Yet another one of Stephen King’s books is heading to the big screen. It’s come to light that Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, the team behind IT and the upcomingIT Chapter Two, are set to produce an adaptation of the author’s novelRoadwork. Pablo Trapero is set to direct and, beyond that, not much has been revealed, but the golden age of King on the big screen certainly isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Andy and Barbara Muschiettihave started to make the press rounds forIT Chapter Two, which hits theaters next month. During a recent interview, they revealed that they’re working on aRoadworkmovie, which could end up coming together pretty quickly. Not only do they have a director in place, but the script is already done and, per Barbara Muschietti, it’s quite good. Here’s what she had to say about it.
“It’s a fantastic script. We hope to start shooting at the beginning of next year.”
Few additional details have been revealed. It’s not clear which studio, if any, is on board to distribute the project. Though, we’d suspect Warner Bros. would be a safe bet, given the success they’ve had with the Muschiettis andStephen Kingin the past. As for Pablo Trapero, some of his previous work includes 2015’sThe Clan, 2012’sWhite Elephantand 2008’sLion’s Den. While King works may be a hot commodity in Hollywood right now, it’s certainly worth mentioning thatRoadwork, initially published in 1981, is not generally considered to be one of the author’s best works, which is surely, at least in part, why it hasn’t been touched until now.
For those who may not be familiar,Roadworkcenters on Barton Dawes, who lives a simple, comfortable life until it very suddenly takes a bad turn. Highway construction not only forces him out of his job, but also out of his home. Dawes doesn’t take to this whole situation very kindly and isn’t content to just roll over. His unrelenting determination to fight what’s coming manages to drive his wife and friends away. Dawes ends up defending his home with explosives and guns against thosetrying to bulldoze his house. It’s dark and there are some layers to the whole thing, no doubt. But it’s also easy to see how a well-armed citizen shooting at people who are just trying to do their jobs could be perceived as problematic.
On the flipside, the Muschiettis have proved they know how to handle the nuance of Stephen King’s work. And there is a whole lot of opportunity for social commentary, if executed correctly. There is no word yet on who is being eyed to star. If filming does indeed begin next year, odds are we would see the movie sometime in 2021. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. This news was first reported byRadio Cantilo.
