The Latest Horror Property Stuck in Legal Turmoil is THE MIST
Josh Millican
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In my recent retrospective of directors who have helmed multiple adaptations of Stephen King stories, I declared Frank Darabont the King (pun intended, obviously)! Not only are The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile both incredibly suspenseful and emotional, The Mist is often included on lists of the best horror movies of the 21st Century so far. The Mist is also a personal favorite of mine, as well, and I find it ironic that, while the film is divisive but harrowing, the TV series created by Christian Torpe was just terrible!
Related Article: Who Did It Best? These 10 Filmmakers All Directed Multiple Stephen King Movies
We’ve been giving a lot of coverage to the ongoing lawsuit between original Friday the 13th scribe and director, Victor Miller and Sean Cunningham respectively. It’s been a lengthy and often gut-wrenching drama and, unfortunately, The Mist may be the next horror property trapped in a legal quagmire. It’s all tied to the fall of Weinstein and whether or not rights to The Mist reverted back to Stephen King before or after the company’s collapse.
Related Article: After Winning Lawsuit, Victor Miller is Moving Forward with a FRIDAY THE 13TH Reboot at Vertigo
While Lantern Capital Partners bought up The Weinstein Company’s catalog when it went belly up, The Wall Street Journal has reviewed documents filed by attorneys on behalf of King wherein it’s maintained that the rights to the bestselling author’s novella were not part of the deal:
“In Tuesday’s filing, Mr. King’s attorney said Lantern informed the author in October that it didn’t intend to assume contracts related to the movie versions of The Mist and 1408, based on a short story. But Lantern said at the time that it did intend to hold onto the rights to The Mist, court papers say.”
Here’s hoping for a speedy resolution, and not because I’m in any hurry to see another remake of The Mist (especially after that TV series disaster). I really don’t want Lantern mucking around with it in any way. It feels much safer in King’s own hands and, let’s face it, writers deserve to have control over their works when contracts expire. King’s situation seems to be a byproduct of extremely bad timing.
Synopsis:
After a powerful storm damages their Maine home, David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his young son head into town to gather food and supplies. Soon afterward, a thick fog rolls in and engulfs the town, trapping the Draytons and others in the grocery store. Terror mounts as deadly creatures reveal themselves outside, but that may be nothing compared to the threat within, where a zealot (Marcia Gay Harden) calls for a sacrifice.
Are you a fan of The Mist? What do you think about the lawsuit Stephen King has filed against Lantern Capital Partners? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
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