The reboot of Christine has been idling for a long time, but maybe it’s finally time to pop the clutch.
It’s been a long six months since Blumhouse Productions announced it was planning a remake of John Carpenter’s 1983 big-screen adaptation of the Stephen King classic Christine. But, this week, an update from writer/director Bryan Fuller finally surfaced on The Kingcast podcast.
Fuller–perhaps best known as the creator of Hannibal and Pushing Daisies–said the latest draft of his screenplay is finished and, in fact, has been sent to King for his input and approval. “We sent that Christmas present to Stephen King,” Fuller said, “and hopefully we’ll be getting feedback in the new year.”
The filmmaker explained that his screenplay is “a very faithful adaptation of the book. The book was in front of me the entire time I was writing the script.” Initially, he added, he had written a 122-page script, but Blumhouse asked him to get it under 100. “I think that made it a better script, a tighter script,” Fuller said.
And, apparently, Fuller’s treatment will differ in some areas from Carpenter’s vision. “I love the Carpenter film,” Fuller said, “but they are so many layers in the book. I feel like Carpenter’s movie is a cookie, and the King book is a tiramisu–with more layers of cream and chocolate and cakey goodness.”
Fuller believes his film is “much more beholden to the concept of the vampiric relationship between the car and Arnie. And certainly Roland LeBay has a lot to do in the story, and he wasn’t even in the Carpenter movie.”
King’s 1983 novel Christine follows the changes in the lives of Arnie Cunningham–and his friends, family and teenage enemies–after he buys a classic red-and-white 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine. The problem? The car seems to have a mind of its own and a possessive personality–which has a very bad influence on Arnie.
There is no timetable for the debut of Fuller’s adaptation (or any casting choices), so keep reading Horror News Network for the latest on Christine.
