Even though a new Stephen King show is based on a standalone novel written by the author, it is hard not to see Mike Flanagan‘s upcoming show as its perfect follow-up. Interestingly, the Mike Flanagan TV show in question is also an adaptation of an incredibly popular Stephen King novel that has been adapted multiple times in the past.
After a long line of hits on Netflix, Mike Flanagan has quite a few horror movie and television projects lined up. As reports suggest, he is not only working on a new Exorcist movie but also tied to a few upcoming Stephen King adaptations.
Only time will tell how his takes on Stephen King’s books will turn out, but The Life of Chucks‘ critical success proves he has the creative vision to perfectly adapt the author’s works. What makes one of Mike Flanagan’s upcoming takes on the author’s works even more exciting is that it could be the perfect follow-up to a new hit Stephen King TV show.
Mike Flanagan’s Carrie Series Will Be A Fantastic Next Watch For The Institute Fans
Stephen King’s The Institute unfolds a well-rounded story about a group of telekinetic and telepathic kids who get abducted by a secret facility. The staff members of the facility subject them to inhumane experiments before forcing them to perform immoral operations in the name of serving the greater good.
Although MGM+’s adaptation of the Stephen King book has received fairly average reviews, it performed well enough on the streamer to earn a season 2 renewal. After watching The Institute, it is hard not to see how it seems reminiscent of Stephen King’s Carrie in more ways than one.
Like Carrie, The Institute focuses on young characters struggling to deal with the immense responsibility that comes with their supernatural powers. In both Stephen King stories, the main characters feel ostracized and become victims of an overarching system that tries to control or abuse them.
Many adult characters in both stories become the faces of cruelty, as they encourage the exploitation of the superpowered characters instead of protecting them. Towards the ending arcs of both, the main characters reach a tipping point, where they violently unleash their powers on those who harmed them.
Carrie also partially unfolds from the reports of a committee called the White Commission and mentions how the committee plans to take children away from their parents to test their telekinetic and telepathic powers. With so many glaring connections between the two, Mike Flagana’s Carrie would be the perfect follow-up show to The Institute.
Carrie’s Psychic Kid Story Has A Huge Difference From The Institute
Perhaps the biggest difference between Carrie and The Institute is that Carrie primarily revolves around one young superpowered character. Even though it subtly hints at the possibility of other children with supernatural abilities through the White Commission plot, it follows a more singular narrative that centers on the titular character.
The Institute, in contrast, focuses on multiple children with telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Owing to this, The Institute is also far broader in scope as it ties its narrative to an overarching conspiracy, which its second installment will likely explore. Even the villains in The Institute are cold, calculating professionals and not just cruel individuals in society.
Summer H. Howell has been cast to play Carrie White in Mike Flanagan’s upcoming take on the Stephen King novel.
Despite these differences, though, Mike Flanagan‘s Carrie will still share many dark coming-of-age themes with MGM+’s adaptation of Stephen King‘s The Institute and prompt viewers to draw connections between the two if it mentions the White Commission.
