Mark Romanek has entered negotiations to direct The Shining prequel The Overlook Hotel for Warner Bros. We reported in May that Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón was the studio's top choice to direct The Overlook Hotel, but it seems a deal was never reached.

The Overlook Hotel is based on the original prologue that Stephen King wrote for The Shining novel, which was cut before the book was published in 1977. The prologue tells the origin story of The Overlook Hotel and its first owner, Bob T. Watson, a "robber baron" at the start of the 20th Century who set out to build the greatest resort in America, nestled within the Colorado Rockies, where he and his family also lived.

We reported in April that Glen Mazzara, a former showrunner on AMC's The Walking Dead, signed on to write the screenplay. The writer recently turned in his first draft to producers Brad Fischer, James Vanderbilt and Laeta Kalogridis. Warner Bros is also trying to develop the Stephen King's 2013 book Dr. Sleep, which is a sequel to The Shining.

The Shining, which debuted in 1980, starred Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, who relocates to The Overlook Hotel with his family (Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd) for the winter, where an evil presence leads him to commit unspeakable acts of violence.

Mark Romanek most recently directed the 2010 drama Never Let Me Go. He is also attached to direct The Lost Symbol and Boston Strangler.