James Wan is adapting Stephen King’s novel ‘Salem’s Lot’ for the big screen.
The producer is teaming up with screenwriter Gary Dauberman – who penned the script for 2017’s remake of King’s classic horror novel ‘It’ and the upcoming sequel – with whom he created some of the biggest hits in the Conjuring Universe such as ‘Annabelle’ and ‘The Nun’ to adapt the 1975 book for New Line Cinema.
The tome – which was Stephen’s first book to top the New York Times Bestseller list – follows a writer who returns to his childhood home, the town of Jerusalem’s Lot, where he discovers everyone he used to know is now a vampire.
Roy Lee and Mark Wolper will also produce while Dauberman is on board as executive producer.
‘Salem’s Lot’ was previously adapted into a 1979 miniseries and starred David Soul as the writer and Rob Lowe starred in a more recent adaptation made by TNT in 2004.
King’s stories are proving to be very popular in Hollywood once again with a new version of ‘Pet Sematary’ just released in cinemas, whilst his 2003 short story ‘Rest Stop’ will soon be adapted by Alex Ross Perry.
The 34-year-old indie filmmaker will be writing the screenplay the story, which was originally published in Esquire magazine and later featured in the horror writer’s 2008 collection ‘Just After Sunset’.
The ‘Her Smell’ director will also helm the project, which follows author John Dykstra, who writes under the pen name Rick Hardin.
The writer overhears a couple arguing in a rest stop bathroom and the sounds of domestic abuse – and although he is too timid to act, his tougher alter-ego Rick intervenes and attacks the man with a tire iron, sparking a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse.
Andy Muschietti’s ‘It – Chapter Two’ will be released in September and will see the adult members of ‘The Losers Club’ return to Maine to fight Pennywise the Dancing Clown once again.
James Wan adapting Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot
