Mike Flanagan’s Carrie Breaks Stephen King’s Sacred Adaptation Rule

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Mike Flanagan’s next project, based on a popular Stephen King novel, has a chance to do something different with adaptations of King’s work – something that many previous versions haven’t done.

Mike Flanagan often uses books and stories as inspiration for his films and series, but he rarely creates straightforward adaptations. Instead, he typically reimagines classic horror tales with a modern feel or weaves their themes into original, personal stories.

Mike Flanagan is expected to deliver a project comparable to his previous work with his new Stephen King adaptation, and it could redefine how King’s stories are brought to television.

No Stephen King Adaptation Has The Found Footage Format, But Mike Flanagan’s Carrie Can Change That

As a huge movie fan, especially of horror, it’s crazy how many Stephen King stories have been made into films and TV shows – he’s by far the most adapted author working today! Some of his books have been adapted multiple times, and I’m sure we’ll see even more adaptations down the line. But something I’ve noticed, which is really weird, is that no one has ever done a Stephen King story as a found footage movie or show. It just hasn’t happened!

Considering Stephen King famously called The Blair Witch Project one of the most frightening films he’s ever watched, it’s surprising that no one has ever filmed one of his stories as if it were found footage.

Mike Flanagan’s new adaptation of Carrie has the potential to be something truly different. Stephen King’s original novel is told in a unique way, using things like newspaper articles, excerpts from books written by people who survived the events, court records, and even telegrams. This structure offers a great chance to reimagine the story as a found footage film.

As a huge fan of Flanagan’s work, I was really intrigued to hear him talk about how he might approach a potential adaptation. He’s suggested it could even incorporate found footage, which is exciting! He’s described it as a modern take on Carrie, focusing on how bullying can be absolutely relentless now, thanks to the permanence of everything online. It sounds like he’s really thinking about how social media amplifies those kinds of experiences, and I’m here for it.

In a recent interview with MovieWeb, Flanagan pointed out that the famous locker room scene feels different now that everyone has phones. While it’s still unknown if the series will be filmed entirely as “found footage,” his comments indicate he plans to use the book’s storytelling style, which relies on letters and other documents.

This choice would uniquely give the adaptation a realistic, found-footage feel, something no other Stephen King movie or show has really tried before.

A Found Footage Carrie Would Be A Game Changer For Stephen King Adaptations

Custome Image by Yeider Chacon

Stephen King’s novel Carrie depicts the town of Chamberlain as completely destroyed after the prom night tragedy, essentially becoming a ghost town. However, most film and television adaptations of Carrie haven’t emphasized this detail, instead portraying the story as a contemporary teen horror taking place in a functioning town.

If Mike Flanagan stays true to the source material and avoids repeating the mistakes of previous film adaptations, the show’s use of found footage could make it the best Stephen King adaptation ever.

2025 brought some really inventive takes on Stephen King’s stories. However, many King adaptations feel quite similar to each other. If Mike Flanagan’s version of Carrie ends up being a found footage series, it could be something truly different and help break the mold for Stephen King adaptations.

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2026-01-19 05:18