An upcoming book-to-screen adaptation that has been under the radar is the upcoming streaming series Teacup. Even if you are a “fear freak,” like myself, who keeps up to date with all upcoming horror movies and series, you might have missed this one—just like I did. Peacock recently dropped the first teaser for Teacup, a horror series based on Robert R. McCammon’s Stinger and brought to life by The Conjuring Universe mastermind James Wan and his Atomic Monster label. While the teaser has undoubtedly caught my attention with its eerie atmosphere and intriguing premise, it left out a key element of the story that left me feeling a bit let down.
According to Variety, Teacup stars Scott Speedman and Yvonne Strahovski as part of a group of people stranded on a small farm and forced to come together when a mysterious threat arrives. The series, suspiciously described as "inspired" by Robert McCammon's novel, moves the action from a small town in Texas (as in the book) to Georgia. The story unfolds over a single terrifying night, where a massive dome traps the townspeople inside while an alien predator known as "Stinger" hunts them down. It’s got major Predator meets Stephen King’s Under the Dome vibes, capturing the intense atmosphere of the original novel—something I’m hoping Teacup can deliver as well.
Interestingly, the teaser trailer for Teacup doesn’t show the aliens or the dome at all. There is a subtle nod to the dome when a faceless character demonstrates what I assume is the titular "teacup" closing over a group of marbles, but that's about it. Instead, the teaser focuses on the eerie, character-driven aspects, with glimpses of frightened townsfolk, shadowy figures, and an overall sense of foreboding. The horror atmosphere is intense, with dark visuals and hints of chaos that fans of McCammon’s novel will recognize. However, the absence of the dome, which is vital to the novel's claustrophobic tension, leaves a significant part of the story out.
Stinger isn’t just about alien encounters; it explores how ordinary people face extraordinary situations. The dome represents not just physical confinement but emotional and psychological entrapment as well—something the teaser touches on but doesn’t fully convey. Moreover, the title Teacup doesn’t indicate the sci-fi thriller elements of the story. If the show stays true to the book, viewers can expect a mix of alien terror and a fun, B-movie vibe, which the teaser doesn’t quite capture.
Don’t get me wrong—James Wan and his team at Atomic Monster, including producers Michael Clear and Rob Hackett, are masters at creating tension and terror. Their track record with projects like The Conjuring and Archive 81 speaks for itself. Teacup promises to be thrilling, especially with directors like E.L. Katz, who knows how to build suspenseful, unnerving narratives. However, for fans of McCammon’s novel, the absence of the dome and the otherworldly visitors in the trailer could hint that the series might diverge more from the source material than expected.
Teacup, which you’ll be able to enjoy with a Peacock subscription, has all the right ingredients for a memorable horror series. Still, we can only speculate on how the upcoming TV series will handle the beloved elements of its literary inspiration. Here’s hoping that as we get closer to its 2024 TV schedule release date, October 10, more of the story’s signature features—including that all-important dome and the hunters from outer space—will take center stage.
