The iconic, terrifying, and emotional work of Stephen King has inspired some of the most iconic movies of almost any given genre. Of course, Stephen King will always be associated with horror, and now a new horror movie based on one of his most notable novels is dominating Max.
Of course, with Halloween approaching, it might not be much of a surprise to see the film trending at this time. Especially when horror fans are almost always eager for a good Stephen King tale – whether it’s on the screen or in traditional literary form. This particular film, from director Gary Dauberman, does take a few liberties with Stephen King’s original novel – but it hasn’t seemed to stop viewers from giving it a watch.
In fact, it appears to already be the number two film on Max. One might even consider the film the number one horror movie on the platform, second only to a thriller on the service’s number 1 spot. It seems to be doing quite well for a film that Warner Bros. had initially shelved the last few years.
The Max exclusive film, titled Salem’s Lot, is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. It revolves around the titular town, also known as Jerusalem’s Lot, which is infiltrated by a vampire named Kurt Barlow and their human assistant. Barlow begins transforming the town’s citizens into vampires, and up to a small group to try and fight back against the spread of the undead.
The original novel, which is essentially a modern version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, is often considered one of King’s greatest stories. It was popularly adapted as a miniseries in 1979 from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper, and again as another miniseries in 2004.
This 2024 effort marks the first official feature film based on the novel, and while it does leave out quite a lot from the book, viewers generally seem pleased by the film as a solid stand-alone vampire story. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to see Warner Bros. release the director’s original (and much longer) version of the film in the future. Especially if it’s already performed this well so far.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding author Stephen King and the latest trending titles on streaming, including Max, as we have them. In the meantime, subscribers can check out Salem’s Lot on Max and see for themselves whether or not the adaptation is worth the hype.