Stephen King's much-acclaimed novella Rat is set for a big screen adaptation from Mexican filmmaker Isaac Ezban, known for movies Mal de Ojo and Párvulos. Jay Van Hoy, who backed The Witch and The Lighthouse is producing the upcoming film along with Fernando Ferro and Paul Perez.
The plot of the book follows Drew Larson, a writer who is "cursed by his own ambition." Each attempt at a novel has ended in disaster—illness, misfortune, or worse. Determined to break the cycle, he retreats to a desolate cabin in the Maine woods, convinced this time will be different. But as a violent storm traps him in isolation, Drew’s body falters and his mind begins to unravel. In the grip of fever and madness, a stranger appears—an uncanny visitor who promises salvation and success...for a price Drew can barely comprehend."
Released in 2020, If It Bleeds comprises four novellas, also including If It Bleeds, Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck and Rat. In one year, Stephen King's two novels The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk were released as films, but unfortunately was not received well by audiences and critics.
Ezban, the co-founder of Red Elephant Films, is a rising figure in Latin American genre cinema and has previously received recognition from Guillermo del Toro. Howard, meanwhile, has carved out a strong reputation as a writer and producer in the genre space, contributing to films like Oculus, Gerald’s Game, and Ouija: Origin of Evil, as well as series such as Resident Evil, The Haunting of Hill House, and Midnight Mass.
Producers Van Hoy and Ferro recently completed work on the crime thriller 52nd State, directed and written by Todd Yellin. Perez’s latest project was the Father of the Bride remake, developed with Plan B for Warner Bros.
