Mr. Harrigan's Phone - What We Know So Far
A new Stephen King adaptation is in the works. The author's novels and short stories have served as the source material for numerous movies and television shows over the years. Some of the most famous horror movies of all time, such as 1980's "The Shining" and 1990's "Misery," are adaptations of his writing. Now, yet another King-penned story is joining the ranks of the booming subgenre of film.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, King's novella "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," published as part of the 2020 collection "If It Bleeds," is getting the film treatment. John Lee Hancock is adapting the story and will also be directing the project. Hancock also wrote and directed 2009's "The Blind Side" and 2021's "The Little Things," amongst other credits (via IMDb). Producers for the adaptation include Ryan Murphy and Blumhouse. Additional executive producers include Blumhouse Television's Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, and Scott Greenberg. The announcement was made at the second annual Blumfest, where Jason Blum celebrates and announces various horror projects from his company.
Here's everything else we know so far about "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," including the release date, cast, and plot.
What is the release date of Mr. Harrigan's Phone?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" is set for release on Netflix in 2022. However, there is no specific date included in the announcement. Additionally, Deadline states filming is slated to begin in October 2021, but, again, there is no exact start in the outlet's report.
Considering the end of the year is near, it seems safe to project the release date of "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" will fall in the latter half of 2022. Furthermore, considering this story comes from the mind of Stephen King, we can definitely expect some horror or spooky elements to be involved in the plot. As such, Netflix could pick a date that falls around Halloween 2022. Luckily, eager fans can rest well knowing the film will land on the streaming service not too long from when we're reporting on it.
Who is in the cast of Mr. Harrigan's Phone?
So far, thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, we know the two lead cast members for "Mr. Harrigan's Phone": Donald Sutherland, who will be taking on the titular role of Mr. Harrigan, and Jaeden Martell, who will play Craig.
Sutherland is a veteran actor and has been working in Hollywood since the 1960s (via IMDb). Some of his more recent and notable projects include the 2020 HBO miniseries "The Undoing" and the popular "Hunger Games" film franchise, where he plays President Snow. Other famous Sutherland roles include Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce in the 1970 film "MASH," John Baxter in 1973's "Don't Look Now," and Mr. Bennet in 2005's "Pride & Prejudice."
As for Martell, well, he is no stranger to Stephen King adaptations. Martell starred as Bill in 2017's "It" and 2019's "It Chapter Two." He also appeared in the director Rian Johnson's ensemble mystery "Knives Out" in 2019, as well as the Apple TV+ miniseries "Defending Jacob" opposite Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery (via IMDb). In addition to "Mr. Harrigan's Phone," Martell's other upcoming projects include the Netflix drama "Metal Lords" and a reimagining of the 1987 vampire film "The Lost Boys" (via The Hollywood Reporter).
What is the plot of Mr. Harrigan's Phone?
According to Deadline, "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" is set in a small town and follows a young boy named Craig (Jaeden Martell), who "befriends an older, reclusive billionaire" named Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland) and bonds with him over a love of books. When Mr. Harrigan dies, Craig "discovers that not everything dead is gone and finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through the iPhone that was buried with him."
A Bookstr article praising King's novella gives us a little more insight into what we might expect from "Mr. Harrigan's Phone." According to the article, Craig and Mr. Harrigan become friends after the older man hires Craig to read to him and help around the house. Throughout the story, readers learn about Craig, including details about his personal and family life, but Mr. Harrigan remains elusive and mysterious. The article also reveals that the story spans from Craig's adolescence to his early adulthood, teasing the possibility that we may see a years-spanning story in the Netflix adaptation. Of course, we're not sure how closely the film will stick to the source material, but we can't wait to see how "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" plays out on screen.