The Duffer Brothers Reveal Unfortunate Update For Their Stephen King Adaptation, But It Sounds Like There’s Still Hope

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Over the past few years, we’ve seen a lot more Stephen King stories being adapted for the screen, and most of those projects actually get made. One adaptation that’s been stuck in development for a long time is The Talisman, a 1984 novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub. There was excitement in 2021 when Amblin Entertainment teamed up with Netflix and the creators of Stranger Things to make it into a streaming series. However, it now seems like that series won’t be happening anytime soon.

Okay, so as Stranger Things finally closes the book on Hawkins, everyone’s been grilling the Duffer brothers about all things Upside Down. But I recently learned they’ve also been fielding questions about their planned adaptation of Stephen King’s The Talisman. And unfortunately, the news isn’t great. Comic Book Resources got the scoop: the project, as originally conceived, is currently dead. However, it’s not a complete loss. Ross Duffer hinted that they haven’t entirely given up on bringing the story to life, just that the current plan isn’t moving forward.

Sadly, Talisman is no longer at Netflix, so we’re not involved.

Ross Duffer

That comment was quickly followed by one from the other brother:

I think it was probably naive of us to think we could break The Talisman.

Matt Duffer

Ross Duffer also mentioned that many previous efforts to create a Talisman adaptation haven’t been successful. He explained that, as he sees it:

I recall reading a script for the movie Talisman during my college internship at Kennedy Marshall. That project has been in the works for a very long time, and I’m disappointed we weren’t able to finally get it made.

Ross Duffer

Like Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, The Talisman presents a unique challenge for adaptation. It’s not a typical horror story from either King or co-author Peter Straub, leaning heavily into dark fantasy. This particular aspect of King’s creativity seems more difficult to translate to the screen compared to his more realistic and gritty work.

Why There’s Still Hope For The Talisman TV Show (Or Movie)

Many Stephen King fans are aware that Amblin Entertainment’s involvement with The Talisman dates back to 1982. At that time, Steven Spielberg convinced Universal Pictures to secure the full, permanent rights to the novel, rather than just a temporary license. For over 40 years, whenever anyone attempted to adapt The Talisman – whether as a movie or, like the 2006 TNT miniseries – Spielberg has consistently worked behind the scenes to bring the project to life.

So, even if the Duffer brothers and Netflix are no longer involved, that doesn’t necessarily mean the project is canceled. It simply means their previous agreement has ended, opening the door for other companies to potentially pick it up – and that’s where things could get really exciting.

The planned Talisman TV series, first announced in 2021, originally included Paramount Television Studios. It’s now uncertain if Paramount is still involved, particularly after merging with Skydance. However, if they remain part of the project, the Duffer brothers might return as executive producers.

Just last August, news emerged that the Duffer brothers were moving their deal from Netflix to Paramount, primarily because they wanted to direct movies. This previous project was intended as a series, but that doesn’t rule out their future involvement. If they regain control, it could actually lead them back to focusing on films, which is their ultimate goal.

It’s difficult to predict how everything will turn out, particularly since the last part of Stranger Things hasn’t aired yet. We’ll likely have a clearer picture once Vecna and his creatures are finally defeated.

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2025-12-27 01:09