No other catalog of horror stories has been blessed with frequent visual adaptations quite like Stephen King's classic novels. Now, Sony Pictures and Blumhouse Productions are gearing to head back to the well for another remake of a King adaptation, this time revving the planning engine for a remake of the classic possession story Christine.
The first cinematic version of King's Christine was released in 1983 by Columbia Pictures. The John Carpenter film starred well-known actors like Harry Dean Stanton and told the story of a haunted car named Christine that could repair itself on its own and was eager to get revenge on anyone who damaged her. The original novel and film have enjoyed common reference within the landscape of popular culture and might see its relevance upheld by discussions surrounding the technological advancement of self-driving cars.
The changes that this Christine reboot will make in comparison to the 1983 film remain to be seen, but Deadline reports the Blumhouse film has secured a writer and director now that Bryan Fuller has signed on to fulfill both of those roles. Fuller is known for writing and producing multiple episodes of notable television shows such as Heroes, Hannibal, American Gods, and Star Trek: Discovery. Jason Blum will be producing the picture along with Vincenzo Natali and Steve Hoban.
This new iteration of Christine is one of the multiple King stories being developed at the moment. In addition to Christine, Blumhouse is developing a remake of Firestarter as well as an adaptation of the novella The Breathing Method. Many other film adaptations of King titles are being developed by various studios, including The Long Walk, The Dark Half, Revival, and The Tommyknockers. In addition to these film projects, a series based on the novel Lisey's Story is currently streaming on Apple TV+, where a new episode will be released each week.
From Cujo to The Shining to Pet Sematary, the stories of King have continued to be adapted for the big screen. Remakes of films based on King properties such as Carrie, It, and It: Chapter Two have been released recently, some to great success and others no so much.
A brand new remake of Christine is an exciting film for Sony Pictures and Blumhouse Productions, as well as for fans of King stories. It will be interesting to see how the filmmakers are able to reimagine the classic horror story for modern times.
Christine (1983) is now available to stream on Netflix Canada.
Source: Deadline