Fans of Stephen King's The Shining have long wondered about the dark history of the Overlook Hotel. Now, director André Øvredal has revealed that he once wrote a prequel script exploring those very horrors, but he fears the project may never see the light of day.
In an exclusive interview, Øvredal—known for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and The Autopsy of Jane Doe—shared that he penned a screenplay set decades before Jack Torrance's fateful winter. The script delves into the hotel's earlier days, focusing on the sinister events that made it a beacon of evil. “It was a deep dive into the Overlook’s origins,” Øvredal said, “but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
The director didn't specify why the project stalled, but the news has reignited interest in King's universe. The Overlook Hotel, with its haunted ballroom and malevolent forces, has been a cornerstone of horror since King's 1977 novel. While Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation remains iconic, King himself has expressed mixed feelings about it, later authoring a sequel novel, Doctor Sleep, which was adapted into a 2019 film.
Øvredal's script reportedly aimed to bridge the gap between the hotel's construction and the Torrance family's arrival, offering a fresh perspective on the Overlook's curse. This isn't the first time a prequel has been attempted; in 2020, HBO Max announced Overlook, a series from Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams, but it was ultimately scrapped. The project's cancellation left fans hungry for more, and Øvredal's script could have filled that void.
The horror genre has seen a resurgence in recent years, with many pointing to the 2020s' horror renaissance as a golden age. Prequels and sequels have become common, but King's works remain a goldmine. From heart-pounding Stephen King books to adaptations like It and Misery, his stories continue to captivate audiences.
Øvredal's revelation comes amid a wave of King-related projects. Apple TV+ recently found success with Constellation, a series King praised, and Widow's Bay has been described as a Stephen King-style horror that demands a binge. The appetite for King's brand of terror is clearly strong, making the loss of this prequel all the more disappointing.
For now, the Overlook Hotel remains a place of mystery. Whether Øvredal's script ever gets produced is uncertain, but the idea of a prequel set within those haunted halls is enough to send shivers down any horror fan's spine. As the director put it, “It’s a story that deserves to be told.”
