Mike Flanagan on Stephen King’s involvement with Gerald’s Game

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Mike Flanagan is one of my favorite directors currently working in the horror genre. I became a fan of his after peeping the killer mirror flick OCULUS a few years back and he all but sealed the deal of top horror directors when I checked out ABSENTIA, OUIJA: ORIGINS OF EVIL. and, most especially, HUSH.

Flanagan's next film is an adaptation of Stephen King's "unfilmable" novel GERALD'S GAME, which – like HUSH before it – is set to be a Netflix exclusive. The adaptation stars uber hottie Carla Gugino along with Henry Thomas and Bruce Greenwood.

Flanagan recently spoke to Mangled Matters about this upcoming Netflix/King flick and dropped some interesting bits of info on Carla Gugino, his approach to the film, and Stephen King's involvement.

Mike Flanagan on Carla Gugino:

“It was a challenge for everyone involved, but I don’t think anyone had it as hard as Carla.  This movie asks a lot of her.  When you take an actor, and remove their mobility, it eliminates one of their biggest tools.  Carla spends the majority of the film handcuffed to a bed.  First, there’s the physical discomfort of the restraint (it was actually very painful, I tried it myself and couldn’t last more than a few minutes in the cuffs).  But beyond that, there’s this level of exposure and vulnerability, both physically and emotionally.  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a situation that was this demanding on an actor.  Her performance is astonishing, and was hard-earned.”

On the film's release date:

“We don’t know yet when it’ll premiere, but I can’t wait for people to see it.  It’s been a passion project of mine since I was 19 years old, so I’ve basically wanted to make this movie for half my life. And you’re right, for a long time I thought it was unfilmable.  I don’t know if I’ve ever been as proud of a movie as I am of this one.  In a lot of ways, my previous work has all been building up to this.”

On Stephen King's involvement:

“We have been in touch – he’s been involved from the start, especially when it came to approvals and casting and such.  We’ve also been in touch since he saw the movie.  I was beyond excited that he responded to the film the way he did.  It was probably the biggest fan-boy moment of my life.”

On adapting Stephen King:

“As a lifelong King fan, I know how it feels to see an adaptation go south, and I was determined from the start that the film should honor his amazing novel.  Adapting King is a difficult and fragile thing – we’ve all seen what happens when it goes wrong.  As a Constant Reader, I never wanted Gerald’s Game to be in that pile.  I wanted him to love the film, and I was elated when he did.”

Knowing how involved Stephen King was in the upcoming flick only makes me more excited to see the eventual film. It already damn near tops my list of upcoming horror projects to check out, but now it may have gone even higher on that list. I cannot wait to know when it gets a release date!

You can read the full interview with Flanagan right HERE where he goes into his still unreleased (in the US) 2014 flick BEFORE I WAKE, and his thoughts on piracy. It is an interesting, quick read so give it a chance if you've got a minutes or two.

GERALD'S GAME synopsis:

When a harmless sex game between a married couple in a remote retreat suddenly becomes a harrowing fight for survival, wife Jessie must confront long-buried demons within her own mind – and possibly lurking in the shadows of her seemingly empty house. Among those she confronts are ghosts from her past and a vicious dog.

GERALD'S GAME is directed by Mike Flanagan from a script by Flanagan and Jeff Howard, based on the novel by Stephen King. The film stars Carla Gugino (see below), Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas, Carel Struycken, and Kate Siegel.

GERALD'S GAME is set to hit Netflix exclusively sometime next year.

There aren't too many actresses I'd watch handcuffed to a bed for two hours, but…