Mike Flanagan’s Carrie Heads to Prime Video This October
If you know me, you know how much I love my boy Mike Flanagan, so naturally, my excitement is through the roof knowing he’s finally back with a new series. I’m pretty strict when it comes to trailers, so I haven’t actually watched this one yet, but honestly, I don’t need much convincing. Flanagan has proven time and time again that he knows his way around a good horror story, and I have plenty of faith that his take on Stephen King’s Carrie will be something worth watching.
What We Know About Carrie
The good news is that we don’t have long to wait. Carrie will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on October 7, with all eight episodes dropping at once. The series marks the first time Stephen King’s 1974 novel has been adapted as a television series rather than a film. Flanagan serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer, while also directing four of the eight episodes. King himself is also attached as an executive producer.
This version once again follows Carrie White, a teenager who has spent much of her life sheltered by her deeply religious mother, Margaret. After being thrust into public high school, Carrie finds herself dealing with bullying, the pressures of growing up and the emergence of her telekinetic abilities. Flanagan’s adaptation is also bringing the story into the modern era, with social media and viral bullying playing a role in what Carrie experiences.
Who’s Playing Carrie?
Summer H. Howell will take on the title role after reportedly being selected from more than 1,000 actors who auditioned for the part. She’ll be joined by Samantha Sloyan as Margaret White, alongside Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Amber Midthunder and Matthew Lillard.
Sloyan’s casting is particularly interesting for anyone familiar with Flanagan’s work, as she previously appeared in projects including Midnight Mass and The Fall of the House of Usher. It’s always fun seeing familiar faces pop up across his projects, and I’m curious to see what she brings to a character as intense as Margaret White.
Flanagan and Stephen King Are a Pretty Familiar Pair
This also isn’t Flanagan’s first time adapting Stephen King. He previously directed Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, while more recently bringing King’s The Life of Chuck to the big screen.
That history is probably the biggest reason I’m so optimistic about Carrie. Flanagan has a way of using horror to explore grief, trauma and complicated relationships without forgetting that, at the end of the day, we’re still here to be scared. Carrie’s relationship with her mother and the cruelty she experiences from the people around her feel like material that fits comfortably within the kinds of stories he likes to tell.
Prime Video released the official trailer on September 9, although, as I mentioned earlier, I’ll personally be staying away from it until the series arrives. For everyone who isn’t as stubborn about trailers as I am, though, it’s out there now.
All eight episodes of Carrie arrive on Prime Video on October 7, and considering the talent involved both in front of and behind the camera, this is easily one of the horror releases I’m most excited to check out this October.