Welcome to Derry’s Success Confirms It’s Finally Time for Mike Flanagan’s Lost Stephen King Project

by

The show is doing incredibly well on HBO, largely because it not only explores the origins of one of Stephen King’s most famous villains, but also introduces compelling characters like Dick Hallorann.

I’ve been thinking about this show’s popularity, and it really highlights how captivating Stephen King’s stories still are on screen. It reminded me of something fascinating: Mike Flanagan, who’s done some amazing work adapting King – his Doctor Sleep was fantastic – actually pitched a spin-off idea focusing on the character Hallorann. Sadly, it never got made, but with the current buzz around this new horror hit on HBO, now feels like the perfect moment to revisit that concept. It’s a story ripe for exploration, and I’d love to see it happen!

Mike Flanagan Had a Genius Idea for a Dick Hallorann Spin-Off Movie

The movie Doctor Sleep was well-received by critics and viewers alike. However, despite the positive feedback, it didn’t perform well in theaters. In 2019, director Mike Flanagan shared with Script Apart that he had originally envisioned a spin-off film focusing on the character Dick Hallorann.

Dick Hallorann is a character who appears in several works by Stephen King and their adaptations. He’s a key figure in both the novel The Shining and Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep. Flanagan originally planned a story that would connect the events of Doctor Sleep, The Shining, and IT.

Flanagan’s story opens with Hallorann getting the Overlook Hotel ready for winter, specifically its kitchen. As he works, something sparks memories of his difficult past, bringing back experiences from his childhood in Derry and frightening encounters with Pennywise.

In the story’s climax, Hallorann was meant to meet the new caretaker at the hotel lobby. However, instead of the Torrance family arriving, viewers would have seen Delbert Grady and his wife, which was intended to launch a new story or continuation of the series. While this idea seemed promising, it was ultimately scrapped after Doctor Sleep didn’t perform well at the box office.

IT: Welcome to Derry’s Success Proves Flanagan’s Spin-Off Movie Can Still Work

Dick Hallorann has played a significant role in the story Welcome to Derry. He’s also mentioned in Stephen King’s novel IT, published nine years after The Shining. We learn that before working at the Overlook Hotel, Hallorann was an army cook who worked at a nightclub called The Black Spot.

In the new series, Welcome to Derry, Hallorann is working with the U.S. military. The show, set before the events of The Black Spot, reveals that the government is using Hallorann’s ability to find things to locate a powerful weapon – possibly even Pennywise – as tensions with the Soviet Union rise. It seems they’re preparing for a potential conflict.

I’m really enjoying how the show is doing with viewers! The original book hinted at this character’s past, but the series has really fleshed it out, and it’s giving us a much deeper connection to him. People are loving these flashbacks to his childhood in Derry, and honestly, I think Hallorann is going to be a major player for the rest of the season – I’m hoping so, anyway!

There’s still strong interest in Flanagan’s canceled spin-off idea. Many people—not just fans of Flanagan’s work, but also those who loved Kubrick’s The Shining—would be eager to learn more about Hallorann’s backstory. Delving into his experiences at the Overlook Hotel and with its supernatural elements is a compelling concept. Plus, bringing in Delbert Grady and his family, and potentially creating more spin-offs, would finally give viewers a deeper look into the Overlook’s history and the people who lived there.

Hallorann’s story has a lot of potential that hasn’t been fully realized, particularly his past and how he developed his powers. A separate movie or TV series could delve into these aspects in detail. Given his track record, Mike Flanagan is a director fans would likely trust to do justice to Stephen King’s source material.

Mike Flanagan Is the Best Person for This The Shining Spin-Off

I’m a huge fan of Mike Flanagan, and I love how he’s been bringing Stephen King stories to life on screen! He’s following in the tradition of some amazing directors like Frank Darabont, Rob Reiner, and Mick Garris. He’s already given us fantastic adaptations like Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, and I even heard he tried to get Revival made, but unfortunately, that one didn’t pan out.

Movie and TV versions of Stephen King’s stories have had varying degrees of success. While some, like The Shining and Misery, are beloved classics, others, such as The Lawnmower Man, are hard to sit through. A few, like King’s own Maximum Overdrive and Sleepwalkers, are just plain strange. However, director Mike Flanagan has consistently created well-received and highly praised adaptations.

While Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a masterpiece, it differs significantly from Stephen King’s novel, which explains King’s dislike of the film. Doctor Sleep, on the other hand, follows the book more closely. The beginning of Doctor Sleep plays out in a similar way in both versions, focusing on Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) attempting to create a normal life before he becomes entangled in the True Knot’s hunt for Abra Stone.

The key differences between the book and the movie are in the small details. For instance, a scene where Danny talks to his friend and mentor, Dick Hallorann, about spirits from the Overlook Hotel plays out similarly in both versions, but with a crucial distinction. In the book, Hallorann lives throughout the story. However, the film depicts Hallorann as a ghost, observing Danny after his death. Beyond these subtle changes, the movie remains largely consistent with the source material.

Flanagan is the perfect choice to direct a spin-off focusing on the character Hallorann. He’s proven he can successfully adapt Stephen King’s stories and characters for film, staying true to the original while also appealing to today’s viewers. Plus, with Flanagan involved, the spin-off would seamlessly connect to the events of Doctor Sleep.

Mike Flanagan has a history of successfully blending compelling characters with horror, as seen in his work including The Fall of the House of Usher. He’s skilled at bringing Stephen King’s complex, psychological and supernatural ideas to life on screen. This is especially important for a character like Hallorann, whose story explores both inner fragility and unexplained events.

The Shining Spin-Off Could Also Work as a Series

Because we don’t know much about Hallorann’s past, powers, or how he relates to other characters in Stephen King’s universe, a TV series could be a great way to explore his story. A movie might not give enough space to fully develop everything that makes Hallorann interesting.

The series could explore Hallorann’s life through dedicated episodes, showing his childhood in Derry before the events of Welcome to Derry and his time at the Overlook Hotel. These episodes could also delve into the hotel’s history and the stories of those who lived there. The show could then build towards the planned finale, introducing characters like Delbert Grady and his family, while still leaving possibilities open for future seasons or spin-off series.

The recent success of IT: Welcome to Derry shows there’s strong interest in learning more about Hallorann’s past. Since viewers are already captivated by his story, powers, and connection to Derry, now is the ideal time for a spin-off series. It would not only give fans what they want, but also explore the mysteries of the Overlook Hotel, its ghosts, and the larger world created by Stephen King. Reviving this previously abandoned project as a series could be the perfect way to tell the full story.

Read More

2025-11-24 04:11