Apple Inks Deal for 'Lisey's Story' TV Show Written by Stephen King and Starring Julianne Moore

[MacRumors]

Apple has given a straight to series order for eight episodes of "Lisey's Story," a TV show based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Julianne Moore is set to star in the series, while Stephen King will write all eight episodes in addition to executive producing. As The Hollywood Reporter points out, King does not often write for TV shows, making "Lisey's Story" notable.

In the past, King has called "Lisey's Story" one of his favorite books, and one that he'd love to see turned into a television series.

The novel, which is a psychological horror with romance elements, is split between Lisey's life in the present time and her dead husband's life (a famous novelist) as she remembers it. Lisey begans to remember things about her husband that she had suppressed while being terrorized in the present by a former fan of her husband's.

Along with King and Moore, the series also boasts J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson of Bad Robot Productions as executive producers. This is the third series Abrams is working on for Apple, as he is also developing "Little Voice" with Sara Bareilles and "My Glory Was I Had Such Friends" with Jennifer Garner.

Julianne Moore has recently starred in movies that include "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," "Bel Canto," "Gloria Bell," and "Suburbicon," but she has not been in a television series since her stint on "As the World Turns" in the 80s, with the exception of a few appearances on "30 Rock."

Apple currently has more than two dozen television shows in the works for its upcoming Apple TV+ service, which is set to debut this fall. We have a running list of all of the TV shows and movies that Apple is working on available in our original content guide.

Article Link: Apple Inks Deal for 'Lisey's Story' TV Show Written by Stephen King and Starring Julianne Moore

 

[themovieposterguy]

Sarah Harding better get that paycheck.

 

[gugy]

I don't doubt some of the ATV+ content will be great. The question is if that will be enough to entice people to subscribe to it. I think Apple will charge a lot for the service.
Ideally, Apple should have a bundle subscription that encompasses all services + iCloud storage at a reasonable price for individuals and families. If not, I don't see myself jumping on the bandwagon.

 

[ErikGrim]

Super happy about seeing Julianne Moore return to TV. But Stephen King really needs to get over his fan persecution complex

 

[panjandrum]

Interesting. I'm starting to think there might actually be some good content. Stephen King, done properly, can be extremely good, especially if it is based on one of King's better works. And, Abrams is both a great imitator and an obvious fan of King (Super 8 is, essentially, a perfect Stephen Kingesque story. As if someone had taken one of King's best works and transformed it perfectly onto film; the young love, the friendships of youth, the heartache and heartbreak, the terrible things that happen to good people, the "supernatural" elements. It's all there. When I first saw the film I was shocked that King wasn't involved. It's just that good an imitation).

For those who don't read King because he is undoubtably inconsistent (the second half of IT kind of stunk, because the novel IT also kind of goes on and on like that and loses much of the book's early magic as it progresses), but he is also frequently brilliant, both from the entertainment perspective and the literary perspective. He's got a kind of brutal honesty when it comes to human nature, and he is, when he is at his best, absolutely brilliant. He isn't really a "horror" writer as-such. His books and stories almost all inhabit a multiverse in a way that is portrayed, often, in a supernatural way, but is really more Sci-Fi.

If I were to suggest a single starting place for people wanting to jump into King I would say "Joyland". It is one of his shorter works and is absolutely, heartbreakingly brilliant. If you don't weep at points when reading it you have no soul.

 

[calstanford]

So cool. I will throw away my stupid iPhone and Macbook and go all in with Huawei where I can then watch the new Netflix (formerly known as Apple Inc)

 

[Lesser Evets]

Apple is missing the mark,again. Will they cancel their TV programming if it can’t measure up to standards?

 

[Williesleg]

Maybe the stars can hire some engineers to build out some good product with all the cash Tim Apple is gonna pay them.

 

[Jamers99]

Can't stand Jullianne Moore. Haven't liked her from Boogie Nights until today.

 

[rpmurray]

Stephen King: This is going to be great.
Tim Apple sends a note: Don't be mean.
Stephen: WTF, didn't you read the treatment?
Tim: We just want you to make a few changes so it'll be family friendly.
JJ Abrams: Just write yourself into a corner and give the fans a **** ending, that's what I always do.
Stephen: I've died and gone to hell, haven't I?

 

[AngerDanger]

Super happy about seeing Julianne Moore return to TV. But Stephen King really needs to get over his fan persecution complex

THAT’S WHAT I KEEP TELLING HIM! But somehow Mr. Hotshot Writer hasn’t gotten it through his beautiful, fragile skull that if he doesn’t deal with his little complex, there will be consequences!

 

[koa]

Can't stand Jullianne Moore. Haven't liked her from Boogie Nights until today.

For me, it’s after seeing her blow dry the white wine she spilled on her dress in Short Cuts.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Come on, it’s a new era, and a new world to build, away from the drudgery of the old studio system. Let the era where we need to have JJ Abrams and three familiar faces selling every project end, and just sell projects on their merit and a bit of concept art instead...

That said, Julianne Moore is a modern goddess and I will never tire of seeing her face on anything.

 

[Kal-037]

Apple has given a straight to series order for eight episodes of "Lisey's Story," a TV show based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Julianne Moore is set to star in the series, while Stephen King will write all eight episodes in addition to executive producing. As The Hollywood Reporter points out, King does not often write for TV shows, making "Lisey's Story" notable.

Image credit: Getty Images via The Hollywood Reporter​

In the past, King has called "Lisey's Story" one of his favorite books, and one that he'd love to see turned into a television series.

The novel, which is a psychological horror with romance elements, is split between Lisey's life in the present time and her dead husband's life (a famous novelist) as she remembers it. Lisey begans to remember things about her husband that she had suppressed while being terrorized in the present by a former fan of her husband's.

Along with King and Moore, the series also boasts J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson of Bad Robot Productions as executive producers. This is the third series Abrams is working on for Apple, as he is also developing "Little Voice" with Sara Bareilles and "My Glory Was I Had Such Friends" with Jennifer Garner.

Julianne Moore has recently starred in movies that include "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," "Bel Canto," "Gloria Bell," and "Suburbicon," but she has not been in a television series since her stint on "As the World Turns" in the 80s, with the exception of a few appearances on "30 Rock."

Apple currently has more than two dozen television shows in the works for its upcoming Apple TV+ service, which is set to debut this fall. We have a running list of all of the TV shows and movies that Apple is working on available in our original content guide.

Article Link: Apple Inks Deal for 'Lisey's Story' TV Show Written by Stephen King and Starring Julianne Moore

Had me at Stephen King, lost me at Julianne Moore. bleghhh.


Kallum.

 

[EdT]

Right now I don't care who writes/produces/stars in any show or movie- Apple or anyone else's. Past triumphs do not guarantee future success. Lots of very talented people have been involved in absolute rubbish because whoever backed them wanted to use those talented peoples name without bothering to let them work. And sometimes even a certified genius bombs. Don't care about names. Show me.

 

[nutmac]

I don't doubt some of the ATV+ content will be great. The question is if that will be enough to subscribe to it. I think Apple will charge a lot for the service.
Ideally, Apple will have a bundle subscription that encompasses all services + iCloud storage at a reasonable price for individuals and families. If not I don't see myself jumping on the bandwagon.

Agreed.

I am betting both Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ won't be bargain priced -- $9.99/each makes sense to me, joining $9.99 Apple Music (although Family Plan costs $14.99), Apple News+, and iCloud (2 TB).

I would love $29.99/month bundle that lets me pick 4 services (buy 3, get 4th free).

 

[QCassidy352]

He's got a kind of brutal honesty when it comes to human nature, and he is, when he is at his best, absolutely brilliant. He isn't really a "horror" writer as-such. His books and stories almost all inhabit a multiverse in a way that is portrayed, often, in a supernatural way, but is really more Sci-Fi.

His early stuff was largely horror, and it remains the work for which he is best known - It, Pet Cemetery, Carrie, Cujo, etc. And many of those are quite good, but you're right, he moved beyond mere horror a long, long time ago, and yes, much (though certainly not all) of his work is brilliant. The TV and movie adaptations of his work have been very hit or miss over the years.

 

[snooksy83]

I don't know why Apple wants to enter the TV show marketplace? We have to remember Netflix lost money for maybe the first decade of operating. I don't like this direction for Apple.

I'm from Australia and the product prices have gone up way too much without possessing the necessary features to match. Our Australian dollar buys the same amount of daily items as the US dollar for items like food and essential services yet Apple computers carry an extra 30% premium. The 2018/19 Macbook Pro is only marginally better than the one of 4 years ago. In 2013 I paid AUD$3000 for a Macbook Pro 15 inch with i7 quad core 16GB ram and two graphics processors and 512 SSD. Now a replacement costs over $5000 here for a similarly specced 6 core machine with 32BG of RAM. It has only about a 25% CPU performance difference, slightly more RAM and dual NVMEs rather than one. If you want the upgraded GPU you are looking a $6000 for the new MBP. The interconnect is actually slower on the newer one and using an eGPU gets you comparable performance from the older one. There is no mac pro still to be seen. Again, an upgraded 2010 Mac Pro is quicker than the 2013 model. For $3500AUD I can only get a new 13 inch MBP with an i5, 16 GB RAM And 512GB SSD. It seems like a step backwards.

Apple are releasing crippled products that can't be upgraded or repaired. Unless the new MacPro is a really great product I'm walking away from Apple. I've already retired my AppleTv because it doesn't support bitstreaming audio output nor HDR10+ and replaced it with an Oppo 203. I haven't upgraded my iPhone 7 Plus because the new one which is 50% more expensive in Australia offers very little improvement. I don't really want three separate ugly camera lenses on the back of my phone.

When I upgrade my computers I want a great product for a reasonable price premium over the competition and Apple doesn't provide that any more. The price differential for the new products is too much over the products they replace. I'm sure this is Apple's problem in China and other markets and I don't see how making US TV shows for the US subscription market is going to solve this problem. Apple needs to focus on what has been it's traditional core business, which is making the best personal computers. If they don't then users like me will go elsewhere and spend their money in other ecosystems to replace phones, cloud subscriptions, streaming devices, mobile devices, PCs and workstations.

 

[anshuvorty]

I doubt that Apple will eat the cost of these shows when they announce pricing. You don't get A-list stars and producers and directors without charging a premium for their salary. Apple will then turn this cost onto the customer and charge a hefty premium monthly fee for Apple TV+. Apple TV+ is going to be expensive. My guess? $30-40/month like Youtube TV.

 

[stonekirby]

You know, TV is just that...TV.

I wish Apple would focus more on blowing me away with Tech rather then dipping their toes into Hollywood schmuck :/

 

[danieleilertsen]

jesus christ. this looks boring.

If apple thinks giving us Roma type of movies will make people sign on, they are wrong. Roma is purly for some 0.5 % of movie fans that like wanking it off to the camera positioning. Most off us like Zombie flix, Game Of thrones, Dexter, Breaking Bad and other brutal shows. You know, the stuff that does not fit on apple+. If you dont want that crowd, then you have disney.

 

[Piggie]

Will Apple horror shows show people screaming oh, dash, dam and darnit, and hitting each other gently with plastic weapons.
We don't want any vulgarity or violence on our platform

 

[steveOooo]

washed up, over paid springs to mind when i hear about the creatives involved with apple tv.

I really dont care, there is so much content out there, its over whelming. I sub to netflix and amazon prime and find i barely watch prime, so multiple subs for me wont happen.

 

[MoreRumors?]

The book version is always better than translating it into a movie. Perhaps breaking it down with a TV series may work as long as they keep it as close to what's written on the book.

 

[nexusrule]

I don't doubt some of the ATV+ content will be great. The question is if that will be enough to entice people to subscribe to it. I think Apple will charge a lot for the service.
Ideally, Apple should have a bundle subscription that encompasses all services + iCloud storage at a reasonable price for individuals and families. If not, I don't see myself jumping on the bandwagon.

It doesn't make sense to make a bundle when you are just launching or improving multiple services, need to see what sticks first, what works, what need to be improved, how to optimally price individual services etc. Then you can start thinking about bundling multiple services in one offer.
[doublepost=1554805788][/doublepost]

washed up, over paid springs to mind when i hear about the creatives involved with apple tv.

I really dont care, there is so much content out there, its over whelming. I sub to netflix and amazon prime and find i barely watch prime, so multiple subs for me wont happen.

They are happening already.