Freeform Developing Stephen King's 'Joyland' TV Series

Live-action adaptations of Stephen King novels are clearly all the rage in Hollywood today, and [...]

By Charlie Ridgely

Live-action adaptations of Stephen King novels are clearly all the rage in Hollywood today, and Freeform is the latest to jump on the bandwagon. The network formerly known as ABC Family is set to bring King's Joyland novel to life.

According to Deadline, Freeform is currently developing a Joyland TV series, based on King's 2013 work of the same name. The adaptation comes from writers Chris Peña (Jane the Virgin) and Cyrus Nowrasteh (The Stoning of Soraya M.), along with Bill Haber's Ostar Productions (Valor).

Joyland is about a college student named Devin, who gets a summer job at an amusement park in North Carolina. Once he begins work, he's faced with the legacy of a terrible murder, the fate of a dying child, and the way both situations will affect his life forever. Peña and Nowrasteh will be writing the script for the pilot episode and both are set to produce. Haber will serve as executive produce under his Ostar Productions banner. Haber previously executive produced Rizzoli & Isles for TNT, and both Beauty and the Beast and Valor for The CW.

"We are honored to be working with Stephen King – a master storyteller who understands the importance of culturally embedded tales that resonate with audiences on a deeply personal level," said Karey Burke, executive vice president, Programming and Development, Freeform. "We can't wait for Joyland to become part of Freeform's offerings and haunt our viewers as only Stephen can."

Several film studios, TV networks, and streaming services have started producing content based on the works of Stephen King. IT was a box office juggernaut for Warner Bros. in 2017, and a sequel to the film is preparing to bow next September. Netflix has produced films based on Gerald's Game and 1922, while Hulu's Castle Rock is a loose interpretation of several King properties. A new Pet Sematary feature film will hit theaters in April, while The Shining prequel, Doctor Sleep, is set for 2020.

What do you think of Freeform bringing Joyland to life? Which Stephen King adaptations are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!

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