Mike Flanagan has his hands full with Stephen King adaptations between his upcoming movie The Life of Chuck and the two he has in development: Carrie and The Dark Tower. We don't have much new info about The Dark Tower yet, but a new exclusive from Variety suggests casting has found its Carrie White in Child's Play star Summer H. Howell.
The outlet says a deal is close to being finalized, though none of the people directly involved have responded to requests for comment.
Flanagan's take on Carrie has been in development since October 2024. Amazon hasn't formally ordered the show into a series, but if Howell is cast, then an official pickup is likely to follow. The series is based on King's iconic 1974 novel, most famously adapted for the Oscar-nominated 1976 movie starring Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie.
Howell is a 20-year-old actress who has already appeared in several genre films and horror projects, such as Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky in the Child's Play franchise. She also had a recurring role in Channel Zero and starred in Hunter Hunter, All Fun and Games, and Spirit in the Blood. Most recently, she starred in the Netflix slasher film Time Cut.
As for Flanagan, in addition to developing a Dark Tower series for Amazon, the busy filmmaker is also working on a Clayface movie for DC and a new take on The Exorcist.
Previous rumor suggested Hereditary star Milly Shapiro would star
Insider Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) previously reported that Hereditary actor Milly Shapiro (who played Charlie in the A24 film) would be cast as Carrie. Shapiro would make a fantastic Carrie White, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the rumor has amounted to much.
Shapiro most recently appeared in the short-lived Peacock horror series Hysteria!. They're currently performing as part of the Off-Broadway musical The Last Bimbo of the Apocalypse.
Who should play Margaret White?
Apart from Carrie, the most integral role in the story is her mother, Margaret White, an abusive religious fanatic who pushes Carrie toward her breaking point. It's a juicy role previously played by Laurie, Patricia Clarkson, and Julianne Moore in the original and subsequent remakes.
Like following Spacek as Carrie, I'm sure it's intimidating to step into Margaret's shoes after those notable actresses. But the perfect actress to play Margaret would be someone who is already a regular in Flanagan's world: Samantha Sloyan.
Sloyan is a powerhouse actress who has consistently performed brilliantly in projects like Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and most recently, The Pitt. I could see her playing Margaret perfectly.
Stay tuned to 1428 Elm for more updates on the Carrie series and more horror news.