'Locke & Key' TV Preview 2019

The troubled production history of "Locke & Key" is probably longer than the books at this point, Hill's six volume series was originally published between 2008 and 2014.

Dimension films originally acquired the film and TV rights both losing them to Dreamwork's in 2010, at this time "Fringe" & "Star Trek's" Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci signed on to develop the show. In August 2010 even Steven Speilberg joined as a producer as the decision was made to adapt it for TV rather the big screen.

Eventually the TV adaptation landed at FOX and a pilot was green light and produced, the main cast was announced with Miranda Otto, Sarah Bolger & Nick Stahl as the leads. The pilot was directed by One Hour Photo's Mark Romanek during 2011, however Fox decided to not move ahead with the pilot.

The pilot was leaked online and despite some great actors in the key roles, the show felt cheap and did not convey the same sense of dread and horror that the original material did.

Hulu Steps In

In 2017 Hulu ordered a pilot that had a creative team of Carlton Cuse ("Lost" & "Bates Motel") & Scott Derrickson (Marvel's Dr Strange, Sinister, & The Exorcism of Emily Rose). The real gem in the production team was IT's Andy Muschietti signing on to direct the pilot and actress Frances O' Conner was cast in a key role.

However earlier this year Hulu announced it was passing on the project, once again "Locke & Key" had ended up in production limbo.

Netflix to the Rescue?

In July and after eight years and multiple attempts Netflix has confirmed it producing a 10 episode season of "Locke & Key" after seeing Hulu's pilot for earlier in the year and the scripts for the next seven shows.

Unfortunately due to timings the Hulu pilot is going to be completely recast and Andy Muschietti has had to dropout to commence directing on It: Chapter 2 Original producer Carlton Cuse will work with original writer Joe Hill to develop the show for Netflix.

So why all the trouble adapting the story to the screen? It could be a number of issues as the story deals with some dark themes involving young children. There is bloody horror involved and it has a finite start and end to the source material that would make extending the show out for multiple seasons problematic at best.

Now the history lesson is over we can talk about some of the plot of "Locke & Key."

The story is about three children Tyler, Kindsey, & Bode Locke who relocate with their mother to the family home of Keyhouse in Massachusetts, the youngest Bode speaks to a voice in a well and unwittingly begins to play with demonic forces.

Bode and the other children uncover various keys with magical powers but they are always in danger from the demonic presence in the well.

Without spoiling the plot, "Locke & Key" works because of its magical & fantastical elements but then mixing them with traditional horror, the story goes to some very dark places involving alcoholism and loss.

I think one of the reasons its taken so long to adapt "Locke & Key" is the tone, in some descriptions it sounds like a kid's magical tale, children find magical keys that let them do all manner of magical things. However that is soon curtailed by bloody horror and real life drama, this frisson between tones is what makes "Locke & Key" a great read and hopefully a great TV show when we see it sometime next year.