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Mike Flanagan's unrealized projects

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The following is a list of unproduced Mike Flanagan projects in roughly chronological order. During a career that has spanned over 20 years, Mike Flanagan has worked on projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage. Some of the films and television shows were produced after he left production.

2010s

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Scare Dares

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In March 2012, after the release of Flanagan's first film Absentia (2011), he was set to write and direct Scare Dares, a low-budget paranormal horror film starring Courtney Bell, Katie Parker, Justin Gordon and Morgan Peter Brown, who all previously appeared in Absentia.[1] Produced by Fallback Plan Productions, the film would of centered on a smartphone app that leads users to known areas of paranormal phenomena in central California. Things go wrong when a group of estranged friends kick off a reunion weekend by visiting ghostly hotspots and engaging in occult dares.[2] The film was set to be released in 2013, before being cancelled for undisclosed reasons.[3]

I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot

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Main article: Untitled I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel

In September 2014, Sony Pictures revealed plans to remake I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), with Flanagan and Jeff Howard writing the script.[4] The film was a high priority and was initially set for release in 2016, and required an estimated budget of $15–20 million.[5] Flanagan confirmed that his new iteration of the franchise would be a reboot and not include elements of the 1973 novel nor of the 1997 feature film.[6] The project was ultimately never made and was subsequently canceled.[7]

Inherit the Earth

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On December 7, 2016, Flanagan signed on to write and direct Inherit the Earth.[8] On August 21, 2018, Kornél Mundruczó replaced Flanagan as director with his wife Kata Wéber writing a new script.[9]

Doctor Sleep prequel and sequel

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In 2019, prior to the release of Doctor Sleep, Warner Bros. had enough confidence in the film that they hired Flanagan to script a prequel with the working title Hallorann, focusing on the character of Dick Hallorann. Following the disappointing box-office performance of Doctor Sleep, the project was scrapped.[10] Flanagan also confirmed that he was interested in directing a sequel focused on Abra Stone, and that he had asked King, who was open to the idea.[11]

2020s

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Revival

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On May 8, 2020, Deadline Hollywood confirmed that Flanagan would write and direct a film adaptation of Revival in partnership with Intrepid Pictures.[12] That July, Flanagan confirmed that he had completed the first draft of the screenplay, which was met with Stephen King's approval. However, he expressed doubt as to the likelihood of Warner Bros. greenlighting the project.[13] On December 23, 2020, Flanagan confirmed that the adaptation was no longer in development, saying in conversation with Josh Boone on the podcast The Company of the Mad, "I stepped on the exact same landmine, and ended up in the exact same place... We should get together some day and share boards, and drafts, and scars. I kind of hit the same wall with it where it was just so expensive. Man, did I love it, though."[14][15]

Clayface

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In January 2021, Flanagan expressed interest in writing and directing a standalone "horror/thriller/tragedy" film centered on Clayface.[16][17] By March 2023, Flanagan met with DC Films producer Jon Berg about making a "horror-leaning" iteration of the character, but it "kind of went nowhere",[18][17] saying that DC did not "bite on" his idea but that he was ready to commit to the project "anytime".[19] In March 2023, Flanagan and his Intrepid Pictures partner Trevor Macy met with James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-CEOs of DC Studios, regarding a Clayface film.[17] Flanagan said the report of him pitching a Clayface film by then was "entirely speculative",[20] further stating in late May that such a film was not in development and that he was participating in the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike that began earlier that month.[21] After the strike ended, Flanagan wrote the film's screenplay, which got the project greenlit by DC Studios in December 2024, however, he could not recommit to directing the film, due to scheduling conflicts with his untitled The Exorcist film (2026) and a Carrie television series.[22][23]

The Season of Passage

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In April 2021, Flanagan was announced to be developing a film for Universal Pictures based on the Christopher Pike novel The Season of Passage.[24]

Something Is Killing the Children

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Main article: Something Is Killing the Children (TV series)

In July 2021, Flanagan announced he was writing a streaming series based on the comic book Something Is Killing the Children for Boom! Studios and Netflix.[25] By October 2022, he was no longer involved in the series.[26] In February 2023, it was announced that Dark and 1899 creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese had been hired to develop the adaptation after Flanagan had departed, owing to creative differences.[27]

Midnight Mass novel and film

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In September 2021, Flanagan revealed that prior to writing and directing the Netflix miniseries, he originally wrote Midnight Mass as a novel and feature film screenplay, before discarding both.[28] The unfinished novel was featured in Flanagan's earlier films Hush (2016) and Gerald's Game (2017), as a means of "keeping the idea alive over the years".[28]

The Midnight Club season 2

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In December 2022, following the cancelation of The Midnight Club, Flanagan revealed what was planned for season 2 on his Tumblr, including the ultimate fates of the various characters and answers to the show's lingering mysteries.[29][30] The season would of adapted the Remember Me books by Christopher Pike.[29]

The Dark Tower

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In December 2022, Flanagan announced that he had acquired the rights to adapt the The Dark Tower books for a streaming series on Amazon Prime Video and had plans for a multi-season release, alongside Trevor Macy's Intrepid Pictures.[31] In June 2023, Flanagan said he was optimistic about Amazon approving the series after the 2023 writer's strike.[32] By August 2023, development on the series was suspended due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[33]

Hell House

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In November 2023, Flanagan confirmed that had a third installment of his The Haunting horror anthology series been commissioned, the season would have adapted Richard Matheson's Hell House; however, the rights were not available.[34]

References

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  1. ^ Dickey, Josh L. (March 19, 2012). "Fallback ramps up 'Scare Dares'". Variety. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  2. ^ Davis, Mike (April 18, 2012). "My interview with ABSENTIA director Mike Flanagan". The Lovecraft eZine. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  3. ^ Elsen, Megan (April 30, 2012). "Mike Flanagan Helming Horror Effort 'Oculus'". The Film Stage. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  4. ^ Miska, Brad (September 15, 2014). "'I Know What You Did Last Summer'... and It Was a Remake". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  5. ^ Thurman, Trace (April 7, 2016). "[Interview] 'Hush' Director Mike Flanagan and Actress Kate Siegel On Their New Thriller!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  6. ^ Squires, John (June 26, 2017). "What's Going On With the 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Remake?". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  7. ^ Jenkins, Jason (January 15, 2021). "Writer Jeffrey Howard Revisits His and Mike Flanagan's 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' [Phantom Limbs]". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  8. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 7, 2016). "'Ouija 2' Filmmaker Mike Flanagan To 'Inherit The Earth'". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  9. ^ Lang, Brent (August 21, 2018). "Sony Taps Kornél Mundruczó to Direct 'Inherit the Earth' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  10. ^ Sharf, Zack (September 19, 2022). "New 'The Shining' Film Killed by Bad 'Doctor Sleep' Box Office, Director Says: 'I'll Always Regret This Didn't Happen'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  11. ^ Saavedra, John (November 20, 2019). "Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan on the possibility of The Shining 3". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  12. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 8, 2020). "'Doctor Sleep' Filmmaker Mike Flanagan Returning To Stephen King Onscreen With 'Revival'". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  13. ^ Squires, John (July 2, 2020). "Mike Flanagan Says His Adaptation of Stephen King's 'Revival' Will be "Bleak and Mean"". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  14. ^ Eisenberg, Eric (December 23, 2020). "One Upcoming Stephen King Movie Adaptation Isn't Happening Anymore, and I'm So Bummed Now". CinemaBlend. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  15. ^ Reimann, Tom (January 5, 2021). "Mike Flanagan's 'Revival' Adaptation is No Longer Happening". Collider. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  16. ^ Dick, Jeremy (January 9, 2021). "Doctor Sleep Director Is Keen on Making a Standalone Clayface Movie". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  17. ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony; Grobar, Matt (March 29, 2023). "Mike Flanagan Pitches Pic On Clayface To Warner Bros DC – The Dish". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  18. ^ Miller, Leon (March 16, 2023). "Midnight Mass Creator Mike Flanagan Pitched a Clayface DCEU Movie". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Schaefer, Sandy (October 7, 2021). "Midnight Mass Boss Is Ready to Shoot His Clayface Film Whenever DC Asks". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  20. ^ Jackson, Gordon; Codega, Lina (March 30, 2023). "Mike Flanagan Wants to Direct a Standalone Batman Villain Film". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  21. ^ Flangan, Mike [@flanaganfilm] (May 27, 2023). "I've already commented about this. And at the moment, no development is happening anywhere – I am a member of the WGA, and I am on strike" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Vary, Adam B. (December 11, 2024). "'Clayface' Movie Officially Underway at DC Studios With Mike Flanagan Writing". Variety. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  23. ^ Garner, Glenn; D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 11, 2024). "DC Studios' 'Clayface' Being Written By Mike Flanagan". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  24. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 14, 2021). "Mike Flanagan to Direct The Season of Passage for Universal Pictures and Intrepid Pictures". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  25. ^ Kit, Borys (July 9, 2021). "'Doctor Sleep' Filmmakers Tackling Hot Comic 'Something is Killing the Children' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  26. ^ Chitwood, Adam (October 7, 2022). "Mike Flanagan No Longer Involved in Something Is Killing the Children Netflix Series". Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  27. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 23, 2023). "Netflix Re-Ups Overall Deal With 'Dark' Creators, Duo Board James Tynion Comic Series 'Something Is Killing The Children' With Boom! Studios". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  28. ^ a b King, Darryn (September 24, 2021). "Mike Flanagan Explores His Private Horrors in 'Midnight Mass'". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  29. ^ a b Maas, Jennifer (December 2, 2022). "'Midnight Club' Creator Mike Flanagan Reveals All Answers to Unresolved Mysteries After Show's Cancellation, Including Mirror Man and Cataract Woman". Variety. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  30. ^ Oganesyan, Natalie (December 1, 2022). "The Midnight Club Canceled by Netflix After One Season (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  31. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 8, 2022). "Mike Flanagan & Trevor Macy Reveal 'The Dark Tower' Adaptation In Works At Intrepid, Talk Leaving Netflix For Amazon, 'Midnight Club's Cancellation & More". Deadline. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  32. ^ Hamman, Cody (June 15, 2023). "The Dark Tower: Mike Flanagan is optimistic that his Stephen King series is going to happen". JoBlo. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  33. ^ Humphrey, Julia (August 9, 2023). "Mike Flanagan Says He's Made "Enormous Progress" on 'The Dark Tower' Series". Collider. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  34. ^ Squires, John (November 16, 2023). "Suntup Editions Releasing Fine Press Limited Edition of 'Hell House' With a Foreword from Mike Flanagan". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
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