In the wake of the original 1990 movie and the largely forgotten 2017 remake, the Flatliners saga will continue with Flatliners Resurrection, a new novel that’s currently in the works.
According to Deadline’s exclusive report this morning, the upcoming novel will be penned by J.D. Barker (Dracul), and it puts a fresh twist on the original Flatliners screenplay.
Deadline explains, “The original [movie] was released by Columbia, but Barker said that scribe Peter Filardi got back the rights to his original script, and the author swayed the scribe with a twist to the original tale that takes the reanimation tale down a different road than the original or a later remake. The novel is based on that script, not the movie, and Intellectual Property Group’s Joel Gotler will broker both the publishing and screen rights.”
“We’re thrilled to have J.D. Barker on board for this project,” said Filardi. “His ability to craft suspenseful, thought-provoking stories makes him the perfect choice to reinvigorate the Flatliners franchise for a new generation.”
“The concept of Flatliners has always fascinated me,” Barker said. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to explore these themes of mortality, consequences, and the unknown in a novel format. Fans can expect a story that honors the spirit of the original while pushing into new, uncharted territories. We’re going to scare the hell out of you.”
Joel Schumacher directed the original 1990 movie, which was packed with stars including Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, William Baldwin and Oliver Platt.
In that movie, “Five medical students experiment with “near death” experiences, until the dark consequences of past tragedies begin to jeopardize their lives.”
The 2017 remake of Schumacher’s film followed the same storyline, with Niels Arden Oplev directing and the cast including Elliot Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, and Kiersey Clemons.
‘Flatliners’ (2017)