Call me an optimist, but I’m of the opinion that an “unadaptable” novel is like the four-minute mile: something that’s only viewed as impossible until it’s proven not to be. Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho was deemed too extreme for the big screen when it was published… but then Mary Harron’s film arrived nine years later. Nobody thought proper live-action Lord of The Rings blockbusters were doable until Peter Jackson got his crack at them – and the same goes for Denis Villeneuve and Dune. Now, we’ve seen it happen twice with the works of Stephen King: first, Mike Flanagan actually managed to make a movie based on the thriller Gerald’s Game, and more recently, Francis Lawrence brought to life the dystopian nightmare that is The Long Walk.
So now that the impossible has been proven possible with The Long Walk, what’s the next King story that should get the opportunity to slay its “unadaptable” reputation? Following last week’s analysis of the new film’s ending, I’ve opted to dedicate this fresh edition of The King Beat to answering that question – in addition to highlighting a new pre-order that physical media collectors may want to jump on sooner rather than later. There’s a whole lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!
