A 2025 TV Adaptation of Stephen King’s Book Now Seems Inevitable

Even though he just announced it, it seems almost inevitable that 2025’s next Stephen King book, Never waver, will be adapted as a TV series in the coming years. King confirmed Never waver will be another crime story and is set to be released on May 27, 2025. The announcement also revealed a very familiar face to King’s Constant Readers who will return: Holly Gibney, the reclusive private investigator with obsessive-compulsive disorder and a wise memory and talent. for pattern recognition.

Outside of Randall Flagg, Holly Gibney has appeared in more separate stories than any Stephen King character. It’s a testament to how much King loves the character, considering she first appeared a decade ago in 2014. Mr Mercedes. In the years since, she has been a supporting or main character in five more Stephen King books, not including next year’s. Never waver. With the release of this book, it’s almost inevitable that Holly will appear once again in a TV adaptation.

Holly Gibney’s Return in Stephen King’s Never Flinch Makes a TV Adaptation Likely

Holly has already appeared in two TV adaptations, with a third in development

Stephen King’s works are ripe for adaptations, which is exactly why there are dozens and dozens of Stephen King adaptations on screens big and small. While his horror work has been the focus, the crime thriller novels he’s written over the past decade have also received some love for the TV adaptation. Interestingly, the character Holly Gibney was in both:

Justine Lupe first portrayed her in Mr Mercedes series, while Cynthia Erivo played Holly Gibney in The stranger miniseries.

A third TV show is also on the way: King’s novel, Hollyis also in development for TV. Jack Bender, executive producer and co-director of the Mr. Mercedes adaptation, revealed this during a Q&A session at the Chicago Printers Row Lit Fest, saying, “I was lucky enough to meet and work with Stephen King – talk about writers. By the way, your new book Holly is great. We’re going to make a show of it. We don’t advertise it.” With Holly Gibney returning for a third time on TV, while it remains to be seen whether one of the previous actresses will play her or whether it will be an entirely new actress, it now seems inevitable that King’s next film will Never waver will also receive a TV adaptation.

Never Flinch’s premise seems perfect for a TV show

A crime thriller with a compelling villain is an intriguing premise

Never waver has an interesting premise that, in theory, would translate well to television. The description of the story configures a novel with two distinct narratives that become more interconnected. The story, which will be told in third person, will feature different perspectives, which would be a really cool format for a TV series, with each episode following the point of view of a new character. Scribner’s official synopsis is long, but smartly doesn’t reveal much:

When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to “kill thirteen innocents and one guilty person” in “an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,” Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be massacred in an uncontrolled act of retribution? As the investigation progresses, Izzy realizes the letter writer is serious and asks her friend Holly Gibney for help.

Meanwhile, controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist Kate McKay is embarking on a multi-state speaking tour, drawing packed houses of fans and detractors alike. Someone who vehemently opposes Kate’s message of female empowerment is attacking her and disrupting her events. At first, no one is hurt, but the stalker becomes increasingly bold and Holly is hired to be Kate’s bodyguard – a challenging task with a stubborn employer and a determined adversary driven by anger and a belief in his own righteousness.

One of these perspectives in the book will be that of Trig, an obsessive man who gradually becomes consumed by thoughts of revenge. It looks like he will be the main antagonist of Never waverand considering King has a knack for creating memorable villains, whether human or supernatural, Trig seems poised to be added to the pantheon of great villains. An excellent villain would be fun in a TV adaptation, and it would be great to see Holly Gibney face off against a foe worthy of her skills.

Why Stephen King’s Books with Holly Gibney Make Such Ideal Adaptations

King’s crime stories were well received by critics and audiences

In addition to the specific focus of Never wavera smart thriller with compelling characters always has the potential to make a great adaptation. The procedural format of unraveling a mystery lends itself to episodic storytelling, and it feels like King’s stories pack extra punch. The stranger miniseries has a 91% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Mr Mercedeswhich ran for three seasons, also has a stellar 91% rating. They also have recent ratings with viewership ratings of 82% and 76% respectively. Clearly, there is an appetite for more King thrillers.

Crime stories are also arguably easier to adapt than King’s horror stories or his sprawling epics. They tend to be more independent and tightly interwoven narratives, without bringing much of the universal knowledge that King became known for. With the titular character’s shape-shifting abilities The stranger incorporated some of King’s signature supernatural elements, albeit in a more understated way than his usual monsters.

However, even The strangerThe company’s El Cuco was far less demanding in terms of visual effects budget than the usual Stephen King adaptation, where special effects, whether CGI or practical, are often required. It’s definitely an added bonus when there are fewer barriers to entry to adapting a Stephen King book, especially in today’s crime-saturated media era. It is not clear whether Never waver will be more like the crime story Mr. Mercedes or the supernatural thriller The stranger. Either way, it won’t be a surprise when it’s announced as a TV show next year.