Ben Mendelsohn to star in Stephen King’s The Outsider drama series for HBO

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Pretty soon, there won't be a Stephen King property left that hasn't been adapted for either the big or small screen. For real, it feels as if every other day that we're meant to report on the latest live-action offering from the legendary author. I'm cool with that, especially since King has got projects like IT: CHAPTER 2, a remake of PET SEMATARY, and an adaptation of IN THE TALL GRASS on the way, which is based off an upcoming novella that King wrote alongside his son, Joe Hill. 

In following King down the cinematic rabbit hole, we've come to discover that HBO has given a series order to the best-selling author's 2018 supernatural horror novel THE OUTSIDER. The project will star Ben Mendelsohn (ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, THE DARK NIGHT RISES), who is also poised to produce. Meanwhile, THE OUTSIDER will be brought to you by a distinguished team of quality filmmakers, which includes THE NIGHT OF co-creator/executive producer Richard Price, director-producer Jack Bender (MR. MERCEDES), Jason Bateman's Aggregate Films, Temple Hill Entertainment and MRC. For the moment, it's being reported that Bateman will direct the first two episodes of the series with a chance that he'll guest star as well.

In Price's version of THE OUTSIDER, a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a local boy leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe to be real, as an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case. (via Deadline)

MRC reportedly snatched the rights to THE OUTSIDER earlier this year for a 10-episode limited series adaptation. While in the process of getting the project's ducks in a row, Price boarded the endeavor in June, an event that was then followed by Jack Bender and Marty Bowen signing on to executive produce. It's also been said that Price was so eager to work on the script that he began putting pen to paper (so to speak) before the deals were iron clad.

Up next for Mendelsohn is a role in Marvel's CAPTAIN MARVEL, where he'll play the character Talos, a Skrull commander that leads the invasion of Earth while posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. You can also catch Mendelsohn alongside Timothée Chalamet (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, LITTLE WOMEN, DUNE), Joel Edgerton (THE GIFT, LOVING) and Robert Pattinson (TWILIGHT film series) when he stars as Henry IV for director David Michôd's THE KING.

Let us know if you're jazzed about King's THE OUTSIDER coming to HBO in the comments section below.