Mr. Harrigan’s Phone: Joe Tippett joins Stephen King adaptation

Earlier this month, we heard that Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell will be starring in an adaptation of the Stephen King story Mr. Harrigan’s Phone that John Lee Hancock (The Highwaymen) is writing and directing for the Netflix streaming service. Now Deadline is reporting that Joe Tippett has joined them in the cast.

While Sutherland and Martell have both worked on King adaptations before (the 2004 mini-series version of Salem’s Lot for Sutherland, the films It and It: Chapter Two for Martell), this will be Tippett’s first King project. His previous credits include The Good Lord Bird, Mare of Easttown, and The Morning Show.

The story Mr. Harrigan’s Phone was included in King’s book If It Bleeds, which you can buy at THIS LINK. It centers on

Craig, a young boy living in a small town, who befriends an older, reclusive billionaire Mr. Harrigan. The two form a bond over books and an iPhone, but when the man passes away, the boy discovers that not everything dead is gone, and finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through the iPhone that was buried with him.

Martell is playing Craig and Sutherland is Mr. Harrigan. Tippett’s character is Craig’s father, “who is left to raise his only son alone after the death of his wife”.

I haven’t read the story this is based on yet. At first I had the feeling that this would be one of those King stories that tugs on your heartstrings more than it creeps you out, but I’ve since heard that it does go in a more horrific direction than I expected.

Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy Productions are teaming up to bring us Mr. Harrigan’s Phone. Jason Blum, Ryan Murphy, and Carla Hacken are producing the film, while Blumhouse Television’s Chris McCumber and Jeremy Gold serve as executive producers.

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone will be reaching Netflix sometime in 2022, but a specific release date hasn’t been announced yet.