For a number of filmmakers, making Stephen King adaptations is like eating potato chips: they can’t just stop at one. Mike Flanagan is presently the most active, as he is working on Carrie and Dark Tower shows to follow his films Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep and The Life Of Chuck, but this is a trend that goes back to the beginning of the author’s relationship with Hollywood – the list of directors including George A. Romero, Lewis Teague, Frank Darabont, Tobe Hooper, and Mick Garris. Of course, one of the most significant names in the legacy is Rob Reiner, who has helmed two of the greatest King movies of all time in Stand By Me and Misery… and it is because of this stature that I am disappointed to report his thoughts about potentially making a third.
For this week’s edition of The King Beat, Reiner’s thoughts about making a new Stephen King adaptation is the lead story, but it’s one of multiple treats, as I also have some wonderful trivia for you about the making of the modern classic The Shawshank Redemption and how it very nearly had Tom Cruise in the lead role. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s dig in!
Rob Reiner Declines The Idea Of Completing A Stephen King Trilogy Following Stand By Me And Misery, And I Would Love For Him To Change His Mind
I could make the argument that the number three has a special place in Hollywood. The rule of thirds is part of the basic curriculum when it comes to cinematography; there is a long-held superstition about celebrities dying in threes; and in the development of franchises, creating trilogies is the typical go-to – a reflection of the “beginning-middle-end” story structure. When only two of something exists, it can generate a nagging feeling that something is missing… but if you’re holding out hope that Rob Reiner will someday direct a third Stephen King movie, you may want to let that dream die.
Last week, CinemaBlend’s Mick Joest had the wonderful pleasure of sitting down with Rob Reiner at San Diego Comic-Con, and while the majority of their conversation concerned Reiner’s work on the upcoming Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, I sent him into the interview with a special request that he raise the subject of Stephen King. Specifically, I wanted to know if any of the author’s other books or stories might appeal to him as a project to take on – but that’s evidently something that the filmmaker is not interested in pursuing at this point in his career. Said Reiner,
Well, our company has done I think seven Stephen King movies. I've done two; I did Stand By Me and then Misery. At this point, no. I mean, I've done them. But listen, he's a great writer, and like I say, we've done seven of his movies.
Said company is Castle Rock Entertainment – which is actually named for the fictional town that frequently serves as a setting for Stephen King’s stories – and there is no denying that the studio has made massive contributions to King’s legacy on the big screen. Reiner and his colleagues are responsible for making some of the best adaptations ever, and that doesn’t even include Stand By Me, which was made before Castle Rock was founded. The list of seven includes:
- Misery
- Needful Things
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Dolores Claiborne
- The Green Mile
- Hearts In Atlantis
- Dreamcatcher
Admittedly, it’s not a case of finishing out on top, as Dreamcatcher was notoriously panned by critics and was a bomb at the box office when it was released in 2003 (for what it’s worth, the book it’s based on isn’t very good either). Still, I can’t help but feel a touch disappointed that there isn’t another Stephen King story that has personally piqued Rob Reiner’s interest. His output as a director has slowed in recent years, with Spinal Tap II being his first narrative feature since 2017, but I have kept my fingers crossed for a long time wishing that he would make a personal follow-up to Stand By Me and Misery, and I’m sad to hear that door is apparently closed.
The good news: while there won’t be a third Rob Reiner Stephen King movie, his previous efforts are classics that can be watched an infinite number of times without getting old, and they are terrifically easy to watch. In addition to physical media releases and digital rental/purchase options for both, Stand By Me is presently available instantly with a Paramount+ subscription (including the Showtime add-on).
Rob Reiner Shares The Story Of How Castle Rock Entertainment Basically Chose Frank Darabont Over Tom Cruise In The Making Of The Shawshank Redemption
For those who don’t know the history behind how Frank Darabont came to direct The Shawshank Redemption, it’s actually a pretty cool tale. The filmmaker first caught the attention of Stephen King in the early 1980s when he made a Dollar Baby based on the short story “The Woman In The Room.” King was so impressed by the work that he granted Darabont the option to his novella “Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption” a few years later upon request, and the filmmaker’s script ended up earning him a fantastic offer from Castle Rock Entertainment: as reported by the Los Angeles Times in 1994, he could have sold the script for $2.4 million and let Rob Reiner direct, or he could direct it himself and make $750,000 plus a percentage of future profits. He chose the latter, and he ended up making one of the most beloved movies ever made.
There is, however, another wrinkle to the story that you might not know: Darabont’s determination to direct was challenge a second time in development when Tom Cruise expressed an interest in making the movie with Rob Reiner, and the young writer/director stuck to his guns.
At San Diego Comic-Con, Reiner told the full story to CinemaBlend. According to the filmmaker, the script for The Shawshank Redemption ended up in the hands of the A-lister after it had gone through a bit of development at Castle Rock Entertainment, and he liked it enough that he inquired about taking on the lead role. As genuine as his interest was, however, he apparently balked at the idea of the Stephen King story being in the hands of a first time director. Said Reiner,
Here's what happened with that. It was interesting. Frank Darabont brought the project to us. We did some work on it. We helped him develop it a little further, and we thought that... we had sent it to Tom Cruise and he was interested to play the Andy Dufresne character that Tim Robbins plays in it. But he said, 'Well, who's directing?' And we said, 'Frank.' And he said, 'Well, I...' [Frank Darabont] was a first time, basically a first time director at that point. And [Tom Cruise] said, 'If you direct it, I'll do it.'
I don’t really have to explain that this was a big deal, right? Tom Cruise obviously has no shortage of star power today between the success of Top Gun: Maverick and the Mission: Impossible franchise, but the mid-90s was the golden era for the actor – with movies like The Firm, Interview With A Vampire, and the original Mission: Impossible (and he also worked with Reiner on the 1992 critically acclaimed hit A Few Good Men).
Thus, the developing feature found itself with a sizable conundrum. Hiring Tom Cruise would have been a massive deal that could have perhaps saved The Shawshank Redemption from its ultimate fate of being a flop at the box office… but Castle Rock Entertainment had made a commitment to Darabont and the studio ethos regarding relationships with directors was kept at front of mind. Reiner continued,
And we thought, 'Hmm, wow. I mean, that would be a real chance to...' you know. And he was the number one star in America. He's still a huge star, but I mean, he was big star at the point. And so I said, 'Okay.' And we went to Frank, because we at Castle Rock, we've always said, we give you your head, we told you we will let you direct, and that was the whole idea that the lighthouse was a safe harbor for creative people to come.
So what could be done? The answer was ultimately pretty simple: the studio heads had a conversation with Frank Darabont and let him determine what would be the best course of action for the project:
We said, 'Look, we got an opportunity for Tom Cruise, but he wants [me to direct].' And he says, 'No, I want to direct.' And he said, 'Okay,' and we said, 'Okay,' And we let him do it. And we wound up with Tim Robbins, who's great, and Morgan Freeman. And it's a great movie and we're very proud of it. And some people consider it, you know, top 10 movies of all time.
As alluded to, the decision didn’t yield great short-term results, as The Shawshank Redemption failed to do any business at the box office, and while it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, it failed to take home a single trophy. But as noted by Rob Reiner, it is now considered by many to be one of the greatest cinematic achievements in history… even though it doesn’t star Tom Cruise.
That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat, but I’ll be back next Thursday with another new column examining all of the latest happenings in the world of Stephen King, so be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend!
