The cast Salem’s Lot have a healthy (no, bloodthirsty) appreciation for the works of Stephen King.
Based on the prolific horror author’s 1975 book of the same name — which marked his second post-1974 novel. Carrie — Salem’s Lot airs on Max this Thursday, October 3, and is the first time the book has been adapted into a full-length film.
Speaking with PEOPLE, the film’s cast — including Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh and Spencer Treat Clark — shared their favorite picks from King’s expansive body of work.
While The running man (1982) is voiced by Pullman, 31, Leigh, 34, goes in a different direction, choosing the first book in King’s genre range The dark tower series: 1982 Gunman.
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Stephen King book covers from 1982 The Dark Tower: Gunslinger (L) i The running man. PEOPLE picks the best Stephen King film and TV adaptations — is your favorite on the list?
It’s hard to pick a favorite for Clark. Name checker classics like Radiation (1977), Stand (1978) i Under the Dome (2009), also notes that Salem’s Lot it has a special place in his heart.
“Salem’s Lotwithout a doubt,” says the 37-year-old actor when asked which of King’s novels he likes the most. “Obviously, I have a personal connection to it, and it’s one of Stephen King’s first novels and one of his favorites, and I also is one of my favorites.”
Cult horror film director James Wan, who works as a producer on Salem’s Lottells PEOPLE it’s “too hard to pick” a favorite King story, but the author’s “fantastic” 1980 novella Fog is up there.
“It’s basically Stephen King trying to do his own version of HP Lovecraft, and it’s kind of cool to see King do his own version of that with his own reptilian tentacle monsters that live in this blowing mist,” says Wan, 47, also praising Frank Darabont’s “great ” film adaptation from 2007.
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Poster for Salem’s Lot (2024).
Courtesy of Max
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Directed, written and executive produced by Gary Dauberman, Salem’s Lot follows author Ben Mears (played by Pullman) as he “returns to his childhood home Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown has fallen prey to a bloodthirsty vampire,” according to the official diary.
It also stars Leigh as Susan Norton and Clark as Mike Ryerson, plus Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody, Bill Camp as Matthew Burke, Pilou Asbæk as Straker and John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan.
“There were several of them Salem’s Lot miniseries, but there’s never been a feature-length adaptation,” says Wan, who produced alongside Michael Clear, Roy Lee and Mark Wolper. “So we thought it would be great to work with Gary and then Stephen King as we would bring it to life.”
He also gives props to the original 1979 miniseries, written by Paul Monash and directed by Tobe Hooper, calling it “one of the scariest adaptations of King’s work.”
“And I think it’s amazing — one of Stephen’s best,” Wan tells PEOPLE of the book itself. “So we were definitely happy to play with him.”
Salem’s Lotfrom New Line Cinema, airs Thursday, October 3, on Max.
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Source: HIS Education