Last August, Stephen King fans received disappointing news when Warner Bros. announced that the upcoming remake of “The Fate of Salem” no longer has an official release date. About six months later, we’re still waiting to find out when we’ll see this adaptation on the big screen, but as we’re being patient with this particular project, King’s other upcoming film has received huge news.
Originally developed as an exclusive for Hulu, Rob Savage’s “Boogeyman,” based on Stephen King’s short story of the same name, will now be released in theaters, and it’s now due out on June 2.
Rumors about this event come from The Hollywood Reporter, and the reason why this is happening should excite regular readers of King’s. Apparently, the decision to change the distribution model was made due to the recent results of the test screening. The executives of 20th Century Studios were obviously impressed by the ratings that Boogeyman received, and the box office success of such horror films as M3GAN, The Barbarian and Smile inspired new thoughts about its profitable potential.
Based on a screenplay by “A Quiet Place” screenwriters Scott Beck and Brian Woods, “Boogeyman” tells the story of two sisters who are haunted by evil in their home after the tragic death of their mother. All signs point to some serious deviations from the source material, which centers on a frustrated father who goes to a psychiatrist’s office to mourn the fact that a monster is killing his children.
The talented ensemble includes Sophie Thatcher from the Yellow Jackets, Chris Messina, David Dastmalchian and Marin Ireland. The film was shot from February to April last year, and filming took place in New Orleans.
To be 100% honest, June 2 is not really the main release date, as it is currently the same date that is used to launch the long-awaited Spider-Man: Across the Universes. One can imagine that 20th Century Studios sees “Boogeyman” as a counteraction to family animated blockbusters, and we just have to wait and see if their game pays off. If the hype turns out to be legitimate, the film may well turn out to be a hit that will remain in the top ten at the box office for a couple of months.
Of course, “Boogeyman” is just one of many King—related works, and you can follow how all of them are in development with the help of our upcoming Stephen King movie and TV guide. To delve deeper into the history of the film adaptations of King, check out my weekly column “Adaptation of Stephen King” and find out how your personal opinion coincides with our rating of the best films about Stephen King of all time.
