A new film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 vampire novel “Salem’s Lot” is preparing for its streaming premiere on service Max this October. The movie transports viewers to the small town of Jerusalem’s Lot, Maine as its residents are menaced by a mysterious evil force. Director Gary Dauberman applies lessons from previous Stephen King adaptations to bring the classic tale to a new audience in a chilling modern retelling.
Dauberman, known for his work on horror films like “Annabelle Comes Home”, stepped in to direct the film after its production faced delays due to industry disruptions. Principal photography wrapped earlier this year following location filming in Massachusetts towns like Ipswich and Sterling that stood in for the novel’s Maine setting. Care was taken to transform the modern streets and structures into period settings that capture the novel’s 1970s timeframe.
The film stars Lewis Pullman as writer Ben Mears, who returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot only to discover its residents falling prey to vampires. Dauberman worked to distill the dense source material into a feature-length movie while preserving the story’s essence. He praised the cast for embodying the large ensemble of characters from King’s expansive novel. The director also discussed his approach to vampire mythology, aiming to portray the supernatural menace and power of religious icons against the undead.
For Dauberman, the 1979 miniseries adaptation left a profound impression as a child and inspired his vision for a new “Salem’s Lot” film. He looks to recapture what made the original so memorable and influential for horror storytelling. The adaptation also carries nods connecting it to King’s famous novel “It” as part of the shared fictional worlds he has created. With its small town chills and creepy vampire intrigue, the new “Salem’s Lot” film promises both scares and respect for the source material that fans of King eagerly await for its streaming release this fall.
