We finally have an official update on the Salem's Lot remake, and there's good and bad news for fans of Stephen King's seminal vampire tale.
The movie is not being scrapped - which was a concern after Warner Bros. Discovery shelved Batgirl - but nor will it be shown on the big screen.
Last year, we got word that Warner Bros. and New Line's upcoming re-adaptation had been pushed back to April 21, 2023 after previously being scheduled to open on September 9, 2022. Since then, the movie appeared to be removed from the schedule altogether, and it's been radio silence since.
Now, New Line has confirmed a recent rumor that the Gary Dauberman-directed horror film will skip theaters debut on the Max streaming service later this year.
Previous trade reports have noted that this "is not a reflection of the film’s quality, but is due to the fact that the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike has created a growing need for Max content."
A trailer debuted at CinemaCon last year, but has yet to be released online. In fact, the only official look we've had at the movie is the following promo image showing the lead characters looking at the Marsten house, so let's hope the studio shares a teaser as soon as a decision is made.
King has seen Salem's Lot, and recently shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter).
The movie stars Lewis Pullman, Alfre Woodard, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbæk, Makenzie Leigh, and Spencer Treat Clark. Recent IT adaptation writer Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home) directs, and also penned the screenplay.
The book tells the story of a writer named Ben Mears who returns to his childhood town of Jerusalem's Lot only to find himself drawn to an old house that traumatized him as a child. The Marsten House is an evil place, and an evil place attracts evil men. Unfortunately for Ben and the rest of the town, this time the evil men in question are powerful vampire Kurt Barlow and his devious familiar Richard Straker.
Salem's Lot was previously adapted as a 1979 miniseries from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper, featuring a scene with child-vampire scratching at the window which terrified an entire generation. There was also a far less successful 2004 version starring Rob Lowe.
Are you looking forward to a new take on Salem's Lot? Be sure to drop us a comment down below.