Uncovering the Unpopular: Stephen King's Neglected Adaptation of The Langoliers

Stephen King was thoroughly impressed with Rob Savage's adaptation of his novel The Boogeyman, to the extent that he offered the director another story to bring to the big screen. The film stars Sophie Thatcher, Vivien Lyra Blair, and Chris Messina as a grieving family who are terrorized by a malevolent entity after a stranger arrives at their door. Savage recently shared that King enjoyed The Boogeyman and disclosed more details about his interactions with the author on The Kingcast. Despite ongoing discussions regarding the film rights, King expressed his desire to work with Savage again and bring The Langoliers back to the screen.

Why The Langoliers Is One Of Steven Kings' Less Popular Adaptations

Due to legal constraints, I am unable to disclose much about this project as the rights are currently tied up. However, it is a project that I expressed my eagerness to work on with Stephen King. After he watched [The Boogeyman], he sent me an email expressing his interest in collaborating with me. I was ecstatic to receive such a surreal email and immediately suggested adapting The Langoliers. Stephen King was highly enthusiastic about the idea.

Stephen King's The Langoliers, a novella published in 1990, is often regarded as one of his most noteworthy pieces. The story centers around a group of passengers on a red-eye flight who end up stranded in an abandoned airport upon arrival. The travelers soon realize that they have been transported to a desolate reality, disconnected from time and space, and are now being hunted by otherworldly beings determined to consume them and everything around them. Despite receiving positive reviews upon its release, The Langoliers has been associated with negative criticisms due to its poorly received television adaptation.

Although The Langoliers received good viewership ratings upon its release on the ABC Network in May 1995, it was criticized for its pacing, characterizations, and poor special effects. Despite these flaws, director Tom Holland's previous films were praised for creating unnerving atmospheres, making him a fitting choice to bring the twisted reality of the passengers' experience to life. King's approval of Savage's desire to adapt The Langoliers for the big screen is a promising sign for horror enthusiasts, especially given the author's past criticisms of film adaptations of his works. While Savage is currently set to direct an adaptation of The Last Days of Jack Sparks, his approval from King leaves fans eager for more.

Source: The Kingcast