Jack Torrance isn’t going to be swinging his axe at HBO Max anytime soon. According to Deadline, the streaming service has decided to let go of the series Overlook, a project from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, which is inspired by Stephen King’s 1977 novel, The Shining.
Written by Dustin Thomason and Scott Brown, Overlook is a TV series that features the iconic characters from King’s original work, and explores one of the most famous literary haunted hotels of all time. Commissioned as a ten-episode show, it focuses on untold stories of the hotel from the novel, before Torrance arrives as its caretaker. Despite the spin-off series being based on one of King’s most beloved novels, and being in development for over a year, HBO Max has decided that it just isn’t the right fit for them. The company and Warner Bros. Television are currently shopping the show – which Deadline reports will likely find its new home at Netflix.
Overlook was part of Bad Robot’s initial slate at HBO Max, under the streaming service’s 2019 deal with Warner Media. Deadline reports that while it was announced as a series order, the show was actually commissioned as development with a series commitment, suggesting that its removal from the HBO line-up was always a possibility.
HBO Max has a growing list of Bad Robot shows available. Sci-fi series Westworld is still going strong, and fans can expect Demimonde, Duster, and Subject to Change on the platform in the future. However, this isn’t the first horror-related series from Abrams to get the chop either. HBO decided to abandon Bad Robot’s Lovecraft Country after one season, despite being nominated for 18 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama series.
Although HBO’s decision has delayed the project, hopefully, Overlook finds a new home soon. The Shining has already been adapted by famed filmmaker Stanley Kubrick in 1980, and stands as one of the best horror movies of all time. Doctor Sleep, a sequel, was also released in 2019. For more scary classics, be sure to read our list of the best horror movies on Netflix.