Air Aster Says This 49-Year-Old Stephen King Movie "Traumatized" Him the Most

For over a decade, A24 has been bringing non-mainstream horror movies to the attention of viewers around the world. One such star is Ari Aster, the director of Hereditary, Midsommar, Eddington, and Beau Is Afraid.

Ari Aster Calls 'Carrie' a "Great Horror Movie"

But what inspires the director himself? Aster shared a movie that had a huge impact on him as a child, and it's a classic of all classics – Brian De Palma's Carrie:

“The film that traumatized me the most as a kid. It took me 15 years to come back to it, and when I finally summoned the courage, I was shocked to realize how campy it was [...]. As with any great horror movie, its cruelty feels unfathomable and its images are potentially life-ruining [...], but it's also distinguished by a profound sense of empathy and sadness.”

Stephen King's 'Carrie' Had Several Adaptations – Brian De Palma's Is Still the Best

Carrie is Stephen King's first novel, published in 1974. It became a bestseller and was adapted in 1976 starring Sissy Spacek. The movie, directed by Brian De Palma, grossed over $30 million at the box office and is often cited as one of the best horror films of all time.

A sequel, The Rage: Carrie 2, was released in 1999 but did not feature any of the original cast. Another remake, a TV movie, was released in 2002, and a third remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz was released in 2013.

Mike Flanagan Is Now Working on Yet Another 'Carrie' Adaptation

Carrie's journey across the big and small screens is not over yet. Mike Flanagan is adapting the novel into an eight-episode series for Amazon. Fans of the original film greeted the news of the new adaptation with skepticism, questioning the need for a new Carrie.

However, many were convinced by King's endorsement of the director's vision. Mike Flanagan shared with MovieWeb:

“When I sent him [Stephen King] kind of the layout of how I saw it could work, he really liked it. And he came back and said, 'Actually, yes, I think this is interesting, and I think this could be really relevant and could be really exciting.'”

Flanagan will write and executive produce the series. He previously worked on Doctor Sleep, Gerald's Game, and most recently, The Life of Chuck.

The cast for the new version of Carrie has recently been announced. Summer Howell, known for her role in Curse of Chucky, will play the title character. Samantha Sloyan will play her mother, Margaret, and Matthew Lillard will portray Principal Grayle.