Mike Flanagan, the writer and director of the new series Carrie, has shared a message for Stephen King fans ahead of its release on Prime Video. The new adaptation of the classic novel arrives on October 7, with all eight episodes expected to land at the same time, allowing viewers to binge-watch the entire release at their own pace.
The series is a fresh take on Stephen King's debut novel, the story that kick-started his prolific writing career. Like the original, it follows misfit high-schooler Carrie White, played by Summer H. Howell, who has spent her life hidden inside her home with her fiercely protective mother, Margaret, played by Samantha Sloyan. After her father's sudden death, Carrie is thrust into the unforgiving ecosystem of public high school, where she must navigate a viral bullying scandal, the pressure and cruelty of the social-media age, and the awakening of mysterious telekinetic powers that rise alongside her adolescence.
Flanagan's approach to the adaptation
Ahead of the show's debut, Prime Video shared a note from Flanagan, the creative mind behind Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher. He has also penned and directed Stephen King adaptations of Gerald's Game, Doctor Sleep, and The Life of Chuck. However, he has revealed that Carrie is one of his best.
The nearly three-page-long statement details his thinking behind adapting the novel, particularly as it comes a little over 50 years after its original publication. In it, Flanagan also recognised and correctly predicted the immediate reactions from many fans. He revealed that the question of "why" the show is being made now would be "unavoidable". Some fans have indeed asked this, especially after the book has already been made into multiple films, first in 1976, which earned a sequel, as well as a 2002 made-for-television film and another big-screen version in 2013.
Reinvention for 2026
As a result, Flanagan confessed that he began to see the new series as a "reinvention". Dedicated fans of the original will notice that the nature of some characters has been significantly tweaked, as have a number of key plot points. This is why they make sense; they are happening in 2026, as opposed to the 1970s, when it was originally published. For example, social media plays a crucial part.
Flanagan was also inspired by real-world events, including a case where 13 children were raised in the confines of their home, their existence not even known to their neighbours, as well as the shocking tale of a town rocked by a social media bullying scandal.
A reassuring message for fans
Ultimately, Flanagan has a reassuring message for any fans set to watch the series before its release date, including those who are worried about its existence. Signing off his statement, he said: "I understand the 'why'. We’ve all lived with Carrie White for so long, we think we know her story by heart, but Carrie is one of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of my career. I was amazed how quickly this story, and this cast, pulled me away from my own preconceptions, expectations, and assumptions."
He continued: "We live in a world where we need, more than ever, to have frank and direct conversations about kindness, cruelty, empathy, and violence. To me, our version of Carrie isn’t a horror story; it is a tragedy, and one we see playing out in front of us every day. I never would have thought I would adapt Carrie for television, but I’m so glad that I did. I’m not exaggerating one bit when I say this is one of my all-time favourite projects, and I hope that you love her as much as I do."
Carrie is streaming on Prime Video from October 7.
