Some of the most gifted filmmakers of all time have made Stephen King adaptations – the impressive history including names like Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, Brian De Palma, Rob Reiner, and George A. Romero. Simply put, great stories attract great storytellers, and if new reports pan out as true, then we'll be soon noting another incredible director as part of the legacy: Darren Aronofsky.
Last week, it was reported that Netflix was actively developing a new remake of Cujo with producer Roy Lee (IT, IT: Chapter Two, Doctor Sleep) shepherding the project, and the Hollywood Reporter has sources saying that Darren Aronofsky is now in talks to direct. Not much is know about the vision for the film, but as the trade notes, it seems to be getting fast-tracked.
Should a deal be signed and the movie move forward quickly, Cujo would be Aronofsky's first narrative feature since 2022's The Whale – which memorably won two Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Brendan Fraser and Best Makeup And Hairstyling. While one could argue that the filmmaker's only explicit journey into the world of horror is 2010's Black Swan, that would also be ignoring all of the shocking and horrific developments in the "dramas" Pi, Requiem For A Dream, and Mother!
Beyond the fact that Darren Aronofsky has proven time and time again to be exceptionally talented, what makes me most excited about the idea of him helming the Cujo remake is the fact that he is a storyteller who is not afraid to take audiences into extremely dark places, and that's exactly what the Stephen King movie needs. Because the 1983 film directed by Lewis Teague holds up so well, I've previously said that the only real reason to do a new adaptation would be to execute the ending that is in the book: in the film, Donna and Tad Trenton (Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro) both survive after being under siege for days by a rabid St. Bernard, but the book sees Tad die of heatstroke and dehydration.
The new version of Cujo doesn't have a writer attached yet, but once he is officially attached, Darren Aronofsky will reportedly start talking with "candidates" for the job (per THR).
While we wait for more updates about Cujo, the good news for all you Constant Readers out there is that there's a whole bunch of new Stephen King movies and TV shows still on the way this year – even with Osgood Perkins' The Monkey now playing in theaters everywhere. Mike Flanagan's The Life Of Chuck (which just dropped its first trailer last week) is arriving this summer, and Edgar Wright's remake of The Running Man starring Glen Powell is set for release this fall. On the small screen, HBO will be premiering IT: Welcome To Derry in the coming months, and MGM+ is going to air The Institute before the end of 2025
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