Hollywood filmmakers have struck gold with Stephen King. Adaptations of King's novels have been in the works since the author debuted in the 1970s. His works are particularly suited for film and television because King writes in a cinematic way, carefully composing his scenes. Moreover, most of his works fall within the horror, sci-fi, and thriller genres, which are highly popular. But they can't get enough of King, as after the February release of The Monkey, a new adaptation of Cujo is being made with the support of Netflix and the producer of Barbarian, Roy Lee.
Deadline reported that Lee and Netflix are taking on a new adaptation of Cujo. It's worth noting that Lee not only worked on the popular 2022 surprise horror Barbarian, but also helped bring the modern sci-fi Tár, the acclaimed 21st-century adaptation of It, and the upcoming Until Dawn to the screen. For now, we don’t know who will write and direct the film, nor who will star in it.
King's original novel was published in 1981. The story’s title character is a generally gentle Saint Bernard, the family’s best friend, who is most at home running through lush meadows chasing rabbits. After all, dogs still carry the wildness and freedom of their wolf ancestors. However, one day, the dog is bitten by an infected bat in a rabbit hole, causing it to go mad and, even worse, turn evil. Not long after the book's release, Warner Bros., with the help of director Lewis Teague, made a film adaptation with the same title, which was released in 1983. The critics didn’t receive it well, and it earned a modest sum (with a $6M budget and $21.2M global box office revenue). Over time, however, it gained cult status. In the 2010s, the producer Sunn Classic Pictures tried to create a new version, even a remake, titled C.U.J.O., but nothing came of it.
The article features a clip from the 1983 film adaptation.
