At this point, we can safely assume that, at any given time, someone somewhere is working on some kind of Stephen King-based adaptation, be it a movie or TV series. (Or maybe it’s already too late, and James Franco is already starring in it.) For example, the King novella The Mist has been in development—complete with the prolific author’s blessing—as a TV series for about three years now. Now Rita creator Christian Thorpe’s long-hovering adaptation is finally prepared to take flight, as Spike TV has ordered a pilot.
The network announced the news in a press release that cites The Weinstein Company’s co-chair, Bob Weinstein, as being “excited to be in business with Spike on their first scripted production pilot and working with the very talented Christian Torpe to further explore Stephen King’s classic novella and bring this riveting series to television audiences.” The Mist received a big-screen treatment in 2007 at the hands of The Walking Dead alum Frank Darabont, who proved adept at dealing with the book’s “mob dynamics and in-group/out-group mechanics.” No writers or cast members are yet attached, but maybe Spike can tap one of multiple actors, including Laurie Holden, from the film who ended up on The Walking Dead.