Stephen King's Christine Remake Plot, Director, Producer And More Details
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The most famous horror author of all time, Stephen King has penned multiple creepy classics that have become universally acclaimed movies. Brian De Palma got the bloody ball rolling with 1976's "Carrie," and since then, two terrifying versions of Pennywise have given us nightmare, Kathy Bates earned an Oscar for her frightening turn in "Misery", and we've checked into the Overlook Hotel on three separate, scary occasions.
In addition to great movies like "The Mist" and "Pet Sematary," there's also the massively underrated "Christine." The original 1983 film was directed by horror maestro John Carpenter, and the plot involves a bullied teen, a sentient car, and a whole lot of killing. Now, it looks like Christine is revving up her engines for another go-round, as the King novel is getting a brand new adaptation. What new horrors await us all? Well, constant reader, here's everything you need to know about the new version of "Christine."
When will the Christine remake be released?
The "Christine" remake has been spinning its wheels for quite some time. The film was first announced back in June 2021, and from what we can tell, it hasn't started shooting yet. In December 2021, writer/director Bryan Fuller (more on him in a bit) went on Fangoria's "The Kingcast" and discussed what was happening behind the scenes, telling hosts Scott Wampler and Eric Vespe, "The script for 'Christine' has been sent to Stephen King, along with illustrations and storyboards. ... And so we sent that Christmas present to Stephen King, and hopefully we'll be getting feedback in the new year."
However, the man himself seems to be, well, less than thrilled about Fuller's new take. In February 2022, the Bangor Daily News asked the author, "Which films based on your work do you think can't be improved on?" King responded, "I wouldn't care to see ['The Shawshank Redemption'] or 'The Green Mile' remade, and I'm doubtful about the proposed 'Christine' remake." Based on the timeline, it seems likely that King would've seen Bryan Fuller's script by that point, so perhaps Fuller is taking another stab at the screenplay in light of King's comments. We'll be sure to keep you updated when we hear what's happening with the horror remake.
What is the plot of Christine?
The basic plot of Stephen King's "Christine" is pretty similar to that of John Carpenter's 1983 film. Both are about a teenager named Arnie who finds a '58 Plymouth Fury named Christine. The two form a deep, dark bond, causing Arnie to become violent and murderous, especially when Christine becomes jealous of Arnie's girlfriend, Leigh, and his best bud, Dennis. Carnage ensues. (Get it? Car-nage?)
However, there's a significant difference between the two tales. In King's book, Christine is haunted by the soul of Roland LeBay, a truly vile man who holds sway over Arnie. The LeBay subplot doesn't factor into Carpenter's film, and Christine's evil origins are never explained.
So will LeBay feature in the remake? Well, in an interview with "The Kingcast," writer/director Bryan Fuller explained that his take will be super faithful to King's book. His version of the film will present Christine as more of "the Overlook [Hotel] on wheels" and focus on the "vampiric relationship between the car and Arnie." He also explained, "Certainly Roland LaBey has a lot to do in [King's] story, and he wasn't even a character in the John Carpenter movie, so I think all of those things, for me, were ... why we needed a new adaptation of 'Christine.'"
Additionally, Fuller has said his remake will be set in the late '70s — similar to both previous versions — although he plans on making Leigh a more fully developed character. He's also mentioned his version of "Christine" will be super horny. (Honestly, this shouldn't be shocking. Every version of "Christine" has sexual tension between the characters, especially Arnie and Christine.) Speaking with "The Kingcast," Fuller said that he plans on fulfilling a request from horror author Clive Barker, who told Fuller, "Please just make it clear that he's f*****g the car."
Who is writing and directing Christine?
This new version of "Christine" hails from the wonderfully twisted mind of Bryan Fuller, who's both penning the script and directing the film. Interestingly, Fuller doesn't have a ton of experience when it comes to feature-length films. At the moment, he's currently directing his first movie — "Dust Bunny," which tells the story of an 8-year-old girl who asks her neighbor to help her kill the monster under her bed. But while he might not have many cinematic credits, Fuller is the king of visually gorgeous and seriously messed-up TV shows.
Having started off as a writer on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager," Fuller soon became the showrunner on series such as "Dead Like Me" and "Pushing Daisies." He oversaw the first season of Starz' "American Gods," and he's currently developing "Crystal Lake," a Peacock series set in the world of "Friday the 13th." Of course, Fuller is best known for NBC's "Hannibal," one of the all-time TV shows and one that brilliantly blends disturbing visuals, beautiful imagery, and unabashed sexuality. If Fuller can create a show as masterful as "Hannibal," then we're truly psyched to see what he can do with "Christine."
Who is producing Christine?
While Bryan Fuller is writing and directing "Christine," producing duties belong to Vincenzo Natali ("In the Tall Grass"), Steven Hoban ("Splice"), and Peter Kang ("I Know This Much Is True") — and one of the most prominent producers working today: Jason Blum.
If you've watched a popular horror movie made in the last several years, chances are good that Blum was behind it. Working through his production banner Blumhouse, Blum has shepherded titles like "M3GAN," "The Black Phone," 2018's "Halloween," and "Happy Death Day" to theater screens. And that's not even counting his certifiable classics like "Get Out," "The Invisible Man," the "Insidious" series, and "Sinister."
Speaking with Collider in October 2021, Blum described Fuller's script as "terrific." And given the man's track record with titles like "Split" and the "Purge" movies — and even dramatic movies like "Whiplash" and "BlacKkKlansman" — we can't wait to see what happens when Blum's version of "Christine" cruises down the highway and into theaters.
What does John Carpenter think about the Christine remake?
Bryan Fuller has some pretty big shoes to fill as a filmmaker. After all, the 1983 version of "Christine" was helmed by one of the greatest directors to ever do it — John Carpenter. The man, the myth, the legend, Carpenter directed some of the best and most influential movies ever made, a la the 1978 "Halloween," "Escape From New York," "Big Trouble in Little China," and 1982's "The Thing."
In fact, it was that icy sci-fi thriller that directly led to Carpenter directing "Christine" ... although not necessarily in a positive way. Believe it or not, "The Thing" was a huge bomb when it was first released. Critics and audiences absolutely hated the film, and as a result, Carpenter was kicked off a different Stephen King adaptation — 1984's "Firestarter." Needing to work, he accepted the next project that came along: "Christine."
So how does Carpenter feel about this new version of "Christine?" Well, Total Film asked him for his thoughts on Fuller's remake, and the always salty Carpenter responded, "Oh boy. Well, good luck to him. It will probably be better." However, Keith Gordon — who played Arnie in the original movie — has been more positive about Fuller's spin on the material, saying, "I think he's really talented and a good person to do it." The actor also said that making a new "Christine" isn't the same thing as remaking a film like "Citizen Kane," explaining, "'Christine' could be told in a different way and not be an insult to the original."
Where to watch the original Christine
Before Bryan Fuller pulls up to theaters with his own take on "Christine," perhaps you'll want to see what John Carpenter did first with that '58 Plymouth Fury. The 1983 film comes equipped with a chilling score, plenty of gorgeously composed shots of the murderous car in action, and a terrifying performance from Keith Gordon as nerd turned uber-cool killer Arnie. To check out the '80s original, you can rent "Christine" for $3.99 on sites like Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube. You can also watch it on Prime Video with an AMC+ subscription.