Stephen King Teases Future Project After Backing Flanagan's Carrie Changes
Stephen King has given Mike Flanagan's new 'Carrie' TV series a massive thumbs-up, and he's hinting that more collaborations could be on the way. In a video posted on X on October 9, 2026, King called Flanagan "the best adapter of my work," according to TVLine. He also teased a potential future project, saying, "if you like this and enough people watch it, we might be doing something else that's really special."
King was deeply involved in the Prime Video adaptation, which expands his original novel into an eight-episode series with significant changes. Per TVLine, Flanagan stated King was "very intimately involved" in deciding how to expand the story's universe. The author is also listed as an executive producer, a role he hasn't taken on previous 'Carrie' adaptations.
The show's most controversial change involves a new character named Emaline, who is revealed to have her own supernatural powers. In the finale, Emaline saves Carrie, and the pair ride off together, teasing a potential second season. Some fans criticized the twist, especially that Emaline takes control during the infamous prom massacre.
Flanagan defended the creative choice in a Reddit Q&A, per TVLine, writing, "It is what makes the most sense for these [particular] characters... I know it isn't 'like the book', but Jesus, we left the book behind a LONG time ago." He also noted that Emaline was the character King was "the most excited to shape."
Kotaku's review praised the series as "actively brilliant," highlighting Summer H. Howell's performance as Carrie and the updated, nuanced portrayal of her mother, Margaret White, played by Samantha Sloyan. The show reportedly frames the story with a modern, MAGA-coded take on zealotry, making it feel more insidious than previous versions.
