In the wake of the release of “Doctor Sleep,” a direct sequel to Stanley Kubrick‘s iconic haunted house flick “The Shining” starring Ewan McGregor (“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Trainspotting“) as an adult, Danny Torrance facing an evil outside of the hotel, J.J. Abrams was looking to developing a spinoff series “Overlook” (the haunted hotel at the center of “The Shining”). 

READ MORE: ‘Justice League Dark,’ ‘The Shining’-Inspired Series Coming To HBO Max From J.J.

Continue reading Netflix Frontrunner To Nab J.J Abrams’ ‘Overlook’ Series After HBO Max Passes On ‘The Shining’ Spinoff at The Playlist.

Horror films, like most art, can’t really be ranked in any sort of subject way to test how “good” they are. Dubbing a film a “good” movie is so beholden to personal taste and other outside factors, it would be almost foolish to say that any sort of film ranking system is fundamentally objective. But the UK-based BroadbandChoices has created a scientific study that claims to have found a way to definitively rank the scariest films of all time.

Continue reading New Scientific Study Crowns Scott Derrickson’s ‘Sinister’ As The “Ultimate Horror Movie” at The Playlist.

The tradition of isolation in cinema, either psychological, physical, or both, is rich and also, a rather modern phenomenon (you don’t see a lot of 1930s movies about people contemplating their existence in a tomb). But isolation in the age of pandemics and social distancing has taken on a new resonance and probably created a new kind of trauma that we’ll be considering the effects of for years.

READ MORE: John Hillcoat’s ‘The Road’ Offers An Apocalypse For Every Generation

Isolation cinema takes on new layers, meaning, and dimensions in the COVID-19 age too.

Continue reading The Social Distance: 21 Films About Isolation at The Playlist.

Even though it was more than half a decade ago, there are many that still wonder about filmmaker Mark Romanek’s proposed prequel to “The Shining,” titled “The Overlook Hotel.” With Stephen King properties being a hot commodity over the last few years, and “Doctor Sleep” being released in 2019, now seems like the perfect time to work on the film, right?

Continue reading Mark Romanek Discusses His Doomed ‘Revenant’-Esque ‘Shining’ Prequel & Why It Isn’t Being Made at The Playlist.

With the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad estimated at $5.6 million, it’s obvious why companies continually rely on A-list celebrities to draw interest to their products. And with the sporting event mere days away, we’ve already seen Hyundai enlist Captain America to pitch its latest car. And now, Mountain Dew has entered the fray, with a new ad that not only brings Bryan Cranston into the Super Bowl fold but also lampoons one of the best films of all time— “The Shining.”

READ MORE: Chris Evans & John Krasinski Use Their Boston Accents To Explain “Smaht Pahk” In New Super Bowl Ad

The purpose of the new Mountain Dew Zero Sugar ad is to somehow show that the new version of Dew can be just as good as the original.

Continue reading Bryan Cranston Lampoons ‘The Shining’ In Moutain Dew’s Super Bowl Ad at The Playlist.

Stephen King isn’t fond of Stanley Kubrick’s classic adaptation of his novel, “The Shining.” After decades of the filmmaker being criticized by the author, we all know this to be a fact. However, in a new interview with EW, the author explained that working on the sequel “Doctor Sleep,” based simultaneously on his own sequel novel and Kubrick’s film, has given him a new outlook on the 1980 classic.

Continue reading Stephen King Says Everything He Disliked In Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ Is “Redeemed” In ‘Doctor Sleep’ at The Playlist.

When Mike Flanagan signed on to write, direct, and edit “Doctor Sleep,” he took on a complicated legacy. How do you adapt a best-selling novel (Stephen King’s 2013 book) that is the sequel to another celebrated novel (“The Shining”) for the screen when the film adaptation of that first novel is a) one of the greatest icons of mainstream cinephilia and also b) wantonly ignorant of the actual plot of its source material?

Continue reading ‘Doctor Sleep’: Mike Flanagan Attempts To Honor Both Kubrick & King In This Mediocre Blockbuster [Review] at The Playlist.

Normally, when the folks at Screen Junkies lampoon a film for the hugely popular Honest Trailers bit, those movies are already pretty terrible (“Venom”), or, at the very least, the ridiculed films are too popular to pass up (“Avengers: Endgame”). But with the latest Honest Trailers entry, the Screen Junkies have decided to tackle a film that is often regarded as one of the very best ever — Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”

READ MORE: 2019 Fall Preview: The 45 Most Anticipated Films

So, how can you poke fun at one of the most iconic horror films of all time?

Continue reading ‘The Shining’ Honest Trailer: Kubrick’s Horror Film Is Either A Master Class In Building Tension…Or Kinda Boring at The Playlist.

“Doctor Sleep” isn’t your typical Stephen King adaptation. While the film is adapted from the novel of the same name from the acclaimed horror writer, “Doctor Sleep” is attempting to serve two separate masters. First, the film is hoping to make fans of the novel happy by staying faithful to the source material. Secondly, and more controversially, the film is also trying to act as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” which also is based on a King novel, but took the story in a very different direction.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Sleep’ To Run Longer Than ‘The Shining’ At 152 Minutes As The Director Warns Audiences To Avoid The Big Soda at The Playlist.

Can you ever really go back? More importantly, when the names involved are Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King, do you dare to make the journey? The hallowed halls of the Overlook Hotel have always been sacred ground for both film fans and readers brave enough to take a trip into its cold corridors. “Doctor Sleep” attempts the impossible; merge Kubrick’s long-standing, and much revered, imagery with King’s very different take on “The Shining.”

READ MORE: 2019 Fall Preview: The 45 Most Anticipated Films

The film seems to be in some pretty good hands as “The Haunting of Hill House” director Mike Flanagan assumes the helm.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Sleep’ Trailer: The Horrifying Experience Of ‘The Shining’ Lives On 40 Years Later at The Playlist.

Earlier today, the world was introduced to the first trailer for the upcoming horror film “Doctor Sleep.” Despite its relatively silly title, the film is actually one of the more anticipated films of the fall, due to its source material from legend Stephen King and its connection to one of the greatest films of the genre, “The Shining.” And in the trailer, it appears that director Mike Flanagan is hoping to have a foot in both the King camp and the Stanley Kubrick camp.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Sleep’ Director Explains How ‘Shining’ Sequel Is True To Stanley Kubrick’s Film While Also Approved By Stephen King at The Playlist.

Out of all the works from author Stephen King that have been adapted for the big screen, “The Shining” holds a special place. Not only is the film regarded as the best adaptation of King’s work, bar none, Stanley Kubrick’s film is also the least successful from the author’s perspective. Alas, “The Shining” is a cultural landmark film and it’s actually surprising that it’s taken this long for Hollywood to pump out a sequel.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Sleep’ Trailer: Ewan McGregor Plays The Adult Danny Torrance In Stephen King’s Sequel To ‘The Shining’ at The Playlist.

Filmmaker Mike Flanagan has an interesting choice to make with his upcoming film “Doctor Sleep.” The film, which is based on the novel of the same name by legendary author Stephen King, is a sequel, of sorts, to the classic Stanley Kubrick film “The Shining.” However, considering the film is based on King’s novel, and the author has never shied away from taking shots at Kubrick’s version of his work, Flanagan had to choose whether or not to link his film to the Kubrick masterpiece or stick to the established canon of the novels.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Sleep’ Director Confirms Film Will Acknowledge Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ at The Playlist.

Deerhoof is a band that doesn’t easily fit into any one musical box, so to speak. The indie band has released over a dozen albums in the last 20 years that have run the gamut of musical influences. However, with their latest song, Deerhoof has decided to find inspiration from an unlikely source — Stanley Kubrick.

READ MORE: Lost Stanley Kubrick Finished Script For ‘Burning Secret’ Discovered

The band’s latest song, “Midnight, The Stars And You,” is actually a cover of a song that film fans will probably recognize but not know right off the bat.

Continue reading Indie Band Deerhoof Covers Famous Song From ‘The Shining’ For New Stanley Kubrick-Inspired Album at The Playlist.

Jack Nicholson is eccentric. Jack Nicholson is also rich enough to afford the luxury of eccentricity. But even in the late ’60s, remember the breakout role of “Easy Rider” didn’t come until 1969, Nicholson did weird, surreal things like walking around nude for months at a time. “As a matter of self-help, he spent three months walking around in the nude, at all hours of the day, no matter who stopped by, his daughter included,” Rolling Stone wrote in a 2013 profile.

Continue reading The Essentials: Jack Nicholson’s Best Films at The Playlist.

Attention fans of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick and his classic horror film “The Shining.” It’s time to break out the pocketbook. It appears that long-time assistant to Kubrick, Emilio D’Alessandro, has recently listed an item for auction, and it’s something truly special. Over at the Italian auction site, Aste Bolaffi, Lot 23 is none other than a long, extremely rare cut of “The Shining” including a never-before-released scene.

Continue reading Rare Cut Of ‘The Shining’ Containing A Deleted Scene Up For Auction From Kubrick’s Assistant at The Playlist.

This weekend, Paul Thomas Anderson‘s elegantly weird and gorgeously strange “Phantom Thread” goes into wide release and it truly cannot be missed. It’s another completely singular work from the filmmaker, with a story that has plenty going on beneath its refined stitching. The release of the movie means that the director is doing some final press rounds, and perhaps chattier than ever, he’s got plenty to say.

We’ve known for a little while know that Anderson wants to work with “Girls Trip” breakout star Tiffany Haddish, however, on the Nerdist podcast, he’s reveals just how much he admires the actress’ talent.

Continue reading Paul Thomas Anderson Reveals Fave Films Of 2017, Praises Tiffany Haddish, Wants To Work With Tom Hanks, More at The Playlist.

The thinking that drives Hollywood trends among executives is always opaque, as proven by the next year or so, when we’ll get two projects from A-list directors within a matter of months about, of all things, the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III. So it’s hard to pick out exactly what it is in the water that’s made Stephen King such a hot property again all of a sudden.

Of course, the horror writer, one of the best-selling authors in the English language, and who’ll celebrate his 70th birthday in September, has never exactly been a cold property.

Continue reading Every Stephen King Movie Adaptation From Worst To Best at The Playlist.

This weekend, eclectic indie filmmaker David Lowery‘s quirky “A Ghost Story” will start heading into cinemas. Starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, “A Ghost Story,” shouldn’t work. A moving and existential movie about longing, love, sadness and the immensity of time, it’s about a man that dies, but lingers as an apparition as his wife eventually moves on with her life. But it’s a movie where the ghost is simply a white sheet over Casey Affleck’s head, but nonetheless, the experience is still deeply emotional and profound, creating a spellbinding picture about loss told from the point of view of silent, motionless ghost.

Continue reading Essentials: 20 Of The Best Ghost Movies at The Playlist.

June is nearly here, and we’re really in the thick of summer blockbuster season. “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Diminishing Returns” opened this past weekend, “Wonder Woman” is coming up, Tom Cruise battles “The Mummy” after that, then “Cars 3,” “Transformers: The Last Knight,” “Baby Driver,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “War For The Planet Of The Apes,” “Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets,” “Dunkirk” and “Atomic Blonde” are all on deck without a quiet week to be found.

Continue reading The 50 Best Summer Blockbusters Of All Time at The Playlist.

It’s the witching hour, and we’re just in time to serve you our final frightening dish in our Halloween-themed horror banquet. We’ve discussed the best of the genre from the 70s, the 80s, the 90s, and this century, the best foreign-language horrors, and some of the most visually stunning on-screen nightmares we’ve ever seen. Now it’s time to shine a spooky light on 25 riveting performances in horror films. Ranging from as early as the 1930s all the way to the present, the men and women who populate this article have kept us awake on many nights, sent currents of chill down our spine, and, in a few cases, made us laugh just as readily as they made us scamper to the nearest blanket.

Continue reading The 25 Best Performances In Horror Movies at The Playlist.

Stanley Kubrick’s masterful “The Shining” is a hypnotic, deliriously unnerving film that gets under your skin, refusing to let you think for a minute that you’ll be safe from its spell. It’s one that frightens YouTube editor Lessons from the Screenplay, a.k.a. Michael Tucker, like no other. It disturbs him, makes him look over his shoulder and believe there’s suddenly someone there in the room with him.

Continue reading The Masterful Terror Of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ Screenplay at The Playlist.

Continuing our onslaught of horror features in the name of Halloween (here’s The 15 Best Found Footage Horror Films Ever; Best Horror Films of the 1970s; Best Horror Films of the 1980s; The 25 Best Foreign Language Horror Films Ever and there’s much more to come), today we celebrate an element that often gets overlooked in genre films: the look. Through meticulous production design and foreboding cinematography, the imagery in a horror film illuminates the fear of the unknown and the psychological tremors felt by the humans (or non-humans) to a level that can make us whimper just that bit louder or feel our blood run just that bit colder.

Continue reading 15 Visually Stunning Horror Films at The Playlist.

With October being the spookiest month, we’ve been placing a particular focus on the horror genre in the weeks leading up to Halloween —we’ve already looked at the best Foreign Language Horror movies, and last week we presented a list of the Best Horror Films of the 1970s. This week, the obvious move was to take a look at the genre in the 1980s.

READ MORE: The 50 Best Horror Movies Of The 21st Century So Far

The modern horror film crystallized in the 1970s, thanks to megahit “The Exorcist” and pioneering work from the likes of Ridley Scott and John Carpenter, but it truly exploded in the 1980s.

Continue reading The 25 Best Horror Films Of The 1980s at The Playlist.

We’re perhaps amidst a renaissance in arthouse horror, and certainly the genre is quite healthy at the multiplex, but over thirty years on from when it was first released, few films inspire the kind of terror and dread that Stanley Kubrick conjured with “The Shining.” It’s an immaculately crafted film, deserving of the big screen experience, and for those across the pond, they’ll get to check back into The Overlook Hotel this Halloween when the film is re-released in the U.K.

Continue reading Return To The Overlook Hotel In Chilling New Re-Release Trailer For Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ at The Playlist.