Photo credit: movieweb.com
The Anticipation Around Mike Flanagan’s Adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck
The recent release of the official trailer for Neon’s adaptation of The Life of Chuck has ignited excitement among Stephen King enthusiasts. This film represents a distinct narrative from the acclaimed horror writer, known for his chilling works like Cujo and It. Instead, The Life of Chuck offers a more uplifting perspective, showcasing director Mike Flanagan‘s ability to explore a different emotional terrain within King’s literary repertoire. Fans are eager to witness how Flanagan, celebrated for his work in the horror genre, interprets this poignant story for the silver screen.
Flanagan has made a name for himself in horror cinema, particularly after the success of his Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House in 2018. This was followed by the equally celebrated The Haunting of Bly Manor. Both series feature Oliver Jackson-Cohen, who reflected on the creative journey of Hill House during a recent conversation with MovieWeb. “That was his baby. He wrote that, it was like he’d been sitting on it for 10 years,” Jackson-Cohen recounted, emphasizing the profound impact the project had on his career.
“It was such an incredible experience. And the characters — I will forever be grateful to Mike for getting to play, you know, Luke in that first iteration… Such profound kind of memories and moments and impacts on my life, so I have a huge amount to thank Mike Flanagan for… a very, very, very clever man,” he stated, highlighting Flanagan’s remarkable storytelling skills.
Beyond Flanagan’s influence, Jackson-Cohen also made a memorable impression in the horror realm with his performance in The Invisible Man (2020), produced by Blumhouse. Expressing his enthusiasm for the collaboration, he remarked, “I loved working with Blumhouse. I loved the whole team. They’re so clever. I loved working with Leigh Whannell,” indicating his desire to continue working with such talented collaborators. “100% I would work with them again… When you find people [and] you’re lucky enough to kind of work with people who are that kind of clever, you welcome that,” he added, acknowledging the synergy of creative partnerships.
Exploring New Avenues in the Crime Genre
As Jackson-Cohen delves into new genres with his current limited series, Towards Zero, streaming now on BritBox, he demonstrates his versatility. The series, adapted from Agatha Christie’s 1944 novel, revolves around the character Nevile, a charming tennis player embroiled in a love triangle. Across its three thrilling episodes, Jackson-Cohen showcases his ability to navigate different narratives beyond horror.
Reflecting on his preparation for the role, he admitted, “Zero experience over here, and hopefully you can’t quite tell.” This candidness about his lack of prior skills in tennis and dance adds a relatable layer to his portrayal. “But do you know what the irony was? I was so terrified about the tennis that I hadn’t actually thought about the dancing, and I feel like it’s the dancing that lets me down the worst in the show… We had ‘double doubles’: doubles for tennis and in dancing. I feel like they added one at the last minute,” he quipped, humorously acknowledging the behind-the-scenes efforts of stunt doubles who helped elevate his performance.
For fans intrigued by Jackson-Cohen’s performance, Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero is currently available for viewing. Discover the twists and turns of this captivating adaptation through the link below:
Source
movieweb.com