The fangs are out, and the stakes are up. Nighttime has fallen, and the new Salem’s Lot movie has officially risen from its coffin. Based on Stephen King’s 1975 sophom*ore novel, what was once an abandoned vampire movie tucked in the shelves of Warner Bros. Studios is about to see the light of day. Sticking much to the original storyline, Salem’s Lot follows writer Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) who returns to his silent town of Jersulem’s Lot for a little refresh from his writer’s block. But when a bloodthirsty vampire lurks within the dark underbelly of the seemingly peaceful town, all hell breaks loose when the local community bands together to take down this sinister creature.
Directed by Gary Dauberman, best known for his work on The Nun and Swamp Thing, here’s everything we know so far about the long-forgotten revival of Salem’s Lot.
Salem's Lot (2024)
R
Horror
Thriller
Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem's Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire.
- Director
- Gary Dauberman
- Cast
- Lewis Pullman , Alfre Woodard , Makenzie Leigh , Bill Camp , Spencer Treat Clark , Pilou Asbæk , John Benjamin Hickey
- Runtime
- 113 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Horror
1 When Is 'Salem's Lot’ Coming Out?
Salem’s Lot is slated to be released on Max sometime later in 2024. No specific date has been confirmed.
Before this, the film was supposed to be scheduled for a September 2022 release. However, the film later got pushed to a spring 2023 release, claiming to be attributed to COVID-related postproduction delays. Not long after, the movie was never actually released within the intended theatrical window.
Salem’s Lot isn’t the only victim of Warner Bros’ dubious shelving antics. Recent examples also include the cancellation of the live-action adaptation Coyote vs. Acme. Based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 New Yorker article, the film was put on hold by Warner Bros. Discovery in November 2023 to take advantage of a $30 million tax write-down. Another shelved project was Batgirl, a completed feature film intended for release on Max. Directed by Bad Boys for Life filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, this installment of the DCEU boasted a star-studded cast including Leslie Grace as Batgirl, J. K. Simmons as James Gordon, and Brendan Fraser as Firefly. Batgirl was later shelved due to cost-cutting measures and as an attempt to re-shift their focus back to theatrical release instead of making films for streaming services.
2 Is There a Trailer for 'Salem's Lot’?
With the news of the Salem’s Lot revival still hot in the press, there’s still no trailer available at the moment. However, based on King’s reception, who actually watched the Salem’s Lot movie before it got shelved, believes that the film’s quite good, and is puzzled why the studio didn’t release it initially.
3 Who Stars in 'Salem's Lot’?
The current cast lineup includes Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick) as Ben Mears, Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave) as Dr. Cody, Makenzie Leigh (Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk) as Susan Norton, Bill Camp (The Queen's Gambit) as Matthew Burke, Spencer Treat Clark (Gladiator) as Mike Ryerson, John Benjamin Hickey (Barry) as Father Callahan, and Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones) as Straker.
4 What Is 'Salem's Lot’ About?
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Ben Mears (Pullman), a writer in need of fresh inspiration, returns to his quaint childhood hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot, only to find it gripped by a sinister vampire. Determined to confront this ancient evil, Ben bands together with a motley crew of locals to take on the malevolent force threatening their beloved community.
Regarded as one of King’s most seminal works in the horror genre, this isn’t the first time Salem’s Lot has been adapted for the screen. In 1979, the novel was adapted for a two-part vampire miniseries for CBS, starring David Soul as Ben Mears and James Mason as Richard Straker. 25 years later, “Salem’s Lot” was picked up again for yet another two-part television miniseries, airing on TNT. The 2004 adaptation of the novel featured Rob Lowe playing the fearless writer, and Donald Sutherland starring as the vicious vampire.
For a more in-depth look at the upcoming film, check out the official novel synopsis for Salem’s Lot:
"'Salem's Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples. That summer in 'salem's Lot was a summer of homecoming and return; spring burned out and the land lying dry, crackling underfoot. Late that summer, Ben Mears returned to 'salem's Lot hoping to cast out his own devils and found instead a new, unspeakable horror.
A stranger had also come to the Lot, a stranger with a secret as old as evil, a secret that would wreak irreparable harm on those he touched and in turn on those they loved.
All would be changed forever--Susan, whose love for Ben could not protect her; Father Callahan, the bad priest who put his eroded faith to one last test; and Mark, a young boy who sees his fantasy world become reality and ironically proves the best equipped to handle the relentless nightmare of 'Salem's Lot.
This is a rare novel, almost hypnotic in its unyielding suspense, which builds to a climax of classic terror. You will not forget the town of 'salem's Lot nor any of the people who used to live there."
5 Who Is Making 'Salem's Lot’?
The upcoming Max debut of New Line’s adaptation of “Salem’s Lot” in 2024 features a powerhouse production team. Led by Dauberman, who writes, directs, and executive produces, the film is backed by the teams behind blockbuster horror franchises like The Conjuring and IT. James Wan and Michael Clear from Atomic Monster, Roy Lee from Vertigo, and Mark Wolper are executive producers. Additional executive producers include Michael Bederman, Andrew Childs from Vertigo, and Judson Scott from Atomic Monster.
Originally a high school English teacher at Hampden Academy, King first sold his short story professionally in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories. Spending his evenings and weekends writing frivolously, King worked mostly on short stories and later on produced novels. It was only in 1973 when King’s debut novel, “Carrie” was accepted for publication, allowing King to pursue his writing career on a full-time basis. Just like “Salem’s Lot”, “Carrie” was adapted for the screen, with its 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek going to be a commercial hit, garnering $33.8 million against a $1.8 million budget.
Similar to King, Dauberman made a name for himself in the horror film genre thanks to his involvement in The Conjuring Universe and the Anabelle franchise as a writer. Dauberman later on went to make his directorial debut with the 2019 Annabelle Comes Home. Before his involvement in Salem’s Lot, Dauberman has also worked on another one of King’s novel-to-film adaptations, the clown thriller It.
