Yahoo Movies ‘Doctor Sleep’ First Footage Includes Redrum Reveal, Teases Kubrick Easter Eggs in ‘The Shining’ Sequel
“It: Chapter Two” isn’t the only horror movie that’s going to make bank at the fall box office. Warner Bros. used its CinemaCon presentation to tout Mike Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep,” based on the novel by Stephen King that serves as a sequel to the author’s iconic “The Shining.” The movie stars Ewan McGregor as an adult version of Danny Torrance, now an alcoholic whose attempt to get sober reawakens his “shining” powers. Torrance meets a young girl who shares the supernatural ability while working at a hospice center.
Warner Bros. showed off the first footage from the film, which included a look at a creepy campfire and Danny Torrance talking about how to deal with his “shine” problem decades after the events of “The Shining.” The footage included a title that said “Witness the Conclusion,” alluding to “Doctor Sleep” being the true ending to “The Shining” saga. The footage was brief but it began with a Kubrick-inspired overhead shot of a car driving through a forest (similar to how “The Shining” began) and ended with Danny looking up and seeing “Redrum” written on a mirror. The original “Shining” music played over the title card reveal.
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In addition to McGregor, “Doctor Sleep” also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Carl Lumbly, and Alex Essoe. The involvement of Flanagan behind the camera is a big attraction for horror movie fans, as the director has become a genre favorite after directing “Oculus,” “Hush,” and the Netflix horror series “The Haunting of Hill House.” “Doctor Sleep” is Flanagan’s second King adaptation after his work on “Gerald’s Game.” McGregor has already assured fans “Doctor Sleep” will remain faithful to King’s novel, unlike Kubrick’s adaptation of “The Shining.”
Warner Bros. is releasing “Doctor Sleep” in theaters nationwide November 8.
Very very few bits of footage, but the video we just saw ended with the DOCTOR SLEEP logo hitting the screen and a warped version of THE SHINING’s opening theme playing over it. They’re leaning hard into SHINING legacy for this one.
— Scott Wampler
@ CinemaCon (@ScottWamplerBMD) April 3, 2019
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No trailer yet for DOCTOR SLEEP…but a few images and cuts. Much more traditional horror style from the first look, unlike Stanley Kurbrick’s THE SHINING.
— Exhibitor Relations Co. (@ERCboxoffice) April 3, 2019
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Just saw a brief bts peek of #DoctorSleep that showed off some finished footage. One scene shows Ewan McGregor’s Danny Torrence looking in a mirror with the words “Redrum” carved into the wall behind him. #CinemaCon
— JoBlo.com (@joblocom) April 3, 2019
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Very very few bits of footage, but the video we just saw ended with the DOCTOR SLEEP logo hitting the screen and a warped version of THE SHINING’s opening theme playing over it. They’re leaning hard into SHINING legacy for this one.
— Scott Wampler
@ CinemaCon (@ScottWamplerBMD) April 3, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Additional reporting by Kate Erbland
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