Salem’s Lot: Long-Delayed Stephen King Adaptation Finally Gets Premiere Date

A new take on Stephen King’s beloved story ‘Salem’s Lot was filmed more than two years ago, and after a number of delays, MAX has finally confirmed when the project will premiere. Between the coronavirus pandemic, last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes, and a number of strategic shifts in how Warner Bros. delivers content to audiences, the upcoming Salem’s Lot from director Gary Dauberman has been stuck in limbo for quite some time, with fans relieved to learn that we’re only weeks away from its debut. The new Salem’s Lot is set to premiere on MAX on October 3rd.

Stephen King’s website describes the story, “Author Ben Mears returns to ‘Salem’s Lot to write a book about a house that has haunted him since childhood only to find his isolated hometown infested with vampires. While the vampires claim more victims, Mears convinces a small group of believers to combat the undead.”

The film stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Bill Camp, Jordan Preston Carter, and Pilou Asbaek. IT and Annabelle Comes Home writer Gary Dauberman directed the new adaptation.

In addition to MAX confirming the movie’s release date, reports claim that the first trailer for the movie can be expected imminently.  

Not only have fans been disappointed by the extended wait to see the project, even King himself has expressed his frustration over its delay. Earlier this year, King took to Twitter to confirm he had seen the movie and was perplexed by the delays in its release.

“Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good,” King shared on Twitter back in February. “Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the f-cking things.”

The King story was first brought to life by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper for a two-part TV movie in 1979. In 2004, another two-part adaptation of the novel was developed, which starred Rob Lowe. The Hulu TV series Castle Rock served as a blend of a variety of King characters and settings, with Jerusalem’s Lot, the town featured in ‘Salem’s Lot, being a key component of the series’ Season 2 storyline. In 2021, King’s short story “Jerusalem’s Lot,” a prequel to the novel ‘Salem’s Lot, was adapted into an Epix TV series starring Adrien Brody and Emily Hampshire.

The new Salem’s Lot is set to land on MAX on October 3rd.

Are you looking forward to the new movie? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!