Universal to adapt the Stephen King short “Gramma”

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

While THE NIGHT SHIFT is probably his most iconic book of short stories, SKELETON CREW is no slouch either. Specifically the short story “Gramma,” which was a creepy children’s fairy tale concept fused with Lovecraftian horror tropes. Fans of the short will be pleased to know it’s apparently going to be adapted into a film by Universal. 

The studio is gathering producers McG and Mary Viola (of Wonderland Sound and Vision) with PARANORMAL ACTIVITY/SINISTER producer Jason Blum (of Blumhouse Productions) to adapt the film under the title MERCY. Peter (HAUNTING IN CONNETICUT) Cornwell has signed to direct from a script by Matt (HALLOWEEN: H20, 1408) Greenberg.

France O’Connor is set to star in the film, which follows two young boys who go with their single mother (O’Connor) to take care of their elderly, senile grandmother named Mercy, only to discover that she’s a witch who made a pact with a dark force many years before.

Interestingly enough, the short story was previously adapted by famed genre writer Harlan Ellison for THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE back in 1986. Said episode, which kept the short story’s title, featured Piper Laurie voicing the monstrously obese, ghoulish looking Gramma. Based on her picture (below) I’m not entirely sure how a new version is going to top a design as grotesque as that one. What do you guys think? Are you up for to see ol’ Gram summon some Old Ones and torment her grandsons? Talk back below…