Salem’s Lot first look images preview the long-awaited Stephen King adaptation, coming to Max later this year

Warner Bros. has been keeping director Gary Dauberman‘s adaptation of the Stephen King novel Salem’s Lot (buy a copy of the novel HERE) on the shelf for a long time – but they won’t be for much longer. The movie, which was supposed to be given a theatrical release back in September of 2022, is now set to be released through the Max streaming service this October (we’ll have to wait a while longer to hear the specific date), and to mark the occasion, Vanity Fair has unveiled a batch of first look images! One can be seen above, and you can check the others out at the bottom of this article.

This is the third adaptation of Salem’s Lot. The previous two were both mini-series, which aired in 1979 and 2004. This new take on the concept is said to be set in 1975, the same year King’s novel was first published. Here’s the synopsis: Haunted by an incident from his childhood, author Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover the town is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire and his loyal servant.

The film stars Lewis Pullman as author Ben Mears; Makenzie Leigh as Ben’s love interest Susan Norton; Spencer Treat Clark as Mike Ryerson, “one of the town’s simple folk”; Bill Camp as Matthew Burke, “a former high school English teacher who knows about the Marsten House’s evil past and helps out Ben”; Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody; Pilou Asbæk as the vampire’s familiar Richard Straker, whose style this time around includes a purple cloak, feathered Homburg hat, and push broom mustache; Nicholas Crovetti and Cade Woodward as Danny and Ralphie Glick; Jordan Preston Carter as horror fanatic Mark Petrie; William Sadler as Constable Parkins Gillespie; and John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan. Alexander Ward (American Horror Story) might be playing the vampire Kurt Barlow.

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Dauberman reveals that his take on Salem’s Lot was inspired by “the lurid humor and macabre extremism of late-night grindhouse thrillers.” He said, “You could do a very dry version of this movie, but that’s just not my personality. It’s trying to ride that wave’s ups and downs. You’re having fun with it, and then you can have a scare, and then you’re having fun again. Hopefully it feels like a complete ride at the end.” There are even some grindhouse / drive-in era tributes, like a poster for the 1974 blaxploitation classic Sugar Hill hanging on Mark Petrie’s wall and a sequence where the vampire hunting heroes take on vampires that are rising from the trunks of cars parked at a drive-in. Dauberman explained, “It’s this crazy sugar-high of a scene. I thought, ‘Yeah, this is what this is. This is a drive-in movie.’” To read more quotes from Dauberman, click over to the Vanity Fair article.

Are you looking forward to Salem’s Lot, and are you glad to hear it will be on Max in October? Let us know by leaving a comment below – and while you’re scrolling down, take a look at these images: