Mike Flanagan’s ‘The Mist’ Gets Major Update

Look, if you ask me, Frank Darabont’s The Mist is about as perfect a creature feature as it gets. That said, I’m never opposed to a filmmaker I admire tackling a beloved property. That’s why I remain ecstatic over the news that Mike Flanagan is doing his own adaptation of Stephen King‘s novella for Warner Bros. And we just got a positive update that assures it’s really happening.

Collider spoke to the filmmaker during TIFF, who offered this on the status of The Mist: “I’m writing it right now. I was working on it on the airplane here.”

The outlet notes that Flanagan revealed the screenplay is due around Halloween. So, breathe a sigh of relief if you’re also pumped for this one, because it’s moving forward.

For those worried Flanagan’s version will be a repeat of Darabont’s, the filmmaker previously stated back in July: “With Carrie and with The Mist, they’ve both been done spectacularly well already as feature films. So with Carrie, it was very much about finding a new path, trying to find something new to build. The Mist is the same.”

Continued Flanagan, “It’s [The Mist] one of the most brutal movies I’ve ever seen. That ending is jaw-dropping. My way into the story, through the story, and out of that story is very different. When I presented that to Steve [King] — that was also important because he loves Frank’s movie — it’s like, Why are we doing this? What are we gonna do that justifies itself? So it’s a different type of adaptation for me.”

Will Flanagan stay true to King’s story, or travel a similar path to Darabont’s brutal climax? Time will tell. For now, at least we know a script will be ready soon.

Next up from Flanagan is his Carrie series, arriving on Prime Video October 7th.