Marvel star Karen Gillan says she "didn't stop crying for days" after watching Mike Flanagan's upcoming Stephen King movie

Gunpowder Milkshake
(Image credit: Studio Canal)

Karen Gillan, star of Mike Flanagan’s upcoming Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck, said a rough cut of the film had her "crying for days."

"You know what, it didn’t feel that different. I was going into it like, "OK, how has he changed? He’s done so many movies," Gillan told Collider of her reunion with Flanagan that took place some eight years after the pair filmed Oculus. "[It] felt the same! We were back in Alabama like we’d never left. If there was any difference, I suppose he just felt more… I mean, he was relaxed on the first one, but maybe he wasn’t, he was just pretending to be relaxed. But no, he was just the same Mike Flanagan, and brilliant and the movie is absolutely incredible. I saw a not-finished version of it, and literally didn’t stop crying for days. In a good way."

The film is based on the short story of the same name from King's If It Bleeds collection and stars Tom Hiddleston as Chuck Krantz. The life of Chuck, an ordinary man, is told across three stories beginning with his death and ending with his childhood spent in a haunted house. The production was granted an interim agreement during the SAG-AFTRA to continue filming.

Continued Gillan: "It’s a cathartic experience. It’s someone dealing with the end of their life, and it’s told in a very imaginative way, and it’s just beautiful. It’s a celebration of life, I suppose. I think we could all do with a bit of that."

The cast includes Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jacob Tremblay, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Trinity Bliss, Harvey Guillen, Rahul Kohli, David Dastmalchian, and Heather Langenkamp. Flanagan directs from a screenplay he adapted himself.

The Life of Chuck does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond.

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

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