The latest update regarding the adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling novel Fairy Tale is bad news for cinephiles and good for TV fans. The Fairy Tale adaptation was originally conceived as a movie, with Paul Greengrass serving as a writer, producer, and director. Those movie plans have now shifted to a TV show.
Per Deadline, Fairy Tale will now become a 10-episode TV series at A24. Greengrass is expected to be involved as he expands the script with J.H. Wyman, who will serve as Fairy Tale‘s showrunner. Wyman is a TV veteran, with credits on Almost Human and Fringe. Greengrass, Wyman, and King will executive produce along with Peter Rice, the former president of 21st Century Fox. Rice’s upcoming producing credits include Saturday Night, 28 Years Later, and Warfare.
Typically known for horror, King switched genres for 2022’s Fairy Tale. The dark fantasy novel follows Charlie Reade, a 17-year-old boy who inherits keys to a portal that transports him into a world where good battles evil. Fairy Tale quickly became a New York Times Best Seller.
King’s novels remain as popular as ever, with several adaptations being released in the last year. Salem’s Lot, a Max feature film based on King’s 1975 novel, was the second-most popular title on streaming in the U.S. from October 3 to 9, per Reelgood. The Life of Chuck, Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of King’s 2020 novella, won the Audience Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
Next year will see two more feature film adaptations of King’s works. The Monkey Man hits theaters on February 21, 2025, while The Running Man opens theatrically on November 21, 2025.
