Do you think there might exist a time when every single Stephen King novel or short story has been adapted for the stage or screen? It sure seems like it, not that I'm complaining! Deadline Hollywood recently revealed that another adaptation is in development, this one based on King's "Autopsy Room Four," a short work included in his Everything's Eventual collection.
According to the outlet, Autopsy Room Four will be directed by up-and-coming British filmmaker Ranjeet S. Marwa, whose previous short film, The Man Who Loved Flowers, was inspired by some of King's works. He also directed Spring Lakes and Dig Me No Grave, both of which have been picked up by distributors.
"Autopsy Room Four" was initially published in one of King's limited-edition collections in the late 1990s before being added to Robert Bloch's Psychos anthology. Then, in 2002, it was published as part of Everything's Eventual.
The story revolves around a man who experiences a life-threatening experience and then wakes up to find himself trapped in an autopsy room. Specifically, he wakes up inside a body bag. I can't imagine anything more horrific than that, especially if you're a claustrophobe. An intimate and unnerving story, "Autopsy Room Four" confronts us with a nightmare situation of being trapped inside of your own body.
The story has previously been adapted for the screen as a short film and an episode of the TNT series Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. Interestingly, the initial inciting incident is different in both iterations. In the short film, the main character is injured in a golfing accident, while in the TNT episode, he falls into a catatonic state after receiving a venomous snake bite.
It also sounds like it would pair perfectly with "The Autopsy" episode of Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities and the film The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
This newly announced adaptation is far from the only King work in development. In 2025, we'll get The Monkey and The Life of Chuck, both of which were also inspired by some of King's shorter works. HBO is also producing an It prequel series, Welcome to Derry and Mike Flanagan is working on a new Carrie television series for Amazon.
Stay tuned to 1428 Elm for more updates on all things horror!