Max has announced that the new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 bestselling novel Salem’s Lot will not be released in theaters but will exclusively appear on its streaming service.

Salem’s Lot was initially intended for a September 2022 release, but New Line pushed the film to spring 2023, citing COVID-related postproduction delays. The movie was later removed from the release calendar. Fans were concerned the movie was set to be shelved after Batgirl and Coyote Vs. Acme were written off for tax reasons.

In the movie, author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot to brainstorm ideas for his new novel. However, he discovers that bloodsucking vampires are attacking his hometown. Salem’s Lot was previously adapted as a two-part CBS miniseries in 1979, and Rob Lowe starred in an Emmy-nominated TNT series in 2004. 

In the new version, Lewis Pullman stars as Ben Mears; with Alfre Woodard, Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Spencer Treat Clark, Pilou Asbæk, and John Benjamin Hickey rounding out the ensemble cast. Veteran horror writer Gary Dauberman, known for writing the It and Annabelle films and for directing Annabelle Comes Home; wrote and directed the latest King adaptation.

King, who wrote the original 1975 novel, wrote on X in Febuary his opinions on the new adaptation. “Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good,” the author wrote on the social media platform formally known as Twitter. “Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the f***** things.”

Although no date has been released, fans can expect Salem’s Lot to be released on Max later this year.

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Source: Variety

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