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Stephen King's Cell to be TV miniseries?
You may or may not remember that torture-porn filmmaker Eli Roth was once going to shoot an adaptation of horrormeister Stephen King's The Cell. Well, now comes news that not only is Roth not going to make such a movie, it's also not going to be a movie at all.
Fangoria reports that John Harrison (Syfy's Dune) is writing a four-hour TV miniseries based on the 2006 novel, in which the population of America is transformed into mindless, rampaging killers by a signal sent through their cell phones.
Here's what the magazine reported:
Harrison is scripting Cell for the Weinstein Co., which had originally planned to turn the book into a theatrical feature (with Eli Roth attached at one point to direct), but decided to abandon those plans and will be shopping the project to networks instead. Having served as assistant director/composer on the King-scripted Creepshow and helmed Tales From the Darkside: The Movie (including an adaptation of the author's "Cat From Hell"), Harrison considers Cell one of King's best recent books, with opening chapters that will make an incredible first 30 minutes on screen. The filmmaker adds that he doesn't see this as a zombie story so much as a Village of the Damned-esque chiller and enjoys the fact that the infected populace possesses a hive mentality.
The magazine adds that Harrison would like to direct the miniseries as well.
In 2007, Roth (the Hostel films) told SCI FI Wire that he considers the story timely and relevant. "I love the idea that technology turns on us," Roth said in an interview while promoting his second Hostel movie. "I have always wanted to make an apocalypse movie, and I like that this isn't a straight zombie movie, that these are humans who are crazy, whose brains have been scrambled by cell phones. I read that a quarter of the U.S. bee population has died off, and they don't know what's killing the bees. Is it a virus? There are people who think it could be cell phones, that they're screwing up the bees' radar, and they can't get back to their hives." (In fact, the study suggesting this has been discredited, the Los Angeles Times reported.)
By mykl at 9:41 AM ON 07/14/09
I really hate this. There needs to be more movies of KIng's work rather than TV Mini-series adaptions. If this goes to TV then it needs to be HBO just for the amount of stuff they need to do to make it intense and horrifying like the source material.
Then again… give it to Darabont to make into a nice three hour movie or break it into a two-parter but leave the first one ending well enough for some closure just in case it does not do well.
By Taiso at 11:47 AM ON 07/14/09
Whatever they're gonna do, they need to do it fast. The relevance of this novel is fading. The iron's starting to cool on this one. Better strike now.
By Al at 2:19 PM ON 07/14/09
I can't believe they're still sitting on The Gunslinger. That series is one that will draw fans old and new alike.
Cell should not be on a 4 hr time slot on regular tv. To do it justice, it should be on cable, otherwise, too much needs to be censored in order to air it for the "sensitive" masses.
By A_Kefka at 7:56 PM ON 07/14/09
They are waiting on The Dark Tower because King is very protective of it, where as with most of his stuff he's glad to see it made into something else.
While I agree that doing his work justice on network TV is difficult, The Stand is proof that it can be done.
By gundam11122002 at 9:14 PM ON 07/14/09
Im a King fan but this guy is just running out of ideas. This plot kinda reminds me of Pulse movie that came out a few years ago. Lets see, he has at lease 3 books with killer, haunted cars, 3 books with spooky mansions and two or three books where a disease killed off most of humanity. Come on man, think of something original!!!!!
By farscape29 at 2:25 PM ON 07/16/09
The only really crazy, bloody violent part of this novel is the very beginning. Granted, it's absolutely chaotic and insane, but I think done the right way, it could be on network/cable TV with no problems. Having said all that, I would prefer that it be a multi-part series on HBO so they don't have to cut anything for language or violence.
By Roma at 1:57 PM ON 07/23/09
OMG... I have been waiting so long for this to go to the big screen. So much could have been done to do it well. But now a tv mini series... That just sucks!
By Ashleee at 1:41 AM ON 09/27/09
I got to say, I wish they'd make it into a movie movive, when they do the mini sieres things they get horrible actors, most of the time. Sci Fi is the worste when it comes to little TV movies. This is one of my favourite Stephen King books(the only other books I've read from him are The Dark Tower books, so I can't say much yet..lol..but at least they are not making a movie out of those great books, they'd be terrible most likely.)
By Amtheyst at 12:29 PM ON 10/16/09
I believe that this should of been a movie instead of a 4 hour mini series that will attract people at the start but it will also take away alot of what was told in the book that gave a great story to the read and even if it does well on tv theres so much sensory detailing left out that those who have read it will just be pushed away from watching it.
By Zach at 9:18 PM ON 10/20/09
Cell should be turned into a MOVIE because it is tied for best book I've ever read. Tied with Titanicus great book read it it should be a movie too. But a Post Apocalyptic world when technology turns is amazing concept.
By Nathan at 11:32 PM ON 12/11/09
If my opinion counts I think they should make it into a movie and follow the book to the letter. I mean come on its an amazing book that came from the mind of the best author why not keep it that way. I dont know ya'll will do what you want no matter what we say, all I hope is that it is not a let down.
By Ash at 10:22 AM ON 12/18/09
I agree with most other comments. I too think Cell would be a great movie, but of course Stephen King is a novel genius, so it looks like he thinks it better as a mini-series. Looks like we'll be waiting to be proved wrong or right... (I'm just hoping it doesn't turn out as bad as TrueBlood, the series based on Charlainne Harris' book series)
By nonplus86 at 11:09 PM ON 01/11/10
I for one am glad that its going the miniseries route rather than the film route. King's novels are too complex and lengthy to be squeezed into a 2-hour movie. HIs novellas such as The Mist and 1401 make better movies, but can you really imagine the Stand being a theatrical film? Miniseries was the only way to go on that and it did a good job.
I also prefer the Stephen King miniseries of The Shining to the Stanley Kubrick film.
Can't wait to see what they do with Cell
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nonplus86:
I for one am glad that its going the miniseries route rather than the film route. King's novels are too complex and...More »