With the critical success of It, 1922 and Gerald’s Game, 2017 proved quite fruitful in adapting Stephen King stories for both the big screen and Netflix. This only adds to the countless movies and television series that derive from the renowned author’s fifty+ years on writing. However, the production of Doctor Sleep is likely to be an interesting one, as it is the sequel to one of King’s most recognized books turned into a critically acclaimed movie that he openly hates: The Shining.
Recently, Doctor Sleep signed on Ewan McGregor to play the lead role and now, according to an exclusive from Variety, is currently in talks to hire Rebecca Ferguson. The Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation actress will be playing Rose the Hat, the leader of a cult called the True Knot that feeds on the psychic essence of people who possess the shining. Performing opposite her will be McGregor as an adult version of Danny Torrance (now going by Dan), having succumbed to the same rage fits and alcoholism as his father. Dan’s eventual return to sobriety results in the revival of his psychic abilities, allowing him to provide comfort to dying hospice patients and earning the nickname “Doctor Sleep.” However, after meeting a girl named Abra with similar “shining” powers, Dan must protect her from the True Knot’s attempt to claim her essence for themselves.
Doctor Sleep is set to be directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously worked the Netflix adaptation of Gerald’s Game. The film currently has no set release date.