Directed by Stanley Kubrick ‘The Shining’ was released in 1980, starring Jack Nicholson the film is based on a Stephen King novel and was released to initially mixed reviews though has since grown to be what is considered a classic in the horror genre. The film contains sequences that have been parodied numerous times since release.
It is now rumoured that a prequel to ‘The Shining’ could be in the works. Reports have emerged indicating the Warner Bros. are looking at the possibility of a prequel to the original film, one that would see a return to the Overlook Hotel.
Supposedly a new film would focus on events at the hotel before Jack Torrance’s arrival with his family and subsequent descent into insanity. Obviously the original film had plot elements leading back prior to Jack’s arrival with the history of a previous caretaker losing his mind being mentioned in the original, but is this something the audience wants or needs to be elaborated upon?
Is the more likely outcome of such a project going to be something that surpasses the original or falls short? The recent trend is most certainly to revisit older franchises and explore their roots, we’ve seen this earlier this year with ‘Prometheus’ and we’ll be seeing it again soon enough with the sequel for ‘Blade Runner’ on the way.
Given the popularity of ‘The Shining’, any new film that is connected will no doubt bring along an existing fan base and a guaranteed level of revenue, making this for a tempting project at Warner Bros. no doubt. However to deliver something that will at least maintain the spirit of the original film will require some creative talent and interesting ideas indeed.
Let us know what you think about the idea of a prequel to the Kubrick/Nicholson classic, is it something you’d like to see or something that makes your bones shiver in terror?
