Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck starring Tom Hiddleston gets a release date

After winning the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the Mike Flanagan-directed adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck is getting an official release date. Flanagan’s fantasy drama, starring Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan, Harvey Guillén, and more, comes to theaters on May 30, 2025. Neon distributes the adaptation, which also stars Mia Sara, David Dastmalchian, Matthew Lillard, Jacob Tremblay, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Siegel, Mark Hamill, Lauren LaVera, and Q’orianka Kilcher.

Variety posted a description for The Life of Chuck in September, saying, “Adapted from Stephen King’s 2020 novella, The Life of Chuck stars Tom Hiddleston and is directed by Mike Flanagan. Billed as a ‘life-affirming’ story about an ordinary man named Charles Krantz, the film is split into three distinct chapters that unfurl in reverse chronological order and are set against the backdrop of a world that appears to be slowly crumbling.”

JoBlo’s Chris Bumbray saw The Life of Chuck at TIFF, saying it was one of his Top 10 Films from the annual event. In his review, Chris writes, “Ultimately, Life of Chuck is different for Flanagan because he can fully explore the rich characterizations that define his work without hitting those genre beats. While that might limit his audiences, his fans (of which I am one) will undoubtedly appreciate this detour and find The Life of Chuck a bittersweet tearjerker. More than anything, it’s a warning that our time on earth is limited and that it’s best to find joy wherever we can, even in the most fleeting moments.”

Oh, boy. The Life of Chuck sounds like it will hit me right in the feels. I’m already dangling by a thread. Do I really need Mike Flanagan and Stephen King to add to the pile? Then again, an old-fashioned retrospective nightmare builds character. Now, perhaps more than ever, it’s worth taking stock of all you have, knowing it could all go away in the blink of an eye. I love the idea of Mike Flanagan breaking out of his usual material for The Life of Chuck. We might never reach Shawshank Redemption heights, but we can try.