Brief
Stephen King names Mike Flanagan the best adapter of his work
The 79‑year‑old author said he trusts Flanagan completely as executive producer on the new Carrie series and future Dark Tower adaptations.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Stephen King told the New York Times that he considers Mike Flanagan "the best adapter of my work" and that he has "right of disapproval over everything" but rarely uses it because he trusts Flanagan completely. The praise came as the director prepares a new version of King’s novel The Mist and continues work on a massive Dark Tower adaptation.
What happened
King, who serves as an executive producer on Amazon’s Carrie miniseries, said in a joint interview that he does not intervene in Flanagan’s creative decisions. The director’s previous King adaptations include Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck and the Carrie series, all of which have been highlighted for their unconventional approaches.
What the reports add
The New York Post article notes that Flanagan plans to adapt The Mist, stating there is "zero point in remaking" Frank Darabont’s 2007 film. It also reports that Flanagan holds the rights to King’s eight‑book Dark Tower saga and is working on what he calls "the consuming project of my career" – a multi‑genre expansion of the series.
What was said
"I have right of disapproval over everything," King told the New York Times, adding, "And basically I don’t use it, because I trust Mike completely. He is the King whisperer." Flanagan said, "If there wasn’t an excellent answer to ‘why,’ I wouldn’t do it," referring to his decision to tackle The Mist rather than remake the 2007 version.
How it came about
Flanagan’s reputation for reimagining King’s work grew after his 2017 adaptation of Gerald’s Game, a project that took 25 years to reach the screen. Subsequent films like Doctor Sleep and the recent Carrie series reinforced his status, leading King to grant him executive‑producer credit and broad creative freedom. The director’s current focus on The Mist and the Dark Tower project follows a pattern of expanding King’s universe while avoiding direct remakes of earlier films.
Key facts
- Stephen King called Mike Flanagan "the best adapter of my work". (nypost.com)
- Flanagan holds the rights to adapt King’s eight‑book Dark Tower series. (nypost.com)
- Flanagan plans a new adaptation of The Mist, not a remake of the 2007 film. (nypost.com)
- King serves as executive producer on the Amazon Carrie miniseries. (nypost.com)
- Flanagan’s previous King adaptations include Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck and Carrie. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Stephen King crowns Mike Flanagan ‘the best adapter of my work’ — and he’s just getting started”
