The Shining falls into this weird little territory where its film and source material are about as different as can be, and as beloved in their respective mediums. Author Stephen King famously hated Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining, so much so that he spearheaded a TV miniseries that was much closer to his own vision of the story. But in terms of film, The Shining is seen as a crowning achievement.

So when it was revealed that they would be adapting Doctor Sleep, King’s follow-up to The Shining, we couldn’t help but wonder if the film will be taking most of its cues from the source material or the beloved film from Kubrick. In many ways, it’s a lose-lose situation, and I personally hoped they’d just remake The Shining before jumping into Doctor Sleep, but here we are.

Bloody Disgusting sat down with director Mike Flanagan and asked him if there would be nods to Kubrick’s opus. Here’s what he said:

“I think you do have to acknowledge that. There is no version of the world where I am trying not to acknowledge one of the greatest films ever made. There’s no upside in shying away from that reality.”

RELATED – Ewan McGregor Says Shining Sequel Doctor Sleep Will Remain Faithful To The Novel

Some hardcore Stephen King fans may wrinkle their nose at this revelation, but it is worth noting that Doctor Sleep is its own story, even if it does technically take place decades after that first story, and Flanagan was keen to remind fans that:

“It’s its own story and in a very specific way. If you’ve read the book, you know exactly why it’s so different but it’s quite a tightrope that we’re walking I think. I’m having a great time doing it. I’m just going to get the movie out and then turn off the internet for two weeks and see how it all goes.”

How do you feel about Flanagan’s comments? Do you think he made the right decisions? Let us know down below!

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SOURCE: Bloody Disgusting