di Bonaventura who's company is producing 1408:

Q: Is "1408” already in production?

Lorenzo di Bonaventura: It’s finished. Not quite. That’s a movie where when we set out, we actually did not shoot the ending. We wanted to see the movie before we shot the ending.

Q: So you haven’t shot the ending?

Lorenzo di Bonaventura: No, we’ve got to shoot the ending. (Laughs) It was a really interesting idea because the idea of doing a real time movie in a hotel – one man in a one-bedroom suite for 80 minutes of real time. We didn’t know how you’d come out of that. Like do you need bigger or do you need smaller? What do you need? Or do you feel like he should die or do you feel like he should live? What do you feel? And so we wrote like 15 different endings because Stephen King’s short story doesn’t really have an ending. It just sort of ends and it’s not a cinematic ending. I’ll say it that way. So that’s the last piece of the puzzle, but it’s really fascinating to have done a movie all in a room and we all went sort of crazy.

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Description of Blaze

Posted: March 6, 2007, 18:23

Here is a description of Blaze from Amazon/UK:

"At 6'7"and just under 300 lbs, Clay Blaisdell is one big mother, but his capers were just small-time until he met George Rackley. George introduced him to a hundred cons and one big idea: kidnapping the child of rich parents. The Gerards are filthy rich, and the last twig on the family tree could be worth millions. There's only one problem: by the time the deal goes down, the brains of the partnership is dead. Or is he? Now Blaze is running into the teeth of a howling storm and the cops are closing in. He's got a baby as a hostage, and the crime of the century just turned into a race against time in the white hell of the Maine woods."

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Pre-order Blaze

Posted: March 5, 2007, 23:17

Now it's time to pre-order Blaze. You can do it here:

US hardback
US audio
UK hardback
UK audio

Set report from The Mist 4

Posted: March 5, 2007, 10:24

Here is the forth and last report from the set of The Mist. This one also includes pictures and all I can say is that The Mist looks like a hit!

Thanks to Anders Jakobson

Set report from The Mist 3

Posted: March 4, 2007, 18:37

Here is the third report from the set of The Mist. This one includes pictures.

More DT comic news

Posted: March 3, 2007, 00:37

These pages from issue #2 was shown on Comic Book Resources so I guess I can do the same.

More DT movie

Posted: March 3, 2007, 00:35

Here is a clarification from King's message board:

"I asked Steve for clarification on this and his response was that no deal has been finalized. If and when one is, it will be a 3 year option which he will sell them for $19. I can tell you from experience that there have been many times when an option has expired before a film is made so even an option doesn't mean it's a done deal. "

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Set report from The Mist 2

Posted: March 2, 2007, 13:00

Here is a second report from the set of The Mist.

My thoughts on The Gunslinger Born #2

Posted: March 1, 2007, 21:04

Now you can check out my review of The Gunslinger Born #2. The issue is released on March 7, don't miss it!

Set report from The Mist

Posted: March 1, 2007, 18:26

Here is a report from the set of The Mist. Quint more will come so stay tuned...

Thanks to Anders Jakobson and Ari

Hello from The Mist

Posted: February 26, 2007, 20:35

Here is a little greeting I got from Frank Darabont at the set of The Mist. It shows Frank, Norm the bag boy and Thomas Jane.

Images from Comic Con...finally

Posted: February 26, 2007, 12:09

Finally there are some images available from The Dark Tower panel at Comic Con. Thanks to Dread Central we can now see what the event looked like. Read about the event and check out their photos here.

Thanks to Johnny Butane

Even more Comic Con

Posted: February 25, 2007, 23:57

Here you can read about the panel discussion about The Dark Tower

More from Comic Con

Posted: February 25, 2007, 19:12

Here is more from Comic Con. Quint over at AICN has done an interview with King that will be published tomorrow but he also has a report about the panel discussion about The Dark Tower:

-Right now there are no plans to bring on any other artist for the Dark Tower comics. King loved Jae Lee's work and says that these books are firmly Lee's, Furth's and David's vision.

-The comics will follow Roland through Mejis (all Book 4 stuff), but it definitely WILL go past Book 4 and all the way up to Jericho Hill, which King demanded a giant splash page from Lee.

- Regarding further Dark Tower comics, King said, "There's always more stories."

- Hal from 2001 inspired Blaine the Mono (and that is the truth).

- When King writes, he doesn't see his characters, he doesn't tend to visualize them. "It's like I'm behind their eyes... maybe if they looked in a mirror..."

- King views the Dark Tower series as a first draft and plans to rewrite the entire series, but he promises he won't make them the Special Editions. The originals will always be out there.

Now for the two biggest newsworthy bits to come out of the panel:

- When asked if he'd turn another one of his books into a comic series with Marvel, King said he and Quesada were just beginning to talk about doing a version of The Stand as a Comic series. That made me perk up. How cool would that be?

- And the JJ Abrams bit. King said that Damon Lindelof and JJ Abrams did express interest, especially Damon, and wanted to develop the project. King said he was resistant to everybody in the past, but trusted Abrams and Lindelof. He said he trusted Frank Darabont, too, but he felt Frank always had too much on his plate. When Abrams and Lindelof approached King about trying to make the project work, King responded, "I'll tell you what... you can option the books and see what you can do with it." Nothing is set up, but they have the option... and if it doesn't work out, then no harm no foul, yeah? How much did Abrams and Lindelof pay for the option? $19, of course.

Report from The Dark Tower panel

Posted: February 25, 2007, 11:42

Here is a report from The Dark Tower panel at Comic Con

The Special Events Hall at the 2007 New York Comic Con was filled to capacity for the Marvel Comics “Dark Tower” panel on Saturday afternoon. And the man everyone was there to see was the last to take the stage. Marvel EIC Joe Quesada moderated the panel, and introduced artist Jae Lee, Robin Furth, Peter David, Ralph Macchio, Richard Isanove and Chris Eliopoulos. Quesada then welcomed to the stage “one of the greatest creators of the last 50 years, maybe ever,” Mr. Stephen King. The vaunted novelist took the stage to thunderous applause, and a standing ovation, and a pair of Imperial Stormtroopers were forced to keep order with the mountain of photographers. “If you keep calling me Mr. King, I’m gonna kick your ass,” King warned Quesada.

Read the complete text

Thanks to Rocky Wood

Roth talks Cell

Posted: February 25, 2007, 11:39

Eli Roth talks about Cell at Comic-Con

In a brief bit of news from NYCC's Hostel Part II panel, filmmaker Eli Roth revealed that Cell, his big screen adaptation of the Stephen King novel, is currently in the script-writing stage and would be his next project.

"Cell… the writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, they were the writers for Ed Wood and 1408, which is an awesome, really scary script. It's going to be so good. They're working a draft right now, so by the time I finish Hostel Part II the script should be ready. I really want to read it."

Focusing on the "curse" of modern technology, Cell tells the story of humanity's last hope — a group of individuals who band together to survive a world infested by zombie-like killing machines. Reverberating through cell phones across the planet, "The Pulse" (as it becomes known) changes all who hear it into relentless killing machines, capable of death and destruction to any one who stands in their way.

Thanks to Rocky Wood

My thoughts on Heart-Shaped Box

Posted: February 25, 2007, 02:17

I have just finished my review of Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box and you're welcome to see what I though abou it here.

Here you can also see what Hill himself had to say about the book on Good Morning America.

Blaze

Posted: February 23, 2007, 19:43

According to Scribner Blaze by Bachman will have a Foreword by Stephen King and be 256 pages long.

Sternhagen still in The Mist

Posted: February 23, 2007, 14:09

I got some mails from some of you about that Frances Sternhagen had been replaced by Marcia Gay Hardin as Mrs. Carmody. This morning I got to ask Frank about it and it is not the case. Sternhagen is still in the movie and she is playing the role of Irene.

Pic's of The Green Mile

Posted: February 23, 2007, 08:24

Here are some pictures of the limited edition of The Green Mile.

Thanks to Ari

The Mist starts shooting

Posted: February 23, 2007, 08:23

Latest news on The Mist:

Marcia Gay Harden and Toby Jones have disappeared into "The Mist," Dimension Films' adaptation of a Stephen King story being helmed by Frank Darabont, who also will produce.

The script, written by Darabont, is set after a strange storm blows through a Maine town and its citizens are attacked by deadly creatures. A group of townfolks barricade themselves in a supermarket and struggle for survival. Thomas Jane, Andre Braugher, Laurie Holden and Amin Joseph already have been cast.

Harden will play Mrs. Carmody, an outspoken and ultimately divisive member of the trapped group; Jones will play Ollie, a mild-mannered supermarket manager who is forced to take heroic measures to save his life and the lives of others.

Shooting begins this week in Louisiana. Castle Rock will produce along with Dimension.

Harden won an Academy Award for her work in 2000's "Pollock" and was Oscar-nominated for 2003's "Mystic River." She will next be seen in "The Invisible," directed by David Goyer, and recently completed production on Paramount Vantage's "Into the Wild," directed by Sean Penn.

British actor Jones played Truman Capote in last year's "Infamous."

Thanks to Bev Vincent

Released dates for DT comic

Posted: February 20, 2007, 23:34

I can now give you the release dates for issue 2, 3, 4 of The Dark Tower comic and the Gunslinger's Guidebook.

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #2: March 7
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #3: April 4
Gunslinger's Guidebook: April 11
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #4: May 2

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