Mr. Harrigan’s Phone: Stephen King adaptation earns PG-13 rating, praise from author

Netflix hasn’t announced exactly when they’re going to release the Stephen King adaptation Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, we just know it’s coming to the streaming service sometime this year. The movie has just taken a big step toward getting sent out into the world, though. It has been screened for the ratings board at the Motion Picture Association and earned its rating. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone has been rated PG-13 for thematic material, some strong language, violent content and brief drug material. The movie has also been screened for King, who took to Twitter to share his opinion that it is “nothing short of brilliant”.

The story Mr. Harrigan’s Phone was included in King’s book If It Bleeds, which you can buy at THIS LINK. Written and directed by John Lee Hancock (The Little Things), the film will center on

Craig, a young boy living in a small town, who befriends an older, reclusive billionaire Mr. Harrigan. The two form a bond over books and an iPhone, but when the man passes away, the boy discovers that not everything dead is gone, and finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through the iPhone that was buried with him.

Jaeden Martell (It), Donald Sutherland (Salem’s Lot 2004), Joe Tippett (Mare of Easttown), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Into the Dark: New Year, New You), Cyrus Arnold (8-Bit Christmas), and newcomer Colin O’Brien.

Martell is playing Craig, with Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan, Tippett as Craig’s father, “who is left to raise his only son alone after the death of his wife”, and Howell-Baptiste as Craig’s caring and concerned teacher, Ms. Hart.

O’Brien is taking on the role of “Young Craig”, while Arnold plays Craig’s antagonist, Kenny Yankovich. O’Brien has worked on two previous projects, the Halle Berry / Netflix film The Mothership and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel Wonka (where he plays a younger version of Timothée Chalamet’s Willy Wonka), but neither of them have been released yet.

Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy Productions are teaming up to bring us Mr. Harrigan’s Phone. Jason Blum, Ryan Murphy, and Carla Hacken are producing the film, while Blumhouse Television’s Chris McCumber and Jeremy Gold serve as executive producers.

Are you looking forward to Mr. Harrigan’s Phone? Are you glad to hear that it’s been rated PG-13, or that King was happy with the adaptation? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.