This is likely going to cause a strong reaction if it ever becomes official: Warner Bros. is exploring the possibility of developing a prequel to The Shining. Prepare for the outcry of "redrum."
The L.A. Times has it from an undisclosed source (who isn’t allowed to talk about it to begin with) that Warner Bros. is “quietly exploring” their options regarding a prequel to the 1980 horror classic. The source is quick to point out that the proposed prequel is nowhere near the official development stage and is more of a “what if” scenario.
Supposedly, Warner Bros. has already sought out writer/producer Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) along with her producing partners Bradley Fischer (Black Swan, Zodiac) and James Vanderbilt (The Amazing Spider-Man, Zodiac). No word is mentioned if Stephen King, author of the original novel who is currently writing his own sequel to “Shining,” would be involved in any way. There is also no word if original Jack Nicholson has set fire to the Warner Bros. back lot yet.
The original film was directed by Stanley Kubrick and followed the exploits of struggling writer Jack Torrance (Nicholson), his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their psychic son Danny (Danny Lloyd) as they take up residence at the Overlook Hotel. Originally debuting to mixed reviews and success, The Shining went on to become a classic not just for horror, but film period.
There is no mention on what the events of a potential prequel would entail, i.e. if it would follow the Torrance family or the admittedly far more interesting history of the Overlook Hotel. Many would cry foul that such material should be off limits, but with nearly 40 percent of Hollywood’s upcoming projects being sequels, prequels or reboots, we wouldn’t count a prequel to even the most classic of stories out of the realm of possibility.
