Mike Flanagan’s upcoming Stephen King movie, The Life of Chuck, isn’t exactly what audiences might expect based on his past works, but it marks an exciting change for the celebrated filmmaker. While Mike Flanagan’s five Netflix TV shows have earned him widespread popularity and acclaim in the horror genre, the director has also long had success with original movies and book adaptations following his 2011 film debut, Absentia. After his long TV stint, Flanagan is returning to the film landscape in his first movie since 2019’s Doctor Sleep, with his next project being an adaptation of Stephen King’s 2020 The Life of Chuck novella.

Though it marks his first post-Netflix project, The Life of Chuck isn’t Mike Flanagan’s first Stephen King movie adaptation. Rather, Flanagan’s two most recent movies, Gerald’s Game (2017) and Doctor Sleep (2019) were both based on King novels of the same name, with each also debuting to substantial critical acclaim. However, while Mike Flanagan’s last seven films and five TV shows cemented the filmmaker as a staple in the horror genre, his next movie and Stephen King adaptation is quite different, which also paves the way for his other adaptations already in the works.

The Life Of Chuck Isn’t A Horror Movie (Unlike Mike Flanagan’s Past Films & TV Shows)

The Life of Chuck takes Mike Flanagan into new territory

Unlike Flanagan’s previous outings, The Life of Chuck isn’t actually a horror story, but rather falls more into the sci-fi/drama sector. Though it’s still possible that Flanagan will integrate horror elements into the story, it isn’t until the very end of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck that the tale begins to fit into that genre. Regardless, The Life of Chuck movie’s genre approach will be remarkably different from what audiences may have come to expect of a Mike Flanagan project.

The Life of Chuck tells the story of the titular character, played in Flanagan’s upcoming movie by Tom Hiddleston, but is presented in reverse chronological order. In Stephen King’s novella, the story begins with Chuck’s death at age 39, then concludes with Chuck’s childhood in a house that is supposedly haunted. As such, it really isn’t until the final act of The Life of Chuck that the story becomes more familiar ground genre-wise for Flanagan’s projects, and may take some time for fans of his works to adjust to. Flanagan himself noted back in October 2023 that “The Life of Chuck is not a horror movie” (via tumblr), though many will likely go into the movie with that expectation.

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Of course, the purportedly haunted house of The Life of Chuck’s ending is a trademark of Mike Flanagan’s horror tales. This concept serves as a foundation for his shows like The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Midnight Club, and The Fall of the House of Usher, as well as his movies Oculus (though more the Lasser Glass mirror than the house itself) and Ouija: Origin of Evil. Still, though The Life of Chuck will almost certainly have horror elements aligning with Flanagan’s past works, the movie will mark his farthest departure from the genre yet – an exciting prospect as he steps into a new chapter of his career.

The Life Of Chuck’s Horror Departure Will Help Prepare Audiences For Flanagan’s Other Upcoming Stephen King Adaptation

The Dark Tower will be another step away from typical horror genre expectations

Though Flanagan still hasn’t officially confirmed that the series has been greenlit, the acclaimed filmmaker is developing a TV show adaptation of The Dark Tower books by Stephen King. Somewhat similar to The Life of Chuck, The Dark Tower series is another step away from the horror-centric stories that Flanagan has become better known for. Though The Dark Tower novels still have horror aspects, the narrative is arguably Stephen King’s most genre-bending venture to date, and the same will be true for Flanagan if and when it hits the small screen.

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The Dark Tower books are a great mix of fantasy, sci-fi, neo-Western, and horror, so they give Mike Flanagan an intriguing playground of genres as he continues to step away from his comfort zone. Furthermore, The Dark Tower is a sprawling adventure that sets up a much bigger, expansive worldbuilding challenge than the relatively more contained story of The Life of Chuck, with both adaptations working to establish Flanagan’s mastery outside his primary horror skill sets. While The Life of Chuck movie may seem like a big change for Flanagan after his past movies and Netflix horror shows, the film will be a fitting step before his genre-bending Dark Tower adaptation.

Flanagan’s Life Of Chuck Movie Further Sets Him Up As Another Iconic Stephen King Director’s Replacement

Mike Flanagan is taking over the Stephen King director mantle from Frank Darabont

Understandably, a project being directed by Mike Flanagan based on a book by Stephen King may immediately be interpreted as a horror project, but the latter figure has proven that some of his greatest works are outside this genre. For instance, King’s stories The Body, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, Under the Dome, The Green Mile, and 11/22/63 generally fall outside the categorization of horror, and happen to be among his most influential and acclaimed works. Director Frank Darabont became well known for his ability to masterfully adapt King’s non-horror and horror projects, helming movies such as The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Green Mile (1999), and The Mist (2007).

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Now, it seems Flanagan is poised to take the mantle of the director best-equipped for King’s non-horror and horror movies alike. After already adapting King’s horror stories into movies for Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, Flanagan’s takes on The Life of Chuck and The Dark Tower will expand his expertise in regard to King’s larger bibliography, much like Frank Darabont in the ‘90s and ‘00s. With the last movie that Darabont directed having been The Mist in 2007, it seems Hollywood has now found its perfect replacement for the icon after more than a decade in Mike Flanagan.

Source: Mike Flanagan/tumblr

The Life of Chuck

Based on the short story written by Stephen King, The Life of Chuck is a drama/supernatural film by writer-director Mike Flanagan. Tom Hiddleston stars as the titular Charles Krantz and traverses three phases of his life, including his time spent growing up in a haunted house.