We finally have confirmation the planned sequel to “The Shining” has been cancelled. Director Mike Flanagan tweeted unhappily about this news, sharing his regrets. When fans inquired as to the reason, he responded. Apparently, the plug was pulled due to a poor box office of his previous “The Shining” spin-off film, “Doctor Sleep.”
This film would have focused on the life of the character Dick Hallorann. Originally played by Scatman Crothers in “The Shining,” Hallorann taught Danny about his psychic ability to “shine.” Much like “Doctor Sleep,” Flanagan had plans to tie in the original Stephen King story and return to the Overlook Hotel. The plot would have surrounded Hallorann’s own discovery of shining.
Unfortunately, Warner Bros. Pictures was less than enthused by “Doctor Sleep“‘s performance at the box office, having underperformed considerably. The film made $31 million domestic, and $72 million worldwide. With a $45 million budget, those numbers aren’t great. According to Flanagan, that’s ultimately the reason the film was cancelled.
But it might not entirely be the film’s fault. Recent activity from Discovery and WB’s merger has seen a massive wave of movie and series cancellations. This new business model deems a large amount of content “unprofitable.” This has upset and frustrated many filmmakers and creatives. It’s possible Flanagan is just another victim of WB’s sudden gleefulness in taking projects to the guillotine.
Regardless of the reason, Warner Bros. Pictures’ decision seems pretty final. The film is dead.
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