Stephen King’s book was published in 1974, and Brian De Palma’s film adaptation came out in 1976. Since then, there have been two more film adaptations, the most recent in 2013, starring Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore.
When I suggested it to Stephen King, he said, "Why? Forget it, let her rest in peace," director Mike Flanagan tells TT.
But Flanagan, who has directed several King adaptations before, didn’t want to rehash the old story of the bullied girl who takes bloody and fiery revenge on her bullies at the prom. He wanted to expand the story, add new characters, change the plot and show how bullying happens through social media today.
The book came out more than 50 years ago. So much has changed in the world since then - how schools work, what technology looks like, how cruelty and bullying have been normalized, he says.
“Fascinated and terrified”
This made Stephen King change his mind.
He said, "These new versions fascinate me; it doesn’t feel like we’re repeating something that’s been told before." He is both fascinated and terrified by social media, and he was there from the beginning.
A big difference is that Carrie’s mother, who in the book and Brian De Palma’s film was portrayed as a religious fanatic, is now a woman who loves her daughter and wants to protect her. Carrie herself is a curious young woman who realizes that she has telekinetic powers she can use against her tormentors.
Carrie is played by 22-year-old Summer H. Howell.
"I hadn’t actually heard of Carrie until I got the role. Now I’ve read the book and seen the other film adaptations," she tells TT.
“Believe in humanity”
Flanagan has idolized Stephen King since childhood and has directed the film adaptations of "Gerald’s Game", "Doctor Sleep" and "The Life of Chuck".
"Everything I know about storytelling I learned from him. And what I mean is, what he writes is not horror. Sure, there is an awful lot of nasty horror in the books - but deep down, in everything he has written, there is humanity and optimism," he says, continuing:
He writes about courage and love and friendship. And he does it in an environment filled with phenomenal, terrifying, sometimes brutally dark supernatural elements and human fear. But deep down he believes in humanity.
“Carrie” premieres on Prime Video on October 7.
In 1976, the film "Carrie" was released, directed by Brian De Palma and starring Sissy Spacek in the title role.
In 1999, a standalone sequel, "The Rage: Carrie 2", was released, directed by Katt Shea and starring Emily Bergl as Carrie.
In 2002, the TV movie “Carrie,” directed by David Carson and starring Angela Bettis, was released. It was originally intended as a TV series, but there was never a sequel.
In 2013, the feature film "Carrie" was released in theaters, directed by Kimberly Peirce and starring Chloë Grace Moretz as Carrie.
