Romero to Direct Stephen King's "From a Buick 8"

[Damed]

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117932525&categoryID=13&cs=1

also

http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=21773



Posted: Mon., Nov. 7, 2005, 10:00pm PT

'Buick' getting in gear
Romero to helm King story for Chesapeake

By KATHY LYFORD
George Romero will helm an adaptation of the Stephen King novel "From a Buick 8" for Chesapeake Films, which is ramping up its initial slate. ...


Nice to see Romero getting more theatrical directing jobs, and "Buick 8" is a pretty cool King story. I wonder if Romero or King will adapt the screenplay?

[4Gotten1]

I think the article states that the script has already been written -- as follows, "Both scripts were written by Chesapeake principals Johnathon Schaech and Richard Chizmar." (Also referring to the Poker Club). Although, I think Romero is a great writer and should should certainly add his two cents, there's always some underlying meaning in his films.

[Damed]

Thanks, I must've missed that. I'd rather see the screenplay adapted by Romero or King though. :(

[Workshed]

No clue how this one will turn out. I really enjoyed the book, but the pace might not be right for a film. With Romero and King, though, it's a very solid start.

[Mortis]

George Romero has bee officially tapped to helm an adaptation of the Stephen King novel From a Buick 8 for Chesapeake Films, which is ramping up its initial slate, according to Variety. The story focuses around a State Trooper outpost in Pennsylvania that houses a very mysterious car. For years it’s been kept sealed up in Shed B, but when a deceased trooper’s son starts to ask questions about it, its incredibly bizarre past comes to light. Read on for the full story...

Variety reports:

George Romero will helm an adaptation of the Stephen King novel "From a Buick 8" for Chesapeake Films, which is ramping up its initial slate.

Shingle also has set Tim McCann to direct suspense thriller "The Poker Club," a co-production with Infinity Media ("Capote") and Exile Films.

Both scripts were written by Chesapeake principals Johnathon Schaech and Richard Chizmar.

The duo's other projects include an adaptation of King and Peter Straub's bestselling novel "Black House" for Akiva Goldsman's Weed Road Prods. and a pic based on Douglas Clegg's "The Hour Before Dark" for Trilogy Entertainment and United Artists.

Schaech, a thesp best known for "That Thing You Do," and Chizmar, founder-publisher of Cemetery Dance Publications, formed Chesapeake in 2004 with an eye toward writing, developing and co-producing two to three horror/suspense films per year.

"I'm getting to the age now where I want to create my own opportunities, for me and my family," Schaech said.

"Because of our strong background in genre publishing, we plan to bring many of these literary gems to the bigscreen," said Chizmar, whose company is a leading publisher of horror titles. "We have advance access to thousands of novels and short stories in the horror and suspense genre, many of which won't see publication for years."

First up for the banner is "The Poker Club," based on the suspense thriller by crime scribe Ed Gorman. This tale of suburban violence focuses on four buddies who discover and accidentally kill a burglar -- who may not be alone -- in the kitchen during their weekly poker night. Their lives and the lives of their families are forever changed by the difficult choices they must make.

A January start date in Manitoba is planned for "Poker."

"From a Buick 8" is the story of a state trooper who is killed on the side of the road. The man's colleagues try to help his son cope, but when the boy discovers his father's dark secret in the barracks' back shed, things start to stir not only in the shed but in the hearts and minds of the veteran troopers who surround him.

"I'm very excited that George is interested in directing 'From a Buick 8,' " said King, has worked with Chizmar and Cemetery Dance for years.

Schaech stars in the indie dramas "Sea of Dreams," being released this month in Mexico, and next year's "Little Chenier," alongside Clifton Collins. He is in Louisiana filming "Roadhouse 2," on which he and Chizmar did a rewrite.

Romero most recently directed the summer horror pic "Land of the Dead."

McCann directed "Runaway," which nabbed the feature prize at the Austin Film Festival.

Chesapeake and Romero are repped by Gersh.

http://bloody-disgusting.com/index.php?Show=5197&Template=newsfull

[y2doublet]

Cool. Just finished reading the book and it was pretty darn good.

[Alien Redrum]

Thanks, I must've missed that. I'd rather see the screenplay adapted by Romero or King though. :(

Or Frank Darabont.

Probably the best adapter of King's works.

[Dave]

Christine, anyone? I haven't read the book, so I won't judge too harshly, but I did read an interview with King where even he acknowledge he was running out of new ideas.

[Alien Redrum]

My first thought, too, before I read the book.

On some levels, it is similar to Christine--I mean it's hard not to compare because of the deadly car aspect.

But it's not the same.

It would like being comparing Ginger Snaps to American Werewolf in London. Both are werewolf movies, but they are different.

[Cujo108]

As I've been saying in various other Romero threads, I was hoping he'd do From a Buick 8 before another zombie film. I loved the book, and I think Romero can do great things with it. This is definitely something I want to see. Hope it doesn't fall through like so many of his other projects from the last few years.

[MorallySound]

http://www.upcominghorrormovies.com/movies/fromabuick8.php

[KillerCannabis]

Sounds good to me. I'll always go see some new Romero. And so what if it's almost a Christine clone? Now 2 of my favorite directors have done King car story adaptions.