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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stephen King Has Seen Tom Hiddleston's The Life Of Chuck, And I'm Intrigued About His Take On The Book Becoming A Movie
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There are a lot of upcoming Stephen King movies on the way in the next year, and while the adaptations of his more popular novels like The Long Walk and The Running Man are sure to create a lot of buzz, the next release is a more underrated story of his. Mike Flanagan's The Life Of Chuck movie comes out next week, and Stephen King has just shared his own thoughts on his 2020 novella now being a movie. While Stephen King is, of course, best known for his work in the horror genre, The Life Of Chuck is not that. It's described as a 'life-affirming' science fiction drama that CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg called 'one of the best Stephen King movies of all time.' Here's what King recently said about the Tom Hiddleston-led movie: It's a wonderful movie. 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. The Life Of Chuck was written/directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously adapted King's sequel to The Shining with 2019's Doctor Sleep, as well as Gerald's Game, along with making some of the best horror TV shows in recent years like The Haunting Of Hill House and Midnight Mass. King shared to Toronto Star that he has appreciated Flanagan's take on his works thus far, and The Life Is Chuck is another great addition. You can check out The Life Of Chuck trailer below: Both the movie and the novella follows an ordinary guy named Charles 'Chuck' Krantz across three chapters of his life. King shared that he feels 'joy is a valid part of the human experience,' and wanted to infuse that in the story after much of his stories tackle things like 'existential dread, grief, woe.' Though I haven't seen it, these comments make me more interested in seeing a modern King movie that's more of a heartwarming drama than a scary movie. I'm also curious if the author is worried about the movie's viability and his take on audiences perhaps not turning out for a story of his that's not horror-related. Even though King shared he loves the movie, pointing out Hiddleston's 'great' performance at the same time, it sounds like he's not sure if audiences will turn out for a 'warm-hearted thing.' Now, it should be noted that past King stories that are not horror have been turned into movies. For example, there's 1994's The Shawshank Redemption, which is thought of as one of the best movies ever made. There's also 1999's The Green Mile. Stephen King might have a point considering Shawshank famously didn't do well at the box office initially (making just $16 million against a $25 million budget). However, The Green Mile, starring Tom Hanks, made much better business with over $286 million worldwide against a $60 million budget. We'll have to see how The Life Of Chuck does when it comes to theaters on June 6!
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Good Fortune' Trailer: Keanu Reeves Is An Angel Meddling In Earthly Affairs In Aziz Ansari's Directorial Comedy Co-Starring Ansari & Seth Rogen
Lionsgate has dropped the first trailer for Good Fortune, its new high-concept comedy starring Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, and Aziz Ansari, which marks the feature debut of the latter, as writer-director. Slated for release in theaters on October 17, Good Fortune introduces Reeves as Gabriel, a well-meaning but rather inept angel who decides to intervene in the lives of a struggling gig worker (Ansari) and a wealthy venture capitalist (Rogen). More from Deadline Michael Jackson Biopic Returning To Production As Lionsgate Mulls Splitting Pic Into Two Lionsgate's Staggered 'Ballerina' Embargo For "Enthusiastic" & "Critical Sentiment" Irks Reviewers Lionsgate Confirms It May Split Michael Jackson Biopic Into Two Movies As Release Is Pushed - Update When the trailer opens, Gabriel is on a rooftop overlooking Los Angeles, speaking with another angel named Martha (Sandra Oh). 'Martha, is there any way I can have more meaningful duties?' Gabriel asks. 'I want to guide people; I want to change their lives.' Martha tells him that 'to save a lost soul, you have to find a lost soul.' But for Gabriel, this doesn't take long. He discovers one in Ansari's character, while standing one night atop an L.A. Denny's. Gabriel approaches the man, letting him know that he's an angel — one who's 'normally only in charge of saving people from texting and driving,' but is now looking for a more meaningful pasttime. 'Wait,' Ansari says. 'You're telling me I have a budget guardian angel?' Also starring Keke Palmer, Good Fortune is produced by Ansari, Anthony Katagas, and Ansari's longtime collaborator Alan Yang. Preparing for the June 6 release of female-driven John Wick spin-off Ballerina, starring Ana De Armas, Lionsgate's upcoming slate for the year also includes titles like the crime thriller Americana (August 22), starring Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser; Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk (September 12); The Strangers — Chapter 2 (September 26); magic-themed threequel Now You See Me: Now You Don't (November 14); and the psychological thriller The Housemaid (December 25), starring Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brandon Sklenar, among others. Watch the trailer for Good Fortune by clicking above. [youtube Best of Deadline 'The Morning Show' Season 4: Everything We Know So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Stephen King Adaptation With (Almost) No Scares
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Of Stephen King's two dozen novellas, The Life of Chuck is among the odder choices to make into a movie. The titular protagonist is an unexceptional accountant. His tale is told backwards, in loosely connected vignettes. And he barely appears in the first act, which follows a teacher making peace with what seems to be the end of the world. The story, as a whole, is heady, elegiac, and rather philosophical: At one point, Chuck wonders 'why God made the world.' In the wrong hands, such a story would become inert on-screen. Its sentimentality could easily come across as maudlin, its structure too confusing to follow. The Life of Chuck's director, Mike Flanagan, has become something of a King whisperer, however, after bringing two of the author's (considered difficult-to-film) novels to the screen. Here, he has managed to translate the tricky material into a crowd-pleaser. King's work regularly gets turned into films and television shows: Aside from The Monkey, this year will also see the release of adaptations of The Long Walk, The Running Man, and The Institute, and a prequel series based on It. But as much as King may be known as a maestro at horror—an inherently cinematic genre—his greatest talent is generating worlds that feel lived in. He can conjure sense memories and a feeling of familiarity even for readers who have never, say, resided in a small town in Maine, stayed at an empty hotel, or found a dead body buried near a set of train tracks. The appeal of Flanagan's take on The Life of Chuck rests on his understanding of this resonant quality of King's writing; on-screen, as on the page, the story hums because it highlights the ordinary foundation upon which the supernatural can be built. Within the strange events is a core that is bittersweet and familiar. [Read: Doctor Sleep: A horror sequel that tries to do the impossible] Told in three chapters, The Life of Chuck begins at the end of Chuck's journey, though the character (played from oldest to youngest by Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay, and Benjamin Pajak) appears mostly as an image on a series of advertisements thanking him for '39 great years!' until the movie's middle stretch. The high-concept reasons for that are best left unspoiled, although they're challenging in a way that makes Flanagan's efforts to render them legible even more enjoyable to watch; as with his other takes on the author's work, the director faithfully captures the source material down to its last King-ian flourish, whether that be a macabre joke or a precise detail. If anything, Flanagan revels in the novella's genre-bending dexterity, magnifying the eeriness of its opening scenes before deepening the homespun warmth of its subsequent chapters. He shoots each section using a different aspect ratio, and he swaps out casts and tones with abandon. Each storyline thus takes on a life of its own. [Read: A Stephen King adaptation that doesn't believe in monsters] Please forgive the cliché; it's only appropriate, because The Life of Chuck leans on quite a few of them. Inspired by Walt Whitman's 'Song of Myself'—specifically, the verse that reads 'I am large, I contain multitudes'—the overarching plot relies on familiar archetypes and tropes to communicate a poignant idea. Of course Chuck had a tragic childhood, one that would make him accept advice from his grandfather Albie (an affecting Mark Hamill) to choose a stable life over a passionate one. Of course the girl Chuck drags into dancing with him during the second act is someone who, like Chuck, desperately needs a pick-me-up. And of course Chuck discovers, as a boy, that within him, as with everyone, is a magic that can't be extinguished by time or circumstance. 'In this moment, I am wonderful,' the young Chuck tells himself one evening as he gazes at the stars, paraphrasing Whitman. 'I have a right to be wonderful.' The line borders on saccharine, and will probably make those less tolerant of sappiness cringe. But I fell for the film's earnest insistence that each of us has access to an inner world no one else can ever fully know; that message, as trite as it may be, is particularly touching because of its pointed delivery. Flanagan's well-assembled group of actors also helps balance out the film's mushier elements: Nick Offerman narrates throughout with a matter-of-fact wisdom, Hiddleston exudes an infectious verve during his centerpiece scene, and Mia Sara, coming out of retirement to play Chuck's grandmother, is a casting masterstroke. Her presence anchors the story, as in a scene of her character dancing in her kitchen, playfully singing along to a rock song on the radio while beckoning Chuck to join her. The moment is beautifully lit and performed, playing like a memory and a dream all at once. The best of King's works, even the ones that come with telekinetic teenagers and murderous clowns, find something amazing within the everyday. Trailers for The Life of Chuck have touted King as the author behind the stories that inspired The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and Stand by Me—all selections that fall outside of the horror he typically writes. Doing so makes sense; unlike the rest of this year's plentiful offerings, The Life of Chuck joins those titles as a King entry that probably won't induce nightmares, just potent emotion, maybe even joy. Yet Chuck's tale isn't devoid of suspense. It's aligned with the rest of the author's oeuvre because it illuminates the wonder and terror of being human: that to live means acknowledging that death approaches, that the multitudes we contain can't last forever. This truth is perhaps the most visceral fear there is—yet we should take comfort in knowing that it's also the most mundane. Article originally published at The Atlantic
Atlantic
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
The Appeal of Stephen King's Softer Side
Of Stephen King's two dozen novellas, The Life of Chuck is among the odder choices to make into a movie. The titular protagonist is an unexceptional accountant. His tale is told backwards, in loosely connected vignettes. And he barely appears in the first act, which follows a teacher making peace with what seems to be the end of the world. The story, as a whole, is heady, elegiac, and rather philosophical: At one point, Chuck wonders 'why God made the world.' In the wrong hands, such a story would become inert on-screen. Its sentimentality could easily come across as maudlin, its structure too confusing to follow. The Life of Chuck 's director, Mike Flanagan, has become something of a King whisperer, however, after bringing two of the author's (considered difficult-to-film) novels to the screen. Here, he has managed to translate the tricky material into a crowd-pleaser. King's work regularly gets turned into films and television shows: Aside from The Monkey, this year will also see the release of adaptations of The Long Walk, The Running Man, and The Institute, and a prequel series based on It. But as much as King may be known as a maestro at horror—an inherently cinematic genre—his greatest talent is generating worlds that feel lived in. He can conjure sense memories and a feeling of familiarity even for readers who have never, say, resided in a small town in Maine, stayed at an empty hotel, or found a dead body buried near a set of train tracks. The appeal of Flanagan's take on The Life of Chuck rests on his understanding of this resonant quality of King's writing; on-screen, as on the page, the story hums because it highlights the ordinary foundation upon which the supernatural can be built. Within the strange events is a core that is bittersweet and familiar. Told in three chapters, The Life of Chuck begins at the end of Chuck's journey, though the character (played from oldest to youngest by Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay, and Benjamin Pajak) appears mostly as an image on a series of advertisements thanking him for '39 great years!' until the movie's middle stretch. The high-concept reasons for that are best left unspoiled, although they're challenging in a way that makes Flanagan's efforts to render them legible even more enjoyable to watch; as with his other takes on the author's work, the director faithfully captures the source material down to its last King-ian flourish, whether that be a macabre joke or a precise detail. If anything, Flanagan revels in the novella's genre-bending dexterity, magnifying the eeriness of its opening scenes before deepening the homespun warmth of its subsequent chapters. He shoots each section using a different aspect ratio, and he swaps out casts and tones with abandon. Each storyline thus takes on a life of its own. Please forgive the cliché; it's only appropriate, because The Life of Chuck leans on quite a few of them. Inspired by Walt Whitman's 'Song of Myself' —specifically, the verse that reads 'I am large, I contain multitudes'—the overarching plot relies on familiar archetypes and tropes to communicate a poignant idea. Of course Chuck had a tragic childhood, one that would make him accept advice from his grandfather Albie (an affecting Mark Hamill) to choose a stable life over a passionate one. Of course the girl Chuck drags into dancing with him during the second act is someone who, like Chuck, desperately needs a pick-me-up. And of course Chuck discovers, as a boy, that within him, as with everyone, is a magic that can't be extinguished by time or circumstance. 'In this moment, I am wonderful,' the young Chuck tells himself one evening as he gazes at the stars, paraphrasing Whitman. 'I have a right to be wonderful.' The line borders on saccharine, and will probably make those less tolerant of sappiness cringe. But I fell for the film's earnest insistence that each of us has access to an inner world no one else can ever fully know; that message, as trite as it may be, is particularly touching because of its pointed delivery. Flanagan's well-assembled group of actors also helps balance out the film's mushier elements: Nick Offerman narrates throughout with a matter-of-fact wisdom, Hiddleston exudes an infectious verve during his centerpiece scene, and Mia Sara, coming out of retirement to play Chuck's grandmother, is a casting masterstroke. Her presence anchors the story, as in a scene of her character dancing in her kitchen, playfully singing along to a rock song on the radio while beckoning Chuck to join her. The moment is beautifully lit and performed, playing like a memory and a dream all at once. The best of King's works, even the ones that come with telekinetic teenagers and murderous clowns, find something amazing within the everyday. Trailers for The Life of Chuck have touted King as the author behind the stories that inspired The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and Stand by Me —all selections that fall outside of the horror he typically writes. Doing so makes sense; unlike the rest of this year's plentiful offerings, The Life of Chuck joins those titles as a King entry that probably won't induce nightmares, just potent emotion, maybe even joy. Yet Chuck's tale isn't devoid of suspense. It's aligned with the rest of the author's oeuvre because it illuminates the wonder and terror of being human: that to live means acknowledging that death approaches, that the multitudes we contain can't last forever. This truth is perhaps the most visceral fear there is—yet we should take comfort in knowing that it's also the most mundane.
Elle
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
David Jonsson Talks 'The Long Walk' and His Next Big Roles
Justin French Coat, jacket, pants, Gucci. Watch, Cartier. Shoes, Christian Louboutin. Getting kicked out of school is not typically how one becomes an actor. But when David Jonsson was 14, he got expelled for fighting and was sent off to an alternative school, where he was surrounded by kids who had committed much worse infractions. The experience was a wake-up call, and inspired him to seek out a different path. 'Acting was never even a thought until I got kicked out,' the 31-year-old Brit says. 'After that, I found youth theater, and that was a way of channeling a lot of things.' It was one of the first times that he transformed himself from one person into another—and now he does it for a living. 'It's nice to do a bit of onscreen therapy,' he jokes. Justin French Shirt, pants, Zegna. Necklace, watch, Cartier. Jonsson—whose résumé now includes HBO's Industry , the British romantic comedy Rye Lane , and the sci-fi film Alien: Romulus —dials in from the back seat of a car heading to the airport from West Hollywood. He's going home to London for a few days, before flying to Las Vegas for CinemaCon, where he'll promote his upcoming film, an adaptation of Stephen King's The Long Walk , and also receive CinemaCon's Next Generation Award (his second recognition this year, after winning the BAFTA Rising Star Award in February). 'We walked at least 10 miles every single that's why we do it. For the thrill.' And though he's changing time zones quicker than perhaps anyone should, he's adamant that he's having a great time. 'It's nice to be running around and sort of in demand,' he says with a wide smile. Justin French Coat, Gucci. Watch, Cartier. The Long Walk , which will premiere this fall, costars Cooper Hoffman and follows a group of young men who sign up for a grueling competition, with only one winner. 'It's really brilliant—a beautiful movie about endurance,' Jonsson says. In true King fashion, it's equal parts gory, twisted, and heartfelt. Jonsson plays a fast-talking, charismatic, and empathetic young man named Peter McVries, who has a troubled past. 'He's a really interesting character to describe, because he's kind of mercurial in nature, but he's also a man of his hands. He's a very practical, rough-and-tumble kind of guy, but he's also a bit of a drifter. You can't quite place him,' he says. 'You don't know where he's come from or where he's going, and that was part of the fun. More than anything, he loves to love, and he's extraordinarily generous—which, when you're walking a lot, that trait really helps.' Justin French Coat, jacket, pants, Gucci. Watch, Cartier. Shoes, Christian Louboutin. The role was not only technically challenging (Jonsson puts on a very convincing American accent), but also physically demanding. 'We walked at least 10 miles every single day. At least. And then on longer days with bigger scenes, we walked more than that,' he says. 'But that's why we do it. For the thrill.' Jonsson wanted his character to be 'really built,' and sure enough, from the moment he illuminates the screen, all you see is muscle. 'In the script, it felt to me that he was physically strong. I wanted him to have that,' he says. 'And obviously, the camera picks up everything, doesn't it? So I said, 'Right, I've got to train.'' Justin French Shirt, pants, Zegna. Necklace, watch, Cartier. One of his favorite things about being an actor is the ability to transform. He put on 25 pounds for The Long Walk , after losing 40 pounds for another part. 'I don't think every actor wants to do that,' he notes. 'But I love it.' Up next, he'll mold himself once again, into the legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. in the forthcoming film Scandalous! , by first-time director Colman Domingo and alongside Justin French Coat, jacket, Gucci. Jonsson is doing his best to manage his busy schedule while also taking time to be still. He recently took up journaling. 'What you realize is, things are happening so fast. You know, you land that role, you're on that stage, and you're like, 'Yeah, I'm doing it.' And then, like, eight shows pass, and then before you know it, the show is finished and you're like, 'Oh, God, I didn't know it was done.'' It's in the quiet moments that Jonsson can be sentimental, thinking about how far he's come. It was not long ago, he notes, that he 'was 18 in my bedroom, reading lines and memorizing monologues. Some of my best work is in my bedroom in East London. It's sitting there in the walls. That's why I'll never complain. I feel so special. I'm not lucky—blessed.' Hair by Jonathan Clausell ; makeup by Alexandra French at Forward Artists; manicure by Jolene Brodeur at The Wall Group; produced by Anthony Federici at Petty Cash Production; photographed at Malibu Creek Ranch. A version of this story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of ELLE. Related Stories
