Some horror stories become so deeply embedded in pop culture that retelling them can feel almost unnecessary. Carrie is one such story. Brian De Palma’s 1976 film, with Sissy Spacek’s unforgettable turn as the bullied teenager who discovers her telekinetic abilities, has long existed in the shadow of its own infamous prom-night climax. Stephen King’s debut novel, however, has always had more room to explore the girl behind that moment.
That is where Mike Flanagan’s version comes in. Rather than treating Carrie White merely as a horror icon waiting to unleash her powers, the new adaptation appears interested in the isolation, cruelty and adolescence that lead her there. The series also moves the story into an era where humiliation no longer ends when the school day does, bringing social media into Carrie’s already hostile world.
Prime Video has now unveiled the official trailer for Carrie, offering a closer look at Summer H Howell as the troubled teenager and Samantha Sloyan as her deeply religious and controlling mother, Margaret. The trailer begins with Carrie entering high school after being homeschooled, where her unfamiliarity with teenage life quickly makes her a target. “I used to dream about this. Having friends,” Carrie says in the trailer, before that hope gives way to the bullying that has always been central to King’s story. The footage also shows the infamous locker-room incident, the emergence of Carrie’s powers and the escalating hostility around her.
The biggest departure is the way the series folds contemporary technology into the story. A bullying scandal spreads through the community, giving Flanagan another avenue to explore the public humiliation that drives Carrie towards her breaking point. The result appears less like a straightforward remake of De Palma’s film and more like an attempt to examine what Carrie would look like when the cruelty of high school can follow a teenager everywhere.
The eight-episode series is the first television adaptation of King’s 1974 novel. Flanagan, who previously adapted Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep and The Life of Chuck, serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer, besides directing four episodes. King is also an executive producer. The cast includes Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Josie Totah, Amber Midthunder and Matthew Lillard.
The timing also gives the adaptation an interesting anniversary connection. De Palma’s film turns 50 this year, making Flanagan’s series less a replacement for the original and more a new chapter in the long afterlife of King’s first novel. All eight episodes of Carrie will premiere on Prime Video on October 7.