J.J. Abrams’ production company is working on a television adaptation of Stephen King’s Billy Summers, Deadline reports.
Bad Robot, which Abrams co-founded with Bryan Burk in 1999, is working on a limited-series based on King’s novel, which they plan to pitch to cable networks and streaming services.
Published by Scribner last August, Billy Summers tells the story of a hit man who rescues a young woman while killing a man intended as his last target. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus called the book “murder most foul and mayhem most entertaining. Another worthy page-turner from a protean master.”
Edward Zwick (Love and Other Drugs) will reportedly direct the series, which will be written by Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz (Jack Reacher: Never Go Back).
Abrams has worked on adaptations of King’s books before. He served as an executive producer of the limited-series adaptations of the author’s 11/22/63 and Lisey’s Story, and also of the television series Castle Rock, inspired by King’s fictional world.
Billy Summers isn’t the only planned King adaptation to make news this week. On Monday, Deadline reported that actors Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) and Chris Messina (Argo) will star in a film adaptation of King’s short story “The Boogeyman.”
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
