One would suspect that an adaptation of an iconic Stephen King story would be an immediate box office success. Warner Bros seems to be second-guessing this, however, as their plans for Salem’s Lot may have just changed. It looks like the film could very well be released via streaming rather than theatrically.
As shared by Variety, their sources claim that Warner Bros “is looking to jettison its horror film ‘Salem’s Lot‘ to Max.” The publication notes that the film was developed “for a theatrical rollout,” though Warner Bros has kept it “sitting on the shelf for a year.” Now the project “is poised to make its debut on the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform.”
For fans worried about the quality of the film, however, that doesn’t seem to be the issue. Rather, Warner Bros is said to be making this decision based on the SAG-AFTRA strike. According to Variety, this strike has resulted in “a growing need for Max content,” and Salem’s Lot fits the bill.
Of course, this may still need to be taken with a grain of salt. A spokesperson for the studio did deliver the following statement:
“No decision has been made about the film’s future distribution plans.”
Stephen King himself chimed in on the situation, offering high praise:
The Warner Bros remake of SALEM’S LOT, currently shelved, is muscular and involving. It has the feel of “Old Hollywood,” when a film was given a chance to draw a breath before getting to business. When attention spans were longer, in other words.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 1, 2023
It feels like a horror movie version of slow-burn movies like THE GREAT ESCAPE. It builds very well. There are diversions from the book I don’t agree with, but on the whole, faithful.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 1, 2023
Best scene: Danny Glick in the hospital, trying to claw down a blood bag.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 1, 2023
The Glick scene could have been directed by John Carpenter in his prime.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 1, 2023
As such, it’s possible that Warner Bros is merely considering their options for releasing the film. They could take a risk, as with Evil Dead Rise, and release it theatrically (as was originally intended anyways.) Or the studio could deliver it to Max to help keep their service afloat. Either way, it doesn’t seem to be getting cancelled like Batgirl, which should put some worries to rest.
Hopefully we’ll have more details regarding the long-anticipated Stephen King adaptation in the near future. Salem’s Lot was previously adapted as a two-part miniseries in 1979 from director Tobe Hooper, and again as a miniseries in 2004. This would be the first feature interpretation and one that fans are quite eager to see.
Gary Dauberman directed the film and also wrote the screenplay based on King’s novel. The cast includes Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbaek, Alfre Woodard, and William Sadler.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.