Stephen King‘s short story Autopsy Room Four was first published in the 1997 collection Six Stories – which, fitting for the title, did indeed contain six stories. That book was limited to just 1100 copies, but thankfully King ended up putting all six of the stories into different collections over the years. Autopsy Room Four was also included in the 1997 anthology Robert Bloch’s Psychos before making its way into the 2002 King collection Everything’s Eventual. In 2006, the story was adapted for the screen as an episode of the TNT King mini-series Nightmares and Dreamscapes… and now, Deadline reports that a feature film adaptation is in the works.
King has given the greenlight for the new adaptation, which is being produced by Jon Levin, who was previously an executive producer on Netflix’s King adaptation In the Tall Grass. The film will be written and directed by Ranjeet S. Marwa, whose credits include Ballistic, Rupture, Spring Lakes, and many short films – including a 16 minute adaptation of the King story Cain Rose Up, which Marwa made back in 2013.
Here’s what happens in Autopsy Room Four: Howard Cottrell is on vacation playing golf. Chasing the ball into the undergrowth, he’s bitten by a snake and completely paralyzed, showing no sign of life. At the hospital, unable to communicate, he is the key witness to his own autopsy. Or, as Deadline puts it, Autopsy Room Four delves into the mind of a man who, after a life-threatening accident, wakes up to find himself trapped in an autopsy room. As he confronts his own mortality, the story navigates themes of fear, survival, and the unknown.
The Nightmares and Dreamscapes adaptation was directed by Mikael Salomon, who also directed the King adaptation Big Driver and the 2004 version of Salem’s Lot, from a script by April Smith. Richard Thomas of the It mini-series starred alongside Greta Scacchi, Robert Mammone, Robyn Arthur, Jude Beaumont, Paul Gleeson, Linc Hasler, Josh Lawson, Brian Lipson, Steve Mouzakis, and Martin Vaughan.
Are you interested in seeing a feature film adaptation of Autopsy Room Four from writer/director Ranjeet S. Marwa and producer Jon Levin? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
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