The works of Stephen King are an ideal haven for trivia. The writer’s popular culture influence is so huge that most individuals have a shot at getting questions proper… however his physique of labor between books and diversifications can be so huge that there are many alternatives to stump them. It’s good recreation present fodder, and Jeopardy! took benefit this week with a full class devoted to King.
A fast spherical of Jeopardy!-sourced trivia leads this version of The King Beat, however it’s one among many topics on this jam-packed, which additionally contains an replace on the upcoming Carrie TV collection, my interviews with Mike Flanagan and the solid of The Life Of Chuck, and a mini, spoiler-free overview of Stephen King’s newest novel, By no means Flinch, which I simply completed studying a pair days in the past. There’s quite a bit to digest, so let’s dig in!
Can You Reply All Of The Questions From The ‘Stephen King’ Class On Jeopardy This Previous Tuesday?
I like trivia and puzzles. Among the many first issues I do each morning once I stand up is open the NYT Video games app and get up my mind with its each day choices. Naturally, this makes me a Jeopardy! fan as properly, and I bought the fantastic alternative to really feel like a genius a number of days in the past when one of many first spherical classes was “Stephen King.”
After watching the episode, I assumed to myself, “This might be a enjoyable and particular addition to this week’s King Beat”… and so right here we’re! Under are the “solutions” precisely as they had been worded on Tuesday’s present (hat tip to J! Archive), and whereas they don’t require what I’d deem expert-level data of King’s books and films, I feel all of you’ll have enjoyable attempting to supply the “questions.”
- $200 – The title entity of “It” seems in many alternative kinds, together with as Pennywise, one among these circus performers
- $400 – The cat introduced again to life on this novel is known as Church, brief for Winston Churchill
- $600 – In a narrative set in Nebraska, an evil being is known as “He Who Walks Behind the Rows”, “Rows” referring to rows & rows of this
- $800 – Pyrokinetic powers are an attribute of Charlie McGee, a daughter of govt. take a look at topics & this e book’s title character
- $1000 – 2 tales from this Stephen King assortment had been was an Anthony Hopkins film
Did any of them stump you? Scroll down for the Reply Key towards the underside of this function!
Mike Flanagan Broadcasts The Begin Of Manufacturing On Carrie
A humorous factor occurred to me this week. Whereas 2025 will likely be remembered as one of the crucial important 12-month stretches in historical past with regard to Stephen King diversifications – with a complete of six arriving in theaters or debuting on tv – there are at the moment none scheduled to debut in 2026. That being mentioned, I’m past assured that subsequent 12 months gained’t be getting added to the restricted record of these with out a minimum of one movie or present (1977, 1978, 1981, 1988, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2015), as whereas Mike Flanagan’s Carrie collection for Prime Video doesn’t have a premiere date but, it has now formally began manufacturing.
Flanagan has been a particularly busy dude of late on condition that he has been doing the press tour for The Life Of Chuck, however that seemingly hasn’t slowed the event of Carrie, and now that the filmmaker’s newest Stephen King film is now taking part in in theaters throughout the nation, he has begun capturing his first King TV present. He made the announcement through a conventional clapperboard picture that he posted on his private Instagram web page:
Mike Flanagan clearly has in depth historical past on the small display screen, having made The Haunting Of Hill Home, The Haunting Of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, The Midnight Membership, and The Fall Of The Home Of Usher, however thus far, all of his Stephen King diversifications (Gerald’s Recreation, Physician Sleep and The Life Of Chuck) have been options. Will probably be his first alternative to actually increase on supply materials as a substitute of reining it in and making essential cuts to suit a conventional runtime, and I’m fascinated to see what he does with the problem.
Carrie stars Summer season H. Howell because the titular position, and taking part in key teen characters will likely be Alison Thornton as Chris Hargensen, Siena Agudong as Sue Snell, Arthur Conti as Billy, and Joel Oulette as Tommy. Amber Midthunder is taking part in gymnasium instructor Miss Desjardin, and the remainder of the solid is full of FlanaFamily regulars, together with Samantha Sloyan (because the psychotic Margaret White), Matthew Lillard (as Principal Grayle), Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Katee Sackhoff, Michael Trucco, Crystal Balint, and Danielle Klaudt.
Clearly, I plan to cowl Carrie right here on The King Beat fairly a bit within the coming months, so keep tuned right here on CinemaBlend for all kinds of stories and updates concerning the undertaking.
Watch My Interviews With Mike Flanagan And The Life Of Chuck Solid
It’s troublesome for me to correctly categorical how a lot I like what I do for a dwelling. My ardour for and fascination with movie and tv dates again longer than I can bear in mind, and never solely do I get to put in writing about and analyze these mediums for a dwelling, however I additionally get the chance to debate the work with the minds that collaborated in making it. If it’s not apparent from the existence of this column, I really feel significantly lucky when I’ve the possibility to do interviews for brand spanking new Stephen King diversifications – and I had the possibility to do precisely that late final month previous to the theatrical launch of The Life Of Chuck.
The lead tales in my final two editions of The King Beat – “Mike Flanagan Is Tremendous Excited About 2025’s Epic Yr Of Stephen King Variations, And There Is One Title In Specific That Intrigues Him” and “Mark Hamill Admits He ‘Nearly Forgot’ He Made A Stephen King Film Prior To The Life Of Chuck And The Lengthy Stroll” – had been sourced from my Life Of Chuck interviews, however now, because of CinemaBlend’s sensible video staff, you will get the complete expertise of my conversations with author/director Mike Flanagan and stars Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Karen Gillan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Siegel, Benjamin Pajak and Matthew Lillard.
If you happen to haven’t but seen The Life Of Chuck, you’re lacking out on one of the crucial highly effective, fantastic cinematic experiences of the 12 months. The film is at the moment taking part in in theaters nationwide, and you may verify for places close to you through the movie’s official web site.
Stephen King Mini-Guide Evaluate: By no means Flinch
Because of struggling to get by the slog that’s studying the second half of Insomnia by Stephen King for the primary time, I wasn’t in a position to crack open my hardcover copy of By no means Flinch on day one of many novel’s launch as I had hoped (I’m a “one e book at a time reader”). After a slight delay, nonetheless, I can now say that I’ve completed King’s newest thriller, and I could be counted as a glad Fixed Reader… with a few reservations.
The e book sees the fantastic detective Holly Gibney (a way more mature, confident model of the protagonist following her experiences in 2023’s Holly) juggling a pair of instances that show equally thrilling and darkish: her hometown of Buckeye Metropolis, Ohio is terrorized by a serial killer who’s murdering surrogates for jurors who wrongfully convicted an harmless man who was killed in jail; and he or she is employed as a bodyguard on the talking tour of a feminist firebrand who’s being stalked by a harmful anti-abortion activist.
King takes divergent approaches with the 2 antagonists whereas nonetheless bringing us intimately into their tales – shrouding the previous in anonymity whereas being extra open with the intentions of the latter – and the narratives every succeed primarily based on the depths of the characters and their advanced motivations. The writer leans on themes which might be very acquainted to longtime followers, specifically dependancy and rehabilitation, however it continues to by no means really feel stale as a result of it’s King writing what he is aware of and there may be an natural exploration of buying and selling compulsions/dependencies.
The hitch in By no means Flinch considerations using the legacy characters from Holly’s inside circle – particularly Barbara Robinson. Her outstanding look in Holly is a spotlight of that e book, as I can admire King leaning into his affection for poetry whereas growing an author-centric sibling rivalry along with her brother, Jerome, however the half she performs on this new novel is just too large a swing.
I can comply with alongside when it seems that Barbara’s writing mentor is a colleague to the cannibal professors her pal is investigating, however it’s tougher to swallow {that a} beloved recording artist arrives on the town and occurs to be so infatuated along with her poetry that she not solely asks her to collaborate on a track, however ask that Barbara get on stage of the native area carry out it (in the end placing a goal on her again in one among Holly’s instances).
I’d name it the weakest of the post-Invoice Hodges trilogy Holly Gibney books to date (together with The Outsider, the novella “If It Bleeds,” and Holly), however that’s extra a mirrored image of my affection for the opposite tales than a damaging tackle By no means Flinch. It’s a terrific, compelling learn, and as ever, I’m hungry for extra.
Jeopardy! Reply Key
As promised, listed below are the “questions” to the “solutions” within the Stephen King Jeopardy! class:
- $200 – What’s a clown?
- $400 – What’s Pet Sematary?
- $600 – What’s corn?
- $800 – What Is Firestarter?
- $1000 – What Is Hearts In Atlantis?
That does it for this week’s King Beat, however the fixed move of stories and updates about Stephen King books, films, TV and extra by no means stops, and so why ought to this column? I’ll be again right here on CinemaBlend subsequent Thursday with one other new roundup of all the largest tales and different goodies, so be looking out.