If you visited your local bookstore on August 2, 2022, and wandered into the horror section, you would have come across a gleaming new movie tie-in edition of Salem's Lot, specifically tailored for the upcoming horror movie. The cover, adorned with a captivating glimpse into Stephen King's latest big-screen adaptation, would have beckoned you with its chilling allure. Against a backdrop of deep blue fog, the Salem's Lot cast stood transfixed before the foreboding Marsten house, setting the stage for an eerie cinematic rendition of a tale that has graced the small screen twice before, in the form of TV miniseries, but never on the silver screen. Emblazoned at the top of the book were those fateful words that now send shivers down my spine: "Now a Major Motion Picture."
Fast forward to June 2023, after multiple delays and a scarcity of updates since the end of last year, the question lingers: What exactly is happening with Warner Bros.' oft-delayed Salem's Lot? It's time to delve deep and dissect the twists and turns that have befallen this much-anticipated project.
A Return To Jerusalem’s Lot: A Production History
Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot, a 1975 horror novel and his second published work, tells the story of writer Ben Mears, who returns to his childhood town only to discover the residents turning into vampires. The novel received nominations for the World Fantasy Award and the Locus Award. King has expressed his fondness for the story, considering it his favorite. The story of a small town facing a big threat has previously been adapted into a two-part miniseries in 1979 and an underrated television miniseries in 2004.
On April 23, 2019, James Wan and Gary Dauberman announced their collaboration to bring Salem's Lot to cinemas. Dauberman would serve as the scriptwriter and executive producer, joined by Wan, Roy Lee, and Mark Wolper as producers. While no director was attached when the project was announced, In April 2020, the Annablle Comes Home filmmaker was officially named the director.
In August 2021, Lewis Pullman, son of Bill Pullman, was cast as the lead, Ben Mears. The Assistant star Makenzie Leigh joined the cast as Susan Norton, Ben's love interest, alongside Bill Camp and Spencer Treat Clark. Pilou Asbæk, known for his role in Game of Thrones, joined the production, rounding out the stacked cast as Richard Straker, the vampire Barlow's familiar. Production began in September 2021, documented by Pilou Asbæk on Instagram, which you can view below:
Production on the film passed mostly without any major news, wrapping production in November of 2021. According to the studio and reported by Deadline, a few Covid-related delays caused the film to move dates to accommodate additional photography during the summer of 2022. Reshoots are not uncommon for big-budget films, so a new release date wasn't initially a cause for concern. You can see one of the stars, Mackenzie Leigh’s, production wrap photo, which she posted on Instagram, below:
Footage of the classic vampire tale was previewed in April 2022 at CinemaCon. The first look was allegedly eerie, effective, and very well-received. Entertainment reporter Jeff Schneider, who was in attendance, wrote on Twitter that the trailer was reminiscent of the original Conjuring movie’s first trailer. He wrote:
SALEM'S LOT does indeed look like a smart theatrical play, and closes with a killer trailer moment similar to that first CONJURING trailer that helped make that movie such a hit. Just swap in Bill Camp for Lily Taylor.
In July 2022, the film faced its first delay, with its original Post-Labor Day 2022 release changing to April 21, 2023. Merely a few months later, that date would be lost too, and another WB horror flick, Evil Dead Rise, would fill the opening. Then, the flick was eventually wholly removed from Warner Bros' 2023 movie release schedule. This disappointment came soon after the studio announced plans to scrap projects like Batgirl and Scoob 2. The decision not to release Batgirl was attributed to a strategic shift concerning the DC universe and HBO Max, according to a statement from a studio representative. This decision only fueled fan speculation about Salem’s Lot’s fate.
Alleged film previews took place on September 9, 2022, with social media posts and online reviews (like this Youtube video from McCord Movies with over 12k views) surfacing from those allegedly in attendance, claiming mild disappointment with the movie. On November 16, 2022, Salem's Lot received an official R rating from the MPAA for "bloody violence and language" indicating the movie was officially finished and in the can. Additionally, the movie's runtime was subsequently revealed, but no further updates have been provided since the end of 2022.
Will The Vampires Of Salem’s Lot Ever See The Light Of Day?
Horror enthusiasts fear Salem's Lot may never be released, joining the ranks of infamous permanently shelved films like Jerry Lewis's The Day the Clown Cried or Empires of the Deep, a Chinese Avatar clone. While Warner Bros has made curious decisions under David Zaslav's leadership, I believe the studio's actions indicate that Salem's Lot will eventually see the light of day.
Reports and rumors of bad test screenings have led some to speculate that the studio is dissatisfied with the film's quality and plans to shelve it indefinitely. However, I don't see this happening.
There has been a long history of King adaptations because they are lucrative, even if they don't reach the ranks of the best horror movies of all time. While box office hits like Misery or It Chapters 1 & 2 receive critical acclaim, there are also less successful ones like Cell.
This 2016 adaptation of King's 2006 novel, directed by Tod Williams and starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, faced production troubles and spent over two years in limbo before finding distribution. Despite being crushed critically and receiving a limited theatrical release in just 15 markets with minimal promotion, the film grossed over a million dollars. It also generated more than 2 million dollars in video sales, as per Box Office Mojo.
Movies based on Stephen King's books, even imperfect ones, tend to lean towards being financially successful. That's why I find it unlikely that Warner Bros. would bury the IP based solely on a few negative test screenings -- if they indeed occurred.
When Will Salem's Lot Likely Release?
Timing is crucial for theatrical releases, and WB Discovery is likely strategizing to find the optimal date for Salem's Lot. The Halloween season is a logical choice for the horror genre, but a fall 2023 theatrical release seems less and less likely as we're only three months away from the post-Labor Day weekend, and there has been no promotion for the movie.
Considering WB's potential reservations about the film, a fall streaming release on Max (formerly HBO Max) could be a smart move to leverage the spooky season. We've witnessed the success of streaming horror movies, such as Hulu's Prey (a Predator prequel) and the Hellraiser reboot, which performed remarkably well last year with a similar release date. The Clive Barker property reboot also generated considerable hype, despite dropping its official trailer just fifteen days before release. If I were a company hesitant to invest in promoting a film I had reservations about, this streaming route would be a favorable choice.
Regardless of the release date, it's likely that Salem's Lot will reach King fans sooner or later. However, since WB Discovery has shown a focus on theatrical releases, it's possible the movie might not find its way to audiences until 2024 or later, once a good theatrical window presents itself. Still, with the involvement of talented individuals and the power of the established brand, it would be absurd for WB Discovery to let this project languish on the shelf, gathering dust like some old haunted house.
I guess for now, I’ll have to be content with revising my worn-out VHS copy of director Tobe Hooper's version of the material and pondering these other upcoming Stephen King movies and TV releases.
