Netflix’s adaptation of Stephen King’sCujotakes another step forward, with an Oscar-nominated director reportedly a top contender to helm the upcoming film. Released in 1981, King’s novel of the same tells the story of a sweet St. Bernard family pet who becomes a violent killing machine after contracting rabies from a bat, trapping a mother and her son inside a broken-down vehicle outside a mechanic’s shop.Cujowas adapted into a moviein 1983 from director Lewis Teague, and it was announced last week that another take on the novel is now in the works at Netflix.
THRnow reports thatDarren Aronofsky is in talks to directCujofor Netflix, with Roy Lee producing. Lee is a King veteran, having produced bothItmovies,Salem’s Lot(2024), and Francis Lawrence’s upcomingThe Long Walk. There’s currently no writer attached to theCujoadaptation, but Aronofsky will reportedly be meeting with candidates in the near future. The report notes that Aronofsky already circling the project is a sign that the film is either further long than previously believed or that Netflix is fast-tracking the project.
What Darren Aronofsky Directing Means For Cujo
The Director’s Previous & Upcoming Movies Explained
Aronofsky has never directed a straight horror movie before, but a number of his films do certainly flirt with the genre. 1998’sPi, for example, has horror leanings, as do his later films likeBlack Swan(2010) andMother!(2017). He is also known for directing movies likeRequiem for a Dream(2000),The Fountain(2006),The Wrestler(2008),Noah(2014), and theacclaimedThe Whale(2022). The last of these films, a drama, won Brendan Fraser a Best Actor Academy Award, and Aronofsky was nominated for Best Director forBlack Swan.
Every Darren Aronofsky Movie Ranked Worst To Best
Since his debut feature, Pi, all of Darren Aronofsky’s movies have been challenging and polarizing in their own way, but some are better than others.
If Aronofsky does end up directingCujo, the movie will seemingly be a bit of a departure for the director, who is currently in post-production onCaught Stealing, a crime thrillerstarring Austin Butlerand Matt Smith. With Netflix seemingly moving ahead with the adaptation at speed, it’s possible thatCujowill be Aronofsky’s next movie. Since a writer hasn’t yet been hired, filming on the movie likely won’t start until the end of this year or at some point in 2026, meaningit could be looking at a 2027 release date.
Caught Stealinghits theaters on August 29, meaning Aronofsky will seemingly soon be able to giveCujohis full attention.
Our Take On Darren Aronofsky Directing The New Cujo Adaptation
Will It Be Scarier Than The Original?
The originalCujofeatures some fairly traumatizing scenes, and there’s reason to believe Aronofsky’s take on the novel won’t be any different. Aronofsky’s movies haven’t shied away from graphic violence and disturbing subject matter in the past, and there are scenes inBlack SwanandMother!that certainly suggesthe could end up delivering a far scarier and more distressing take on the King novel than Teague did in 1983.
A clearer picture of what awaits withCujowill arrive when a writer becomes attached to the project, which sounds like it could happen over the next few weeks. More updates on the adaptation could be to come in the near future, but the NetflixKing adaptationis already sounding like a particularly exciting item in the streamer’s upcoming slate.
