Stephen King's The Boogeyman Adaptation to Get Theatrical Release

Stephen King fans were given some exciting news today, as the upcoming adaptation of his story The Boogeyman that was originally slated to debut on Hulu has instead pivoted to debut in theaters this summer. This is only the latest confirmation that a highly anticipated horror project would pivot from streaming to theaters, as Evil Dead Rise was initially slated to be an HBO Max exclusive but will instead be getting a theatrical release in April. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the shift was made based on the film earning positive test screenings. The Boogeyman is now slated to hit theaters on June 2nd.

The outlet also noted how last year's Smile was originally slated to be a Paramount+ release, only for promising reactions from audiences to see the film instead land in theaters. With that film scoring 80% positive reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and taking in $216 million worldwide on a budget of under $20 million, this was clearly a smart move on the studio's part.

The story follows a man whose three children died under mysterious circumstances at young ages, with the major connecting factor being that all deaths took place when they were left alone in their bedrooms. Additionally, all three children exclaimed, "Boogeyman!" before perishing.

The original short story comes from King's Night Shift collection, with other stories from the collection earning the films Children of the CornMaximum Overdrive, and The Mangler.

The Boogeyman is produced by 21 Laps' Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Dan Cohen, with Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place) and Emily Morris serving as executive producers. 21 Laps' next projects include The Adam Project, directed by Levy, and the fourth season of Stranger ThingsCheaper by the DozenCrater, and an animated version of Night at the Museum.

The movie was directed by Rob Savage, who delivered audiences the surprise hit Host on Shudder in 2020 and followed that with 2021's Dashcam. The Boogeyman stars Chris Messina (Sharp Objects), Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets), Vivien Lyra Blair (Bird Box), David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad), Marin Ireland (Y: The Last Man), and Madison Hu (Voyagers).

Stay tuned for details on The Boogeyman before it lands in theaters on June 2nd.

Are you glad the film will be getting a theatrical release? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

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