Fans of horror master Stephen King will see his name yet again emblazoned on the screen, as one of his novellas is set to receive an adaptation very soon. The film’s title is Rat, and judging from the horror dream team backing it up, it’s safe to say that the project has landed in very good hands.
As reported by Deadline, Jay Van Hoy, the mastermind behind Robert Eggers’ films The Witch and The Lighthouse, will have a role as producer. Jeff Howard, who previously worked with Mike Flanagan on Gerald’s Game and The Haunting of Hill House, will take care of the screenplay. Isaac Ezban will take on directorial duties, after his work on Mal de Ojo and Párvulos made an impression on the horror circuit. Ezban expressed his excitement in joining the catalog of filmmakers who have directed Stephen King’s adaptations in the past:
“Stephen King has always been my favorite writer, ever since I started reading horror as a teenager, and since then, I’ve had the long-time dream of adapting some of his material… He embodies that essence of the contrast of beauty and brutality that has shaped my vision and sensibilities as a storyteller.
I’ve read most of his work, and Rat remains one of my favorite stories he’s ever created… the perfect match — a dark, intimate, bizarre, even humorous and deeply unsettling story that gets under your skin… I see this as a survival movie about writer’s block, and also as the ultimate tale of our craft vs. our people, our creations vs. our loved ones, our art vs. our family, a theme I can very personally relate to. King has always inspired me as a filmmaker and a storyteller, and I feel honored to bring this tale to life.”
The producers backing the project also include Fernando Ferro (who worked with Van Hoy in 52nd State) and Paul Perez. They joined Van Hoy in saying, “Coming off the incredible experience of producing 52nd State, we were eager to dive into a project with the same level of ambition and artistic edge. Rat gives us that opportunity. Stephen King’s work has always been a touchstone for genre filmmakers, and with Isaac and Jeff steering this adaptation, we believe it will capture both the terror and humanity that make his stories timeless.”
‘Rat’ Is the Third Novella in Stephen King’s ‘If It Bleeds’ to Receive the Feature Film Treatment
According to Deadline, Rat tells the story of Drew Larson, a writer “cursed by his own ambition. Each attempt at a novel has ended in disaster—illness, misfortune, or worse. As they so often do, “he retreats to a desolate cabin in the Maine woods, convinced this time will be different. But as a violent storm traps him in isolation, Drew’s body falters and his mind begins to unravel. In the grip of fever and madness, a stranger appears—an uncanny visitor who promises salvation and success…for a price Drew can barely comprehend.”
Rat is the third story included in the 2020 collection If It Bleeds to get a film adaptation. Previous entries include the Netflix original production starring Jaeden Martell, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, as well as the 2025 movie by Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
