Stephen King’s cinematic universe has got a busy year ahead. Under The Dome lands on our TV screens this Summer, feature-length Cell has bagged John Cusack and now The Ten O’Clock People might have secured a lead. Chris Evans, aka Captain America is now in talks to take the lead in this latest King feature.
The project was announced last year but those last twelve months have seen the film gain and then lose Justin Long, who dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts. Should Evans sign on, he’d assume the role of Brandon Pearson. A smoker, Pearson tries to quit for the good of his health. In the process of quitting, he discovers a terrible secret: people in positions of power are actually revolting monsters in disguise. Due to a chemical imbalance caused only when he has a cigarette on his morning break (hence the title) he is gifted with the ability to witness people’s true visages.
They Live immediately springs to mind when surveying the premise. Sure, no one smoked in that film to see the true horror lurking behind the faces of strangers, but the idea is eerily similar.
Based on King’s short story of the same name from his Nightmares And Dreamscapes collection, Tom Holland signed on last summer to direct. He’s in his element with another King adaptation, as he has twice collaborated with the author. He penned and directed Thinner and the made-for-TV, The Langoliers. They’re not the finest examples of King’s writing brought to the screen, but they’re not the worst either (Maximum Overdrive, anyone?) He has, however, got two genre classics on his resume – Child’s Play and the original Fright Night were both written and directed by him.
Expect a confirmation over Evans’ role and further casting announcements shortly, as The Ten O’Clock People is set to shoot this Autumn in Atlanta.
