Will there be a sequel to Doctor Sleep? Should there be?

Doctor Sleep may have underperformed at the box office but critics and many horror fans loved it. Will there be a sequel? Should there be a sequel?

Doctor Sleep finally premiered in theaters last weekend after years of fans waiting to see the novel adaptation brought to life on the big screen. Even Stephen King enjoyed it, which is saying something as he has been publically critical in the past about Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining.

Despite the glowing reviews and warm reception from genre fans, Doctor Sleep has failed to pick up steam at the box office. However, that doesn’t mean a sequel is impossible.

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not seen Doctor Sleep then you should turn back now. The rest of the article will delve into the ending of the movie.

At the ending of Doctor Sleep, we get to find out what happened to Dan Torrance and the newest character, Abra Stone. In one of the movies’ final scenes, we see the two of them talking to one another in Abra’s bedroom.

More from Stephen King

• 31 Days of Horror: Stephen King’s The Boogeyman thrills
• 31 Days of Horror: Christine- Two masters of horror deliver an underrated classic
• The Boogeyman is a scream-filled reflection on grief
• Looking back at Stephen King’s creepy cult classic Children of the Corn
• The 3 Stephen King movies releasing in 2023 (so far)

Except, there’s a twist. Dan is now dead and has taken on a similar role to that which Dick Hallorann played to him for so long. If the movie were to get a sequel, it might follow Abra as she follows in Dan’s footsteps.

The ending of Doctor Sleep already hints at this with Abra going into the bathroom to banish one of the Overlook Hotel ghosts that has escaped. It’s a direct parallel to young Danny doing the same thing at the film’s beginning.

Doctor Sleep also hinted heavily at the possibility that other members of the True Knot, or folks just like them, may still exist.

But does the lack of a good box office return squash any hope of a sequel? Maybe not. The folks over at Slash Film found an exciting and enticing bit of information in a previous story written by The Hollywood Reporter.

"Warners was so keen on Doctor Sleep that movie studio chief Toby Emmerich had already struck a deal with director Mike Flanagan and his Intrepid Pictures to script a sequel whose working title is Hallorann, drawn from the character who appears in both The Shining and Doctor Sleep."

I’m surprised this hasn’t received more coverage. The downside to making a sequel to Doctor Sleep is that Flanagan and his team would be going off-book. King has yet to write a follow-up.

However, given King’s glowing reception to the film, he could maybe be coerced into working on the script, at the very least. The move is not unprecedented, seeing as King is already creating a new coda for his series, The Stand in the upcoming CBS All Access series.

I’m not saying a sequel would 100 percent be the best move, but I’m more confident about it if Flanagan is for sure going to return. Plus, I think Abra would make a great new protagonist, and I would love to see more of McGregor as Dan Torrance. I’m open to seeing what the possibilities are, should the sequel idea gain any steam.

What did you think about Doctor Sleep in theaters? Would you like to see a sequel of the movie get made? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Doctor Sleep is now playing in theaters.