Writer and director Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep) takes on Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel in this eight-episode horror series starring Summer H. Howell as Carrie White, a sheltered teenager whose introduction to public high school becomes a nightmare of bullying, religious fanaticism, and supernatural revenge. Samantha Sloyan stars as Carrie’s controlling, deeply religious mother, Margaret.
Do we really need another adaptation of Carrie? Between Brian De Palma’s iconic 1976 film and the remakes that followed, it’s a fair question. But if anyone can breathe new life into a horror classic, its Flanagan.
Rather than simply re-creating the story we already know, Flanagan brings Carrie into the age of smartphones, social media, and viral humiliation. High school was already hell for Carrie White. Now, her tormentors have the ability to broadcast her suffering to the entire world.
I love a good Stephen King adaptation, especially one that understands that monsters aren’t always supernatural. Carrie is bloody, uncomfortable, and surprisingly emotional. It’s a familiar nightmare with some new teeth, and I’m curious to see where Flanagan takes it next. The series has already been renewed for a second season. (one season, eight 45-to-60 min. episodes)
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 5, 2026.
