Latest news with #TheLifeOfChuck
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It' Is Back and Derry-er Than Ever: HBO Series Is the Latest in Stephen King Cinematic Universe
The only other author, besides Stephen King, who can lay claim to having more of their work mined for television and film has got to be God. Show of hands of people who saw 'The Life of Chuck' earlier this year and had the 'Oh, right, that was based on a Stephen King story, of course' moment when the credits rolled. King is extremely prolific, and his myriad of tales tap into something specific about the human psyche — and most especially the innocence of childhood. Think of some of the most enduring King adaptations. 'The Shining.' 'Carrie.' 'Stand By Me.' The perspective of youth, in all its awkwardness, terror, and joy, is a persistent throughline. 'It' is the best example of this aspect of his work. The mammoth 1,000+ page 1986 novel has been memorably translated to film twice — once as the two-part Tim Curry 1990 miniseries and again as the Bill Skarsgård two-part film series (2017 and 2019). Generations of children of felt chills at the sight of rain jackets and red balloons because of these films and their source material. More from IndieWire Jay Leno Says Late Night Hosts 'Alienate' Viewers: 'I Don't Think Anybody Wants to Hear a Lecture' George Lucas Makes His First Ever Comic-Con Appearance So to make a full-fledged prequel television series out of the book makes sense. A (second) teaser for 'It: Welcome to Derry' was released July 27, which you can watch below. Warning: it may spoil whatever love you have for 'The Music Man.' What's most interesting about this trailer comes about 57 seconds in, when a bus is shown for 'Shawshank State Prison,' which is of course the setting of the King novella 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and its subsequent acclaimed film adaptation 'The Shawshank Redemption,' long listed as the No. 1 film ever by IMDb users. This puts the series not only in the same universe as the most recent 'It' films, but potentially in the same world as many other King works. The connections between King's own works have been discussed for decades — at least since the 2001 book 'The Stephen King Universe' was published. Pennywise — the titular 'It' clown — and the town of Derry are mentioned in a variety of King stories and screen translations, including 'Castle Rock,' 'The Dark Tower,' Insomnia,' 'Maximum Overdrive,' and 'Gray Matter.' Carrie White — you know, 'Carrie' — is mentioned directly in the 'It' novel. I mean, even the Overlook Hotel from 'The Shining' is mentioned in his book 'Misery.' Then King wrote his own sequel to that, 'Doctor Sleep,' which also became a movie. Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made it on to our screens, these subtle connections between Maine's favorite author's impressive catalogue was already on full display. So, right out of the gate, to include this nod and place 'Welcome to Derry' right smack nab in the Stephen King pantheon is indeed a 'welcome' move. At Comic-Con on July 27, fans were also treated to a 10-minute preview of the new show (which has not been made available online as of this writing). According to Entertainment Weekly, the scenes — set in 1962 — follow a boy who sneaks into a movie theater, is caught, and then escapes… only to hitch a ride with a mild-mannered family that turns out to be the shape-shifting 'It.' This intro echos that of its source material, which also opens on a young boy's gruesome death at the hands of Pennywise. The eight-episode 'It: Welcome to Derry' premieres on HBO and HBO Max this October. Watch the first teaser trailer, released in May, below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It' is Back and Derry-er Than Ever: HBO Series Is the Latest in Stephen King Cinematic Universe
The only other author, besides Stephen King, who can lay claim to having more of their work mined for television and film has got to be God. Show of hands of people who saw 'The Life of Chuck' earlier this year and had the 'Oh, right, that was based on a Stephen King story, of course' moment when the credits rolled. King is extremely prolific, and his myriad of tales tap into something specific about the human psyche — and most especially the innocence of childhood. Think of some of the most enduring King adaptations. 'The Shining.' 'Carrie.' 'Stand By Me.' The perspective of youth, in all its awkwardness, terror, and joy, is a persistent throughline. 'It' is the best example of this aspect of his work. The mammoth 1,000+ page 1986 novel has been memorably translated to film twice — once as the two-part Tim Curry 1990 miniseries and again as the Bill Skarsgård two-part film series (2017 and 2019). Generations of children of felt chills at the sight of rain jackets and red balloons because of these films and their source material. More from IndieWire Jay Leno Says Late Night Hosts 'Alienate' Viewers: 'I Don't Think Anybody Wants to Hear a Lecture' George Lucas Makes His First Ever Comic-Con Appearance So to make a full-fledged prequel television series out of the book makes sense. A (second) teaser for 'It: Welcome to Derry' was released July 27, which you can watch below. Warning: it may spoil whatever love you have for 'The Music Man.' What's most interesting about this trailer comes about 57 seconds in, when a bus is shown for 'Shawshank State Prison,' which is of course the setting of the King novella 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and its subsequent acclaimed film adaptation 'The Shawshank Redemption,' long listed as the No. 1 film ever by IMDb users. This puts the series not only in the same universe as the most recent 'It' films, but potentially in the same world as many other King works. The connections between King's own works have been discussed for decades — at least since the 2001 book 'The Stephen King Universe' was published. Pennywise — the titular 'It' clown — and the town of Derry are mentioned in a variety of King stories and screen translations, including 'Castle Rock,' 'The Dark Tower,' Insomnia,' 'Maximum Overdrive,' and 'Gray Matter.' Carrie White — you know, 'Carrie' — is mentioned directly in the 'It' novel. I mean, even the Overlook Hotel from 'The Shining' is mentioned in his book 'Misery.' Then King wrote his own sequel to that, 'Doctor Sleep,' which also became a movie. Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made it on to our screens, these subtle connections between Maine's favorite author's impressive catalogue was already on full display. So, right out of the gate, to include this nod and place 'Welcome to Derry' right smack nab in the Stephen King pantheon is indeed a 'welcome' move. At Comic-Con on July 27, fans were also treated to a 10-minute preview of the new show (which has not been made available online as of this writing). According to Entertainment Weekly, the scenes — set in 1962 — follow a boy who sneaks into a movie theater, is caught, and then escapes… only to hitch a ride with a mild-mannered family that turns out to be the shape-shifting 'It.' This intro echos that of its source material, which also opens on a young boy's gruesome death at the hands of Pennywise. The eight-episode 'It: Welcome to Derry' premieres on HBO and HBO Max this October. Watch the first teaser trailer, released in May, below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tom Hiddleston's ‘The Life Of Chuck' New On Streaming This Week, Report Says
Tom Hiddleston in "The Life of Chuck." Director Mike Flanagan's The Life of Chuck, starring Tom Hiddleston, is reportedly coming to digital streaming this week. After opening in limited release on June 6, The Life of Chuck — which is based on a short story by Stephen King — expanded to theaters nationwide on June 13. Released by indie studio NEON, the film's summary reads, 'From the hearts and minds of Stephen King and Mike Flanagan comes The Life of Chuck, the extraordinary story of an ordinary man. This unforgettable, genre-bending tale celebrates the life of Charles 'Chuck' Krantz as he experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.' Rated R, The Life of Chuck is expected to be released on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Tuesday, July 29, When to Stream. While When to Stream is typically accurate with its streaming reports, the streaming tracker noted that Neon has not announced or confirmed the release date of the film and as such, it is subject to change. The Life of Chuck is currently listed on Prime Video for pre-order for $19.99, which is also the film's digital purchase price. Since PVOD rentals are typically $5 less than purchase prices, viewers can expect to rent The Life of Chuck for $14.99 for 48 hours. In addition to Prime Video, The Life of Chuck will also be available on such digital platforms as Apple TV, Fandango at Home and YouTube. Tom Hiddleston Says He Was 'Overwhelmingly Moved' By 'The Life Of Chuck' Screenplay In an interview with Men's Health published in mid-June, Tom Hiddleston said that he read Mike Flanagan's screenplay for The Life of Chuck in one sitting and that he was "overwhelmingly moved' by it. 'I understood what Mike's extraordinary screenplay and Stephen King's short story was trying to say, which is that every seemingly ordinary human life is magic,' the Loki star told Men's Health. 'And that inside the soul of every human being is an internal world of connections, both real and imagined, connections to people we love, to experiences we've shared, to memories we've made.' In addition to Hiddleston, The Life of Chuck also stars Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak and Cody Flanagan as the younger versions of Chuck. The film's cast also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mia Sara, Karen Gillan, Carl Lumbly, David Dastmalchian, Matthew Lillard, Harvey Guillén and Mark Hamill. The Life of Chuck is expected to be released on PVOD on Tuesday.
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tom Hiddleston's ‘The Life Of Chuck' Gets Streaming Date, Report Says
"The Life of Chuck" partial poster featuring Tom Hiddleston. The Life of Chuck, director Mike Flanagan's movie adaptation of the Stephen King story starring Tom Hiddleston, is coming soon to streaming. The Life of Chuck opened in limited release in theaters on June 6 before it expanded to a wide release on June 13. The official summary for the movie reads, 'From the hearts and minds of Stephen King and Mike Flanagan comes The Life of Chuck, the extraordinary story of an ordinary man. "This unforgettable, genre-bending tale celebrates the life of Charles 'Chuck' Krantz as he experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.' Rated R, The Life of Chuck also stars Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak and Cody Flanagan as the younger versions of Chuck. The film's cast also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mia Sara, Karen Gillan, Carl Lumbly, David Dastmalchian, Matthew Lillard, Harvey Guillén and Mark Hamill. The Life of Chuck is expected to be released on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Tuesday, July 29, When to Stream reported. While When to Stream's PVOD reports are typically accurate, the streamer tracker noted that The Life of Chuck's release date for digital streaming has not been announced or confirmed by its studio, Neon, and it is subject to change. Currently, The Life of Chuck is available for pre-order for $19.99, which will be the film's purchase price on digital. Since digital rental prices are generally $5 less than purchase prices, viewers can expect to rent the film for 48 hours for $14.99. How Did Audiences And Critics React To 'The Life of Chuck'? The Life of Chuck has earned $6.3 million domestically and $1.1 million internationally for a worldwide box office tally of $7.4 million to date. The film's production budget is not available. The Life of Chuck received an 81% 'fresh' rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics based on 211 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads, 'Showing a sweeter side of director Mike Flanagan's deeply-felt emotional register, The Life of Chuck is a buoyant and often wonderful adaptation of one of Stephen King's more cosmically optimistic tales.' Audiences gave The Life of Chuck an 88% 'fresh' score on RT's Popcornmeter based on 500-plus verified user ratings. The RT audience summary for the film reads, 'The Life of Chuck refreshingly defies the norm, delivering a heartfelt non-linear experience that brings joy in the form of a dancing Tom Hiddleston.' The Life of Chuck is expected to be released on PVOD on July 29.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Best Stephen King movie adaptations, ranked (including 'The Life of Chuck')
Love movies? Live for TV? USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter has all the best recommendations, delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now and be one of the cool kids. Almost as long as that legendary master of horror Stephen King has been keeping book lovers up at night, filmmakers have been adapting his novels and short stories. Which means there have been some stone-cold classics ("The Shining," anyone?) and more than a few clunkers. For every "The Dark Tower," there's an "It" – though we got two of those, both of them good. So is the new one: Director Mike Flanagan's uplifting film "The Life of Chuck" (in theaters now), based on the novella from King's "If It Bleeds" collection, stars Tom Hiddleston as the title character whose life story gets told in reverse chronological order. It's a pretty big 2025 for King and his Constant Readers. The year has already seen the release of "The Monkey," and this fall brings dystopian thriller "The Long Walk" (Sept. 12) – with Mark Hamill torturing quite a few members of young Hollywood – and Edgar Wright's new take on "The Running Man" (Nov. 7) starring Glen Powell. And on the book front, King's latest novel "Never Flinch" is new in stores while "Hansel & Gretel," his children's book with Maurice Sendak, is out Sept. 2. In honor of "Chuck," here are the most essential King movies, ranked: Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood play a couple who go on a romantic getaway to rekindle their marriage. The wife gets handcuffed to the bed, hubby has a heart attack, there are no neighbors to call and she struggles to maintain her sanity in a stressful situation. (Also, good luck trying to unsee the super-duper creepy Moonlight Man.) Where to watch: Netflix. So what if this futuristic action flick isn't exactly faithful to the '82 King book (written as Richard Bachman)? It's an enjoyable time watching Arnold Schwarzenegger as a framed military man on a brutally deadly game show, tackling over-the-top bruisers and TV host baddie Richard Dawson in a movie that's more WrestleMania than social satire. Where to watch: Paramount+, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. Gory and gloriously absurd, the horror comedy stars Theo James in a dual role as twins who thought they got rid of a cursed monkey toy when they were kids until it comes back into their lives and brings a whole heap of bloody death. Sure, it's extremely demented, but this wacky film also has something deep to say about mortality. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. The sentimental prison drama based on King's serial novel gets its hooks in thanks to the one-two emotional punch of Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. Hanks plays a death row prison guard who doesn't know what to make of a gentle but enigmatic giant (Duncan), convicted of murdering two girls, who exhibits strange abilities. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. In the most underrated King movie, a supernatural skeptic (John Cusack) who writes about haunted places takes interest in the legendarily creepy room of a New York high-rise. It's astoundingly kooky but also a thoughtful study of cynicism and belief. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. Ewan McGregor stars in "The Shining" sequel as a grown-up Danny Torrance, decades past surviving the horrors at the Overlook Hotel, now sober after years of alcoholism and helping a young psychic girl (Kyliegh Curran). It mines familiar ground by carrying over "Shining" themes and characters, but it's best going its own way as a reluctant hero's journey. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. King is as much a master of Americana as he is frights, and Rob Reiner's coming-of-age tale of four misfits and their adventures to find a dead body is top notch at capturing the unbreakable bond of friendship and the fleeting nature of childhood innocence. Where to watch: Paramount+, Pluto TV, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. How do you make a King novella even more bleak? Director Frank Darabont manages to do that rather well with this story of small-town Maine folks stuck in a supermarket, thanks to a mysterious mist and monstrous hidden creatures outside. Come for the paranoia and tribalism, stay for the gut-punch ending. Where to watch: Paramount+, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. A modern take might have nutty Annie Wilkes making a TikTok or simply sliding into the DMs of author Paul Sheldon to profess her fandom but it wouldn't have been so malevolently perfect as this pre-Internet chiller. Kathy Bates earns her Oscar and then some, taking Annie's terrifying adoration for James Caan's Sheldon to a disturbing, hide-your-eyes level. Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. Christopher Walken is a psychic schoolteacher who 'sees' someone's secrets if he touches them, including a vision of a nuclear holocaust after shaking the hand of a senatorial candidate (Martin Sheen). More than 40 years later, the film's political bent seems timelier than ever. Where to watch: Pluto TV, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. Sissy Spacek exudes quiet, tortured grace as a teenager just blossoming into womanhood, leading to bullying from classmates and her abusively religious mom (Piper Laurie). The last 30 minutes is a jaw-dropping transformation from childhood innocence to murderous hysteria. Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. Taking the friendship stuff from "Stand by Me" and weaving in a deliciously evil clown in a poufy wardrobe, "It" works magic on a lot of different levels and leaves you desperately seeking more Pennywise. Warning: May not be for those skeeved out by buckets of blood shooting out of a sink. Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. A more life-affirming, dance-filled Stephen King movie than you probably expect. Featuring Tom Hiddleston as a businessman with some sweet moves, it's a proudly unconventional flick that begins with the end of the world and ends with a haunted attic, and everything in between is a thought-provoking delight. Where to watch: In theaters. There's not much scary here other than some jail guards. Instead, what makes "Shawshank" an all-timer is the core friendship of two inmates (played by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) who figure out they'd better 'get busy living or get busy dying." Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. King notoriously disliked Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, but it's the best of the entire lot. Come for the infamous scenes – 'Heeeeere's Johnny,' anyone? – and stay for the exceptional exploration of isolation, one man's descent into madness, and the terrifying effect on his family. Where to watch: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The best Stephen King movies, ranked (including 'Life of Chuck')
