Whilst speaking with Creature Corner about his work involved adapting Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" into next month's upcoming mini-series, "The Craft" writer Peter Filardi revealed plans are underway to adapt what many deem as King's scariest book "It" for television again.

The tale of a group of adults who return to their hometown to fulfil a pact and kill a monster who posed in the form of a clown named Pennywise and was slaughtering kids, has only been adapted once before back in 1990. The two-part tele-movie included such stars as Tim Curry, Annette O'Toole, Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Seth Green and Jonathan Brandis. Reviews raved about Curry's performance and the flashback element but the second half with the adults and the ending in which It's true form was revealed scored a lot of criticism.

Filardi says he has already turned in his outline for the redux to producer Mark Wolper and Warner Bros. Television - "It's a tricky adaptation to get into two hours, of course they'd like to update it. But we think we have a neat angle. If you remember ['Stuttering Bill' Denbrough] the writer was sort've the main character. But we're going to take it from Beverly Marsh's point of view...Here's this girl in the center of this big ensemble of guys. Going with her point of view is neat, it'll allow us a little bit of license. I think it could be great too. [Retelling IT is] another cool, more interesting exploration of friendship and time and how we all kind of grow up despite our best efforts not to".

Filardi is also busy adapting Clive Barker's "The History of the Devil" into a movie for The Sci-Fi Channel - "Going from stage to film we're really going to be able to open it up and dramatize it. It's really not so much a horror thing though as it is John Milton meets John Grisham". Thanks to 'Ryan' & 'Johnny'

Source: http://www.darkhorizons.com (May 2004)

Another Unnecessary Stephen King Remake...

"Variety reports that the WB network has set up a new division to develop and produce original movies, one of which will be a new televersion of Stephen King's IT. Previously turned into a two-part 1990 movie by ABC and director Tommy Lee Wallace, the novel will be adapted this time by Peter Filardi, who scripted the just-aired SALEM'S LOT (review) two-parter for TNT; this IT will reportedly cram King's massive book into a single two-hour movie. Warner Bros. TV will also produce; no other talent or an airdate have been announced."

Source: http://www.fangoria.com (June 2004)