2017 was the beginning of a true Stephen King Renaissance. Even with the abominable TV series based on The Mist, IT: Chapter 1, Gerald's Game, and 1922 constituted a near-perfect trifecta of films adapted from the bestselling author's sizable bibliography. Now, From a Buick 8 will join 2 other King-based properties currently in production; IT: Chapter 2 is being shot in Toronto with a re-adaptation of Pet Sematary moving full-steam ahead outside of Montreal. Though it may have quieted in 2018, the Stephen King Renaissance is certain to surge again in 2019.

Attached to write and direct From a Buick 8 for Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment is William Brent Bell, a filmmaker who's no stranger to horror aficionados. His most recent hit was 2016's The Boy, while other bloody feathers in his cap include 2006's techno-horror Stay Alive, 2012's chilling yet controversial found footage film The Devil Inside, and the lycanthropic creeper Wer in 2013. The filmmaker, originally from Lexington, KY, is one big hit away from genre preeminence, nearing the status of 21st Century heavyweights James Wan, Mike Flanagan, and Andy Muschietti. This horror fan feels confident the project is in good hands. Here's a synopsis for From a Buick 8.

From a Buick 8 centers around the rural town of Statler, Pennsylvania where the state police have kept a mysterious 1954 Buick Roadmaster in the shed behind the barracks for over twenty years. But when the town is plagued by strange and supernatural events, it turns out the Buick isn't exactly a car- it's a door to another dimension.

Although this will be the first time From a Buick 8 has been adapted for film, it was previously developed as a potential vehicle (pun intended) for Night of the Living Dead mastermind George A. Romero. Romero and King have collaborated since the author first made a cameo in Knightriders. That film led to the duo partnering up again for Creepshow in 1982, and Romero would go on to adapt King's The Dark Half in 1993. Though films based on King's works were hit and miss in the 1990s, The Dark Half has gained a cult following in the decades since its release. As the tale takes place in Castle Rock, there's a chance characters from the novel/movie may pop up in the upcoming HULU series named for the fictional town (premiering later this week).

From a Buick 8 is a 368-page novel first published in 2002. Those feeling a tinge of déjà vu will recall Stephen King has previously explored classic cars as a troupe in horror. 1983's Christine, one of the author's first significant breakthroughs, centers on a 1958 Plymouth Fury that's either the cause of, or a conduit for, demonic possession. The classic muscle car was also endowed with the ability to regenerate and Christine was adapted to film in 1983 by Master of Horror John Carpenter. So, while From a Buick 8 goes down a different paranormal pathway, it can still be considered a spiritual successor to Christine.

No word yet on cast or a target release date for From a Buick 8, but we'll keep our ears to the ground in order to bring you additional updates as details emerge. Stay tuned! This news first appeared exclusively on Deadline.