I asked Playboy for info about Mute and this is what they sent me:
MUTE: A traveling salesman picks up a hitchhiker and pours out his heart about his wife's infidelity -- with surprising results -- in this short story by Stephen King
They also told me that it will cover 11 pages in the magazine.
Today I got the hardcover edition of Gunslinger Born and while I won’t review it until later I have to tell you that there is an open letter from King. In it he talks about his ideas for upcoming comics and let me tell you, they sound mighty fine!
Roth talks about Cell with MTV:
MTV: What's the latest on your adaptation of Stephen King's "Cell"?
Roth: The latest with "Cell" is that the script is not finished. I've realized that I can't multitask in the writing department; I can only kind of do one thing at a time. So right now I'm working on [a guest-director episode of] "Heroes," and then I'll work on "Trailer Trash," and then we'll see about "Cell" after that.
Here are two reviews of the test screening of The Mist. The first one is by Randy of AFTimes and the second by Jacked_up and they are both published over at Ain’t it Cool.
In one of the reviews there where talks about the rating of the movie and to set those questions straight Frank Darabont himself contacted Ain’t it Cool and left this message.
Please note that there are some spoilers in the reviews…
As some of you might have guessed it's now confirmed that King has enough stories for a new collection. This is from the official message board:
It's already on the planning board. There are finally enough new ones to complete a collection. It's titled (at least for now) Pocket Rockets...I don't think I'm at liberty yet to reveal which stories will be included, but will do so as soon as I can.
King answers 5 questions asked by USAToday and one is this interesting question about something called A Very Tight Place. Here you can read the other 4. What are you writing? It's called A Very Tight Place. Not a novel but a long story. I've been writing lots of stories lately. I wonder why?
Shock till you drop has this to report:
It was back in April when we first told you Tobe Hooper was possibly going to direct Stephen King's From a Buick 8 based on a script by Johnathon Schaech and Richard Chizmar.
Variety has confirmed Hooper is ready to roll on the project and that Moonstone Entertainment chairman-CEO Etchie Stroh and Amicus Entertainment prexy Robert Katz are producing. Amicus is behind Stuart Gordon's recent thriller Stuck. Schaech, Chizmar and Mick Garris will co-produce.
Set in Pennsylvania, the story concerns a otherwordly Buick Roadmaster that was obtained by the state police of Troop D. The relic becomes the fascination of a young man whose father, an officer, was killed in a terrible accident.
"From a Buick 8 will not be your stock horror film by any means. There's a really cool, layered quality to the story," Hooper tells the Hollywood trade. "The producers, writers and I shared the same sensibility about the project and responded to it in a similar way."
King has a new story coming in the December 2007 issue of Playboy called Mute:
MUTE--In a confession to a priest, a traveling salesman tells of his encounter on the Maine turnpike with a deaf-mute hitchhiker to whom he rants about his adulterous wife. Master of the macabre STEPHEN KING delivers another compelling tale with a twist.
As you might know King is a fan of the book The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. Now the book has been turned into a movie (that will be out on DVD in December) and here is what King has to say about the movie:
"The first authentically shocking American film I've seen since Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer over 20 years ago. If you are easily disturbed, you should not watch this movie. If, on the other hand, you are prepared for a long look into hell, suburban style, The Girl Next Door will not disappoint. This is the dark-side-of-the-moon version of Stand By Me."
-- Stephen King.
To celebrate this The Overlook Connection will include a free signed book plate by Jack Ketchum if you buy the book from them (this edition has a 3,000 word long introduction by King) and they will also sell signed copies of the DVD once it’s available.
Here is a new behind-the-scenes video from the set of The Mist. And here is a contest where you can win a signed (by both King and Darabont) copy of the audio version of The Mist.
Stephen will be making two appearances in October to promote the Best American Short Stories (2007) which he edited. He will be in New York on October 10th and in Boston on October 16th. For more information, please go to the web sites for each venue:
The 1408 contest is over and her are the correct answers:
Question 1: What is the release date for 1408 on DVD in the US? Answer 1: October 2, 2007
Question 2: Who directed 1408? Answer 2: Mikael Håfström
Question 3: Did Stephen King have a cameo in 1408? Answer 3: No
And here are the winners:
- Kyle Clark
- Chris Loan
- Jackie Metcalf
- Paul Roukat
- Darlene Wright
- Tom Twinem
- Dawn Rosconi
- Alex Willis
- Laura Peckyno
- Robin Wallace
- Justin Tate
- Cheryl CJ Clickstein
- Bill Smith
- Keith Young
- John Suit
- Fred Pellerito
- Judith Beier
- Benjamin Barbee
- Jeannie Horning
- Michael Danielson
Here is info about a 1408 game:
DALLAS, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fifty-six people have met their doom in the Dolphin Hotel's haunted Room 1408. Now, just in time for the Halloween season, BLOCKBUSTER(R) is giving consumers the room key to see if they'll be next. The online game "1408 Room & Doom," inspired by the fictional movie "1408" starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, launches today along with a sweepstakes at www.1408themoviedvd.com. Both the game and sweepstakes highlight that BLOCKBUSTER will have exclusive rentals and alternate endings of the Weinstein Company film "1408" when it is released on DVD on Oct. 2.
Now through Halloween, "1408 Room & Doom" will pit players against the evil forces of Room 1408. There is only one way to escape: to find the hidden key releasing them from the room. Players will experience eerie flashbacks from scenes from the movie and, if they are unable to outwit the evil room, one of several unpleasant fates. Like in the movie and the Stephen King short story it's based on, a clock counts down the seconds until your untimely death.
Players who survive the psychological onslaught of Room 1408 will receive one of three bonus experiences. These include a special "1408" wallpaper download or a sneak peak at an alternate ending to the movie, otherwise available only on rentals from BLOCKBUSTER. In a third experience, players can watch a trailer and behind-the-scenes footage of "The Mist," a Frank Darabont-directed horror film also based on a Stephen King thriller coming to theaters Nov. 21.
Those who want to share the "1408 Room & Doom" game experience can email a postcard to a friend with the ominous warning sent to John Cusack's character in the movie: "Don't Enter 1408."
The game is available online at www.1408themoviedvd.com through Oct. 31. Those who play "1408 Room & Doom" also have the option of entering the "1408 Room & Doom" sweepstakes. Prizes include a grand prize trip for two to New York City, which is the setting for the movie "1408," or American Express(R) gift cards. No purchase is necessary, nor is participation in the game or BLOCKBUSTER membership required to enter the sweepstakes. Entries must be made by Oct. 14.
The "1408 Room & Doom" game and sweepstakes highlight the psychological fright film "1408" and two alternate endings that will be available exclusively on rentals from BLOCKBUSTER beginning Oct. 2. Those who want to see if John Cusack's character lives, dies or somewhere in between can rent "1408" at BLOCKBUSTER stores or online at www.blockbuster.com.
"1408", released by Genius Products, is part of an agreement that provides Blockbuster Inc. with exclusive U.S. rental rights to The Weinstein Company's theatrical and direct-to-video movies. Other recent Weinstein Company releases made available for rent exclusively through Blockbuster include "Miss Potter" starring Renee Zellweger, the ensemble feature "Bobby" from Emilio Estevez and the "Grindhouse" double feature including Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof" and Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror."
As you all know Silver Bullet Comics didn't hold up their end of the deal
that I made with them for a contest that I ran some time ago. For this I'm
very sorry. However, many of you have mailed me telling me that you have had
the same experience while dealing with Silver Bullet Comic, so it seems
that's the way they do their business.
However, today I'm very happy to let you all know that I have made a new
deal with an online comics store called Tales of Wonder. They have agreed to
send out the prizes that Silver Bullet Comics failed to send, which means
that all winners will get their prizes after all. For this I am extremely
happy.
I also want to thank Tales of Wonder for stepping up and doing this, and I
would also like to ask you all to stop by their site and show them your
support. After all, how many stores would do what they now do?
King's comments on turning 60:
From the official site:
To Everyone,
Although I am trying to make the best of it, turning 60 is a bit of a bummer. Nevertheless, so many people who visit the web site have cheered me up with their greetings and good wishes. Not to mention all the people who contributed checks to The Haven Foundation to mark my passage into the golden city of Geezerdom! Thank you all! And now, please, can't we just forget the whole thing? From now on, I am going backwards. Next year I will be 59 and by 2017, I will be 50 again.
Love and best wishes to all you Constant Readers out there,
I’m very sorry to have to do this but as it is now I feel I have no other choice. As you might remember I ran a contest some months ago where the prices were issues of Marvel’s comic; Gunslinger Born. The sponsor of that contest was Silver Bullet comic and unfortunately they have not honoured their part of the agreement.
The deal was that they would provide the issues and also send them directly to the winners. This has not happened. Instead, what has happened is that they have done absolutely nothing and when the winners or I contact them about it they just ignore our mails.
As you all understand this is not the correct way to do business. It reflects badly on me personally and on Lilja’s Library and it makes the winners understandably very frustrated. That is why I now feel the need to put this info on my site.
And to prevent others from having the same problems the winners and I have with Silver Bullet comics I now want to warn you all for having anything to do with them. They have proven again and again that they don’t hold up their part of the deal.
I also want to apologize to anyone that has done business with them because of their banner on my site. I thought they were reliable but it turns out they weren’t and I just hope it haven’t caused too many problems for you!
Here is a first look at The Long Road Home. These illustrations have not been published anywhere else until now so enjoy. They look very promising if you ask me.
The Talisman has been delayed again...
Steven Spielberg's latest attempt to bring "The Talisman" to the screen has hit a snag.
TNT's six-hour adaptation of the Stephen King-Peter Straub novel, executive produced by Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, has been put on hold because of budgetary issues, sources said.
The limited series, from DreamWorks TV, was announced by TNT with big fanfare in December and slated for a summer 2008 premiere.
After all scripts were recently completed, it became clear that their execution would require a larger budget than previously allocated, sources said.
The fantasy-horror project, about a boy's quest through this world and a parallel world known as the Territories to find a talisman that will save his mother, is said to involve elaborate special effects. TNT and DreamWorks are now addressing the financial issues and looking for ways to make the series, sources said.
"Talisman" has been a passion project for Spielberg and Kennedy, who have developed it since optioning the book about 25 years ago though Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment.
Originally, "Talisman" was envisioned as a feature, with Richard LaGravenese writing a draft in the early 1990s.
In 2000, the project was set up at ABC as a four-hour miniseries executive produced by Spielberg and Kennedy. Mick Garris was brought in to write and direct the mini, but after he delivered the script to the network, ABC opted not to proceed with the project because of what was reported at the time as budget issues.
"I got a call from Kathleen Kennedy saying the network said they can't afford it," Garris told IGN FilmForce in a 2003 interview.
"Talisman" was resurrected as a feature again at Universal Pictures and DreamWorks. After a series of writers, including Ehren Kruger, Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro; directors, including Vadim Perelman and Ed Zwick; and production start dates, including July and then September 2004, the project was put on the back burner until Spielberg mentioned it to TNT's Michael Wright in summer 2005 after TNT and DreamWorks TV's collaboration on the 12-hour mini "Into the West."
Here are some info about the omnibus edition of Gunslinger Born:
On November 7, the year's biggest comic book event will be chronicled in graphic novel format for the first time as Marvel Comics launches an epic, 240-page hard cover edition of "Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born," adapted from the master of modern horror Stephen King’s magnum opus.
The graphic novel will bring together the complete, initial 7-issue story arc of the comic book series that ranks as one of the year’s biggest sellers and generated huge media attention and significant acclaim. The graphic novel will be available for a suggested retail price of $24.99.
Under the direction and guidance of King himself, collaborating with the all-star creative team of "Dark Tower" expert Robin Furth (Stephen King's "The Dark Tower: A Complete Concordance"), The New York Times-bestselling author Peter David, and Eisner Award-winning artist Jae Lee and fan-favorite Richard Isanove, "Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born" expands the saga of King's epic hero, Roland Deschain, whose quest to save the Dark Tower is captured in seven best-selling novels published over the course of twenty-five years.
King's unparalleled storytelling power presents new tales that delve into the life and times of the young Roland, revealing the trials and conflicts that lead to the burden of destiny he must assume as a man, the last Gunslinger from a world that has moved on. The graphic novel works in conjunction with the actual novels, further supplementing and defining the saga's mythology.
In addition to presenting the complete initial story arc, "Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born" will also present fans with exciting bonus material. Leading the way is a series of all-new illustrations from Lee.
"As a lifelong fan of Marvel comic books, and as an adult reader who’s seen comics 'come of age' and take their rightful place in the world of fantasy and science fiction, I'm excited to be a part of Roland's new incarnation," said Stephen King earlier this year when announcing the actual comic book series.
If you’re a fan of The Secretary of Dreams and Glenn Chadbourne this is your chance to get something really cool. Cemetery Dance is selling out Glenn’s original artwork and this is your chance to get a uniqe piece for your collection. Read more here.
Seams King is in Australia on vacation at the moment. Apparently he was taken for a vandal while signing some of his books in a bookstore. Read more here.