Carrieshowrunner Mike Flanagan teases a new take from the lead actor.Carriewill be a modern update on the classic Stephen King story, coming to Prime Video as a new series. King’s 1974 novel was famously adapted by Brian De Palma in 1976, but more takes on the novel have been filmed.The Rage: Carrie 2was released in 1999, a TV movie aired in 2002, and another theatrical version starring Chloë Grace Moretz came out in 2013. TheupcomingCarrieserieshas been promoted as having an updated take.
In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,Flanagan discusses the process of casting Summer H. Howellas the titular character. He mentions that 1,800 different performers auditioned for the role, and thatHowell’s performance will be “unlike anything that anyone’s ever done with the part before.“He also shares his excitement for viewers to be able to see what Howell will bring to the role. Check out Flanagan’s full statement below.
I think we looked at 1,800 different candidates for that role, it was an exhaustive process. Ultimately, I think we ended up with the right actor for the part. It took a long time to find her, and I can’t wait for people to see what she’s doing, because it’s unlike anything that anyone’s ever done with the part before.
What This Means For The Carrie Show
Flanagan Has Been Teasing Changes To Carrie
Flanagan has stated that theCarrieTV series will make changesto King’s story. While every adaptation to date has made alterations to the source material, as is common practice with any book, the story has been told faithfully before.The De Palma version only made small deviations from the noveland has stood the test of time as one of thebest King adaptations. Other attempts to adapt the material have not been met with the same level of praise.
Howell has previous experience working in horror projects such asCult of Chucky(2017) andSpirit in the Blood(2024). She will follow Sissy Spacek’s iconic performance and Moretz’s more recent performance.Spacek is synonymous with the role, and even continued her connection to the character by later recording the audiobook version ofCarrie. However, Howell is in good hands with Flanagan as he has already made outstanding adaptations of King’s work, includingGerald’s Game,Doctor Sleep, and theupcomingLife of Chuck.
Our Take On A Different Kind Of Carrie
The Story Makes Sense To Update
Carrietells the story of a teenage outsider who suffers from bullying and an untenable home life with her abusive mother. Whilethe themes are just as relevant today as they were in 1974when the novel was released, how they manifest looks different through a modern lens. While the new Carrie White may be faced with some of the same situations as her literary counterpart, the story is ripe for an update. Flanagan has experience making some significant changes to the source material, like he did withDoctor Sleep,so hopefully the performance and the updates help makeCarriea success when it releases.
Carrie
Cast
Carrie is an adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic novel of the same name, which tells the story of a bullied youth who develops supernatural abilities. Unlike previous adaptations of the work, this version—helmed by Mike Flanagan—will be a series instead of a feature film.
