The Life of Chuck Director Mike Flanagan Reveals Surprising Influence on His New Stephen King Movie

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When people learn that filmmaker Mike Flanagan (known for “Doctor Sleep” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”) is adapting a Stephen King short story, they might expect a chilling horror tale. However, his upcoming movie titled “The Life of Chuck,” starring Tom Hiddleston, deviates from this pattern. Instead, it offers a whimsical, inspiring, and extraordinary narrative centered around an ordinary man named Chuck Krantz. Flanagan’s knack for injecting authentic, poignant emotions into his work, even in the scariest productions, makes it unsurprising that “The Life of Chuck” garnered positive reviews and won the People’s Choice Award at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.

In conversation with ComicBook, Flanagan shared that creating a film for his own children played a significant role in the way he developed the storyline for The Life of Chuck.

Back in April 2020, when the Covid-19 shutdown occurred, I found myself struggling to explain the world situation to my kids and maintain their optimism. I was anxious and fearful, yet wanted to hide these feelings from them. Reading Stephen King’s story helped me cope with those emotions.” Flanagan later disclosed that this story provided him with a means of addressing his own anxiety and keeping hope alive for his children.

Flanagan Credits Lack of Studio Input for The Life of Chuck‘s Personal Touch

Featuring Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor (of “12 Years a Slave”), Karen Gillan (“Avengers: Endgame”), and Mark Hamill (“Star Wars: A New Hope”), along with an elite production team, “The Life of Chuck” seems destined to be a contender for awards season. Yet, contrary to popular belief, this film was not produced by a major studio. Director Flanagan asserts that this independent status allowed him to maintain the personal motivation behind making the movie – his desire to create it for his children – throughout the production process.

Flanagan shared that the story deeply touched him, inspiring an idea: he wished to create a movie that would resonate similarly with his children. Thus, they served as the motivation, influencing every creative decision made throughout the process. For a long time, his intended audience was them, without any studio intervention to steer him otherwise, ensuring it remained authentic.

So far, the movie’s authenticity has proven beneficial. Before its release, “The Life of Chuck” has garnered an impressive 88% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with numerous praises for director Flanagan’s heartfelt and genuine storytelling. The fact that he was able to create such a powerful film in a genre distinct from his usual work underscores his position as one of the most capable directors active today.

Fear not, horror enthusiasts! Mike Flanagan will once again collaborate with Stephen King in the horror genre, this time on Amazon’s reimagining of the Carrie series. Additionally, Flanagan confirmed that the The Dark Tower series is progressing. He mentioned he’s been advancing it, but the project’s grand scale necessitates a deliberate, measured approach to its development.

The Life of Chuck opens in select theaters on June 6th, then everywhere on June 13th.

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2025-06-04 22:39