Stephen King has described Netflix‘s version of ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ as ” a work of genius.” The television adaptation, which was released earlier this month, was created by Mike Flanagan and is based on the 1959 novel of the same name, by writer Shirley Jackson. Across ten episodes, the series tells the story of five siblings who grew up in the most famous haunted house in America. Writing about the series on social media, King said: “I don’t usually care for this kind of revisionism, but this is great. Close to a work of genius, really. I think Shirley Jackson would approve, but who knows for sure.” Meanwhile, the first trailer for Pet Sematary, the latest film adaptation of a Stephen King novel, was released by Paramount Pictures earlier this month (October 10). Directed by Starry Eyes filmmakers Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, the new film focuses on a doctor (Jason Clarke) and his family as they move from Boston to Maine. On arrival in the rural area, they discover a mysterious burial ground. After a sudden tragedy, the doctor turns to his neighbour Judd Crandall (John Lithgow) and a series of terrifying events unfolds. The original King novel was published in 1983 and was first adapted into a film in 1988. The new trailer features detailed glimpses of the setting and characters; we also hear John Lithgow’s character speaking: “Kids used to dare each other to go into the woods at night. They knew the power of that place. They feared it.” Earlier this year, it was revealed that a number of original Stephen King manuscripts were destroyed after a flood at a bookstore. King said he was “horrified” by the news and added: “As a book lover, my heart goes out to him. I will eventually reach out and see if I can help in any way.” Published in Daily Times, October 24th 2018.