Stephen King’s ‘From a Buick 8’ in the Works as a Movie

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Stephen King’s horror novel “From a Buick 8” is in the works as movie at Ashok Amritraj’s Hyde Park Entertainment with William Brent Bell set to direct from his own script.

King published “From a Buick 8” — which derives its title from the 1965 Bob Dylan song “From a Buick 6” — in 2002 and set the story around the rural town of Statler, Pa., where state police have kept a mysterious 1954 Buick Roadmaster in the shed behind the barracks for over 20 years. After a well-liked member of the troop is killed by a drunk driver, his son begins to visit the barracks and the cops begin telling Ned about the “Buick 8,” which turns out to have a malevolent spirit.

King’s 1983 novel “Christine” touched similar themes with a vintage Plymouth Fury and its effects on the car’s new teenage owner. Columbia made the movie “Christine” in the same year with John Carpenter directing and Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, and Harry Dean Stanton starring.

Bell’s credits include STX horror film “The Boy” and Paramont’s “The Devil Inside.” Amritraj will produce. Addison Mehr and Priya Amritraj will be executive producers.

Hyde Park has a film financing partnership with ImageNation Abu Dhabi. The company fully financed “Prey” as a co-production with Blumhouse.

Interest in King’s titles has skyrocketed over the past year since New Line’s adaptation of “It” became the top-grossing horror film of all time.

King is repped by Paradigm and Gang, Tyre. Bell is repped by ICM Partners. The news was first reported by Deadline.