Matthew Lillard Teases How Mike Flanagan’s Carrie Will Be Different From Other Adaptations

Actor Matthew Lillard is the latest to join the cast of Mike Flanagan’s Carrie adaptation, and he’s already enthusiastic about remaking this story yet again. Carrie was Stephen King’s first published novel, and it was adapted into an acclaimed movie two years later in 1976. It got a belated sequel in 1999, followed by another adaptation in 2002 and a third in 2013. Now, Flanagan is doing the story over again for a fourth time as a series for Amazon MGM Studios, and Lillard told ComicBook that he has a clear vision for this remake. He said that even King is excited about where this story is going now.

“Well, first and foremost, Mike Flanagan’s, I think, a brilliant filmmaker, period,” Lillard said. “Working with him on Life of Chuck was like a dream, and then getting a chance to do this, I’m very honored to be in his world. So, he called, I said yes.”

“The exciting thing for me here is that he crafted an idea based around what we’re experiencing right now in the world, and shared that with Stephen King, and then Stephen King was like, ‘Oh, that’s a great idea,’” Lillard went on. “So, it’s Stephen King’s first published book, it has gone through all these iterations. I think the exciting thing here is that Mike has found a way to make it relevant right now, and I think that it speaks to what we’re all experiencing, and so I think that that’s going to make a difference.”

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Lillard didn’t go into any further details on Flanagan’s unique twist on Carrie, or what he has changed for the 21st century. The series was just officially greenlit last month, and is presumably still in an early phase of development. King’s novel is over 50 years old now, so some aesthetic changes are probably in order, but Lillard makes it sound like Flanagan has a more thematic vision in mind.

Lillard spoke to ComicBook this week in support of his spirits company, “Find Familiar Spirits,” which makes fantasy-and-gaming-inspired spirits. He is currently promoting the new small-batch blent of Bourbon and Rye Whiskey known as Quest’s End Druid, which went on sale on May 1st.

“The most powerful transformations in life come when we feel seen, when we’re accepted for exactly who we are,” he said. “With Druid, we’re honoring the journey of embracing change, connection, and the wild, magical truth of becoming yourself.”

As for Carrie, the show is officially in pre-production now, but there’s no word on when it might begin filming or when we might see it for ourselves. The 1976 and 2013 adaptations of Carrie are streaming now on Max, while the 2002 version is on Tubi.