Salem’s Lot: Stephen King adaptation has been delayed seven months

A new adaptation of the Stephen King novel Salem’s Lot (buy a copy of the novel HERE) had been scheduled to reach theatres on September 9th of this year… but if you’ve noticed that Warner Bros. hasn’t been promoting the September release date, there’s a reason for that. Deadline reports that the studio has decided to delay Salem’s Lot seven months, pushing the release back to April 21, 2023.

Apparently the release date switch is due to “Covid-related delays” during post-production. Writer/director Gary Dauberman also shot a “handful of days” of additional photography six weeks ago.

This is the third adaptation of Salem’s Lot. The previous two were both mini-series, which aired in 1979 and 2004. This new take on the concept is said to be set in 1975, the same year King’s novel was first published. Here’s the synopsis:

Haunted by an incident from his childhood, author Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover the town is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire and his loyal servant.

The film stars Lewis Pullman (The Strangers: Prey at Night) as Ben Mears; Makenzie Leigh (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk) as Ben’s love interest Susan Norton; Spencer Treat Clark (The Town That Dreaded Sundown 2014) as Mike Ryerson, “one of the town’s simple folk”; Bill Camp (12 Years a Slave) as Matthew Burke, “a former high school English teacher who knows about the Marsten House’s evil past and helps out Ben”; Alfre Woodard (Star Trek: First Contact) as Dr. Cody; Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones) as the vampire’s familiar Richard Straker; and John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan. William Sadler (Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey) is also in the cast, but we don’t know who he’s playing.

Dauberman is one of New Line Cinema’s go-to people when it comes to making horror. He co-wrote the Stephen King adaptations It and It: Chapter Two for them, and also wrote four entries in the Conjuring Universe for the company: Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, Annabelle Comes Home, and The Nun. Annabelle Comes Home was his directorial debut.

Are you looking forward to seeing Dauberman’s take on Salem’s Lot, even if it’s been delayed? Let us know by leaving a comment below.