Stephen King is terminating Warner Bros.’ copyright license for The Shawshank Redemption, sparking speculation that a new version could be on the way. Written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on King’s 1982 novella, the 1994 film follows the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is sentenced to life in the тιтular prison, and over the next two decades, forms a close friendship with fellow inmate, Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman). Today, The Shawshank Redemption is commonly regarded as one of the best movies of all time.

Now, according to Puck‘s “What I’m Hearing” newsletter by Matthew Belloni, King reportedly plans to terminate Warner Bros.’ copyright license for The Shawshank Redemption, which could potentially lead to a new adaptation of the story elsewhere. King is known for aggressively reclaiming rights, likely since there is still strong demand for adaptations of his work. Read the portion of the newsletter below:

King’s Shawshank Redemption’ redemption: Stephen King’s lawyers have notified Warner Bros. that he will be terminating the copyright license for The Shawshank Redemption, one of my favorite movies. I hope this doesn’t mean he’s gonna set up a new movie or TV series elsewhere. King is pretty aggressive about terminations, Puck’s Eriq Gardner tells me, which makes sense given how robust the market continues to be for adaptations of his books.

What This Means For The Shawshank Redemption

Is A New Version On The Way?

If King goes through with his plans, this means that Warner Bros. could lose its exclusive rights to adapt The Shawshank Redemption. Studios typically hold adaptation rights under a license granted by the author, but the law allows authors to reclaim those rights after a certain amount of time. King is known for actively pursuing such terminations. If successful, he could resell the rights, potentially leading to a new movie or TV series. Given the enduring popularity of his work, other studios would likely jump at the chance to adapt it anew.

As Belloni says, there is still a strong demand for Stephen King adaptations. For instance, movie adaptations of The Life of Chuck (based on his 2020 novella), The Long Walk (based on his 1979 novel), and The Running Man (based on his 1982 novel) are all set for release later this year. Additionally, his debut 1974 novel Carrie, which was already adapted into the 1976 classic by Brian De Palma, is being adapted again into a TV series by Mike Flanagan, a frequent adapter of King’s work.

Our Take On A New Adaptation Of The Shawshank Redemption

It’s Entirely Unnecessary

The Shawshank Redemption still holds up as one of the best movies of all time, and there is simply no need for another adaptation, whether it be another movie or a TV show, such as in the case of Carrie. Upcoming Stephen King adaptations like The Long Walk and The Life of Chuck carry an appeal since they have never been adapted before. Though it remains to be seen what King’s plans are for terminating Warner Bros.’ copyright license, it seems clear that another adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption would be a bad idea.

Source: Puck