Summary
Stephen Kingfans know that his movie and TV show adaptations have ranged from excellent to completely forgettable, andthe author recently shared his thoughts on a highly anticipated film based on one of his most haunting and compelling stories.
Whethercomparing the various adaptations ofSalem’s Lotor reflecting ontheIt: Welcome to Derrytrailer, King’s fans know that when his dark, creepy, and sometimes uplifting stories are brought to life, it’s not always perfect. However, as one of the most prolific and respected authors, it’s no wonder that most of King’s work is optioned for the big or small screen. In a recent interview, King talked about an upcoming adaptation, and he had an interesting take on it. His comments also illustratehow different this story is from his body of work.
Stephen King Talked About The Life Of Chuck And Highlighted How It’s Different From His Other Work
In an interview withThe Toronto Star,Stephen King talked aboutThe Life of Chuck, the emotional dramabased on his short story from the collectionIf It Bleeds, which was published in 2020. King said:
“It’s a wonderful movie."
King continued:
“I don’t know if it will do any business or not. I don’t know if people are in the mood for that sort of warm-hearted thing. It’s not what I would call syrupy and sentimental because it does have an acknowledgment that life can be very, very difficult. But Hiddleston did a great job as Chuck. I love that movie.”
King’s comments emphasizehow uniqueThe Life of Chuckiscompared to his other short stories, novellas, and novels.The story has three parts called “I Contain Multitudes,” “Buskers,” and “Thanks, Chuck"and shares the journey of Chuck Krantz, an ordinary man who has as many happy moments as he does devastating ones. The movie has a lot of talent behind it and was directed by Mike Flanagan.Tom Hiddleston plays the main character, and Jacob Tremblay plays a teenage version of Chuck. The cast also includes Matthew Lillard, Samantha Sloyan, Mia Sara, Annalise Basso, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nick Offerman, and Kate Siegal. Most of King’s work focuses on horror elements like the killer clown Pennywise fromITor the vampires inSalem’s Lot. In contrast to King’s famous first bookCarrie, which is getting a TV adaptation from Flanagan,The Life of Chuckis much softer, more heartwarming, and not at all scary.
In the same interview,King also shared the inspiration behindThe Life of Chuck: he saw a busker when he was in Boston to attend some Red Sox games. The author realized that if a businessman began dancing in the street, it would be a memorable scene. It’s fun to hear that this small experience became a thought-provoking and haunting short story and movie. King talked about wanting to write a story about happiness and said,“joy is a valid part of the human experience.”
The Life of Chuckwill be in theaters on June 6th, 2025. King’s fans are also looking forward toThe Long Walk, which will be released on September 12th, 2025. LikeThe Life of Chuck,The Long Walkis an emotional and sad story, anddirector Francis Lawrence filmed it chronologically, a fascinating choice that sets it apart. Fans are also excited forFlanagan’sThe Dark Towerseries, although there are no other details available.
Although King is of course known for his horror stories, he has written several more dramatic and realistic books, includingLisey’s Story,The Green Mile,Billy Summers, andDolores Claiborne.
