Doctor Sleep will and won’t be a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

[News]

Ever since Mike Flanagan announced he was adapting Doctor Sleep, Stephen King’s 2013 novel and sequel to The Shining, one of the lingering questions has been: Will it be a sequel to the book or Stanley Kubrick’s iconic 1980 film? Now, we have an answer.

In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, Flanagan essentially confirms it’s both, saying: “There is no version of the world where I am trying not to acknowledge one of the greatest films ever made. There’s no upside in shying away from that reality.

“At the same time, this is not The Shining,” he clarifies. “It’s its own story and in a very specific way. If you’ve read the book, you know exactly why it’s so different but it’s quite a tightrope that we’re walking I think. I’m having a great time doing it. I’m just going to get the movie out and then turn off the internet for two weeks and see how it all goes.”

Over the last six months, this has been a hot debate on The Losers’ Club, our weekly Stephen King podcast. While this interview doesn’t exactly settle the bet between myself and fellow co-host Mel Kassel, who argues it’s going to be strictly a sequel to the book, it does confirm that Warner Bros. was in no way, shape, or form not going to take advantage of that sweet, sweet Kubrick IP.

For context, Doctor Sleep follows a much older Danny Torrance, who’s now struggling as a recovering alcoholic, as he stumbles upon a magical young girl and a traveling circus of psychic vampires. Sound crazy enough for you?

As previously reported, Ewan McGregor plays Torrance and tops a stellar cast that also includes Rebecca Ferguson, Zahn McClarnon, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, Alex Essoe, and Bruce Greenwood.

In the meantime, do subscribe to The Losers’ Club. Currently, they’re spending the next two months going through the 1,200 or so pages that span King’s 1986 horror masterpiece, It. Stream the first episode below.

Source