A sequel to The Shining is currently in development. Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson have joined the cast, which will take viewers into the life of Danny Torrence long after his time at the Overlook Hotel, according to Variety. It is scheduled to be released on January 24, 2020, the Internet Movie Database wrote.
The movie, titled Doctor Sleep, will be based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, which follows Torrence as he continues to develop his gift, "the shining." As his past haunts him, Torrence finds that alcohol addiction has stifled his gift. He meets a young girl with the same power and works at a nursing home where he learns his gift can aid hospice patients.
The Shining, based on the novel by King, was directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1980. The story took viewers inside the vacant Overlook Hotel during its offseason as writer Jack Torrance and family took care of the resort. Over the long winter, Jack begins to go insane, putting his family and others in danger.
Along with the book's sequel, King has released a prequel, Overlook Hotel, which has also been in film development. The rights to both movies are owned by Warner Brothers, but Variety reported no budget could be agreed upon for either movie. The Shining, which had a $19 million budget, only made $44 million at the box office, leading to skepticism in a parallel release.
McGregor is a Scottish actor best known for his roles in Moulin Rouge!, Trainspotting, and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Ferguson is known, most recently, for her work in The Greatest Showman and The Girl on the Train.
Doctor Sleep will be directed by Mike Flanagan, who has directed and edited a handful of horror films including Hush, Oculus and Ouija: Origin of Evil.
The Overlook Hotel, based on the King novel, has been in pre-production since 2013. It is set to be directed by Mark Romanek, who has directed a long list of live-concert and musician-based movies, including acting as an additional director on Beyoncé's Lemonade. Romanek's claim to fame in the thriller genre is his directing of One Hour Photo, released in 2002, according to IMDB.
All books and film adaptations are said to be inspired by The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, where King had briefly stayed in 1974.
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