Game of Thrones the series stood out amongst the other book-to-TV adaptations in a number of ways, one being that the storylines ultimately extend beyond the renowned books. Of course, the HBO project was also notable for being such an Emmy-winning crowd-pleaser.
Back in 2007, Stephen King‘s short story 1408 became a surprise-hit movie, earning $132 million globally against its mere $25 million budget. Now, a sequel is in the works, and fans can’t help but wonder how the plot will extend beyond King’s concise source material.
On Friday, November 6, Variety reported that Stranger Things actress Natalia Dyer and The Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood are set to join 1408 original cast members John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in the big-screen follow-up.
Filmmaker Mikael Håfström, who directed the first film, will return to helm the sequel, which he co-wrote with Mark Verheiden, per Variety.
Jackson, 77, and Cusack, 60, will reprise their original roles, but they reportedly will only be supporting characters in the sequel. Dyer, 31 will play the lead role, while Wood, 45, will also play a supporting role. Production is currently set to begin in early 2027.
The 2007 film adaptation currently holds a 80% average critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which offers the following synopsis:
“Mike Enslin is a successful author who enjoys worldwide acclaim debunking supernatural phenomena — before he checks into the Dolphin Hotel, that is. Ignoring the warnings of the hotel manager, he learns the meaning of real terror when he spends the night in a reputedly haunted room.”
We Ranked the 160 Best Horror Movies of All Time, From ‘Halloween’ to ‘Get Out’
Back in 2023, Parade fashioned a list of the most memorable and terrifying horror movies ever made, ranked.
1408 made the list, with one of the keys to its success being Cusack’s expertly measured performance: He spends the first third of the picture smirking with disbelief, the rest of it freaking out. Find out more here.