After over 50 years have passed since the first Stephen King novel was published, Carrie is returning to screens for the first time in a series format, and Prime Video has released a first look.
Prime Video shared first-look images of Mike Flanagan’s eight-episode reinvention of Stephen King’s debut 1974 novel Carrie. The series is said to premiere this fall on the streaming service, and alongside the fresh look, the series has torn back the curtain to reveal Summer Howell as the titular troubled main character. According to Deadline, Howell was cast in the role after she auditioned against 1,000 other young actresses hoping to be the next Carrie after Sissy Spacek and Chloë Grace Moretz both donned the role in 1976 and 2013 for the film adaptations, respectively.
Showrunner Mike Flanagan has done horror before. He’s famous for crafting the hit Netflix horror shows The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and he has already adapted King’s 2020 novella The Life of Chuck into a film starring Tom Hiddleston, so it’s safe to say he’s a solid choice for the reimagining.
Flanagan told Entertainment Weekly, that there would be changes made to the Carrie formula this time around. He said, “It’s been imitated scores of times. So for me, this was never going to be a straight adaptation. The only way to approach it was to build something new out of the ingredients of Carrie. Otherwise, there’s really no purpose in trying to retread ground that’s been so beautifully walked before.”
This confirms the TV adaptation would involve new or different storybeats from the novel itself, but would retell the “canon events” that occur, including the infamous prom scene. Flanagan said, “we’re getting there a completely different way and the events of that prom are going to be completely different. That’s a wonderfully delicious and irresistible opportunity for someone who loves adapting things.”
Two things are certain: Carrie‘s first foray into television is set to premiere in the Fall exclusively on Prime Video, and it will look markedly different than fans are used to.
