Here is the article:
Stephen King Reveals Why The Talisman Took 40 Years to Adapt
Stephen King has provided insight into the struggles of adapting his novel, The Talisman, into a film. The 1984 novel, co-written with Peter Straub, follows a young boy’s epic quest to save his mother in a magical realm. In 2021, it was announced that Amblin Partners and the Duffer Brothers would develop the series for Netflix.
King spoke to The Kingcast about the challenges he faced with adapting the novel, which has been in development hell since the 80s. He acknowledged his struggles with substance abuse during the period, but also expressed frustration with producer Sidney Sheinberg, who worked with Steven Spielberg on projects like Jaws and E.T.
“I don’t think about The Talisman in terms of movies,” King said. “I’ve had that luxury, frankly. For forty years, man, you know, Spielberg talked about it, and the discussions with Spielberg’s rabbi, so to speak, Sid Sheinberg, were very difficult, and they were very argumentative. I was drinking a lot then and doing a lot of dope. And he was very, very adamant that he was going to take care of me, not let me take too much on my plate. And I’m like, OK, we’re talking about a grown-up man, a creative person. Why don’t you just step aside and let us do our thing? And it just never worked out.”
The series, which is currently in development, may finally see the light of day. Given its complex world and plot, it will likely work best as a show over a movie. The book takes place in two separate realities, including one with magical creatures and werewolves.
In an alternate era, King and Steven Spielberg would have collaborated at the height of their powers, and a proper collaboration between the pair would undoubtedly be regarded as a classic today. While it’s intriguing to speculate, hopefully The Talisman will still capture imaginations when it debuts on Netflix.