Stephen King has offered high praise for Mike Flanagan’s film adaptation of “The Life of Chuck,” stating, “This is one of the good ones.” Both written and directed by Flanagan, the movie is based on King’s novella from the 2020 collection “If It Bleeds.” The film narrates the life of Chuck Krantz in reverse chronological order, from his childhood in a haunted house to an impending apocalypse in his adulthood. Tom Hiddleston stars as the titular character, alongside a cast including Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay.
Ahead of its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 6, Stephen King expressed his admiration for Flanagan’s adaptation on social media, stating, “This is one of the good ones.” Below is his post from X, formerly known as Twitter:
King’s message reads: “THE LIFE OF CHUCK bows tomorrow evening at the Toronto Film Festival. This is one of the good ones. It’s sad, has a touch of the paranormal, but it’s also joyful and life-affirming. Maybe not what you’d expect from me, but there ya go.”
How *The Life of Chuck* Stands Apart from Mike Flanagan’s Previous Stephen King Adaptations
#### A Departure from Horror
Flanagan, renowned for his contributions to the horror genre, has previously adapted King’s work in the 2017 film “Gerald’s Game” and the 2019 movie “Doctor Sleep.” The former intertwines psychological horror with thriller elements, while the latter is a direct supernatural horror sequel to “The Shining.” However, Flanagan’s third King adaptation, “The Life of Chuck,” moves away from horror. This represents a genre shift for both King and Flanagan, who are predominantly associated with horror narratives.
Flanagan is also working on an adaptation of King’s “The Dark Tower.”
Instead, “The Life of Chuck” aligns more closely with other King adaptations like “Stand by Me,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “The Green Mile.” Although the novella involves an impending apocalypse, it is more of a drama, focusing on characters reflecting on their past and lost love. The film has been aptly described as an apocalyptic version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Every Stephen King Non-Horror Movie, Ranked
Having watched Flanagan’s “The Life of Chuck,” King previously referred to it as “a happiness machine.” In his latest comments, King highlights that while the adaptation is joyful and life-affirming, it also blends sadness with supernatural elements. He acknowledges that this combination might be unexpected given his typical themes, yet he endorses the film as a compelling adaptation. The source material, coupled with Flanagan’s nuanced balance of emotional depth and paranormal aspects, could result in one of the most distinctive King adaptations in recent memory.
Source: Stephen King
The Life of Chuck
- Drama
- Fantasy
- Sci-Fi
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.
