Netflix is adding yet another adaptation to its long list with the upcoming Mr. Harrigan’s Phone. The film is based on renowned author Stephen King’s literary work of the same name. The adaptation will be the fourth King project that Netflix has taken on, having previously created Gerald’s Game, 1922, and In the Tall Grass. The author is no stranger to having his work made into films and series, with many proving quite successful on screens. Given this, Netflix’s decision to bring Mr. Harrigan’s Phone to life isn’t much of a surprise.

Netflix’s chosen project is only one of the stories in King’s If It Bleeds collection. While Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is the first to get its own adaptation, the other three stories, Rat, The Life of Chuck, and If It Bleeds, have also attracted the attention of producers. With the collection only being published in 2020, it is noteworthy that all four stories have been picked up so quickly. Rat has reportedly caught the attention of Ben Stiller, while The Life of Chuck is being considered by Darren Aronofsky’s production company, and HBO is eying If It Bleeds.

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Given that Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is first off the bat, here is what you need to know about the Netflix film.

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone: The Plot

     Netflix

The film centers on the relationship between a young boy, Craig, who forms a special bond with the reclusive billionaire, Mr. Harrigan. The narrative starts off quite ordinary, depicting the evolving friendship between the two. Beginning with Craig doing odd jobs around Mr. Harrigan’s house for an hourly wage, the young boy buys an iPhone for Mr. Harrigan after winning a lottery ticket given to him by the billionaire.

Related Link: Mr. Harrigan’s Phone and Other Upcoming Stephen King Adaptations

Unfortunately, and to the immense sadness of the young boy, Mr. Harrigan passes away sometime later. At the funeral, Craig places the phone, which he took from the house before the coroners left with Mr. Harrigan’s body, into the old man’s jacket pocket. Craig then gets into the habit of calling Mr. Harrigan’s phone, which to his surprise, is still in service, each time he feels overcome by grief and life. It is through these beyond-the-grave phone calls that something strange happens.

After Craig leaves a voicemail for the dead Mr. Harrigan about the bully he’s being tormented by in high school, the bully commits suicide. The incident doesn’t sit right with Craig, who wonders if his friend from beyond the grave had something to do with the death. A synopsis of the film reads:

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone: The Cast

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Jaeden Martell was cast in the role of Craig. The actor has previously starred as Bill Denbrough in the remake of Stephen King’s It. Given this, Martell is no stranger to the demands of a King adaptation. Colin O’Brien is set to play the younger Craig. Veteran actor Donald Sutherland took on the role of the reclusive Mr. Harrigan. In recent times, Sutherland became widely known for portraying President Snow in The Hunger Games franchise. Joe Tippett joined the cast as Craig’s father, while Kirby Howell-Baptiste plays Ms. Hart, a teacher at Craig’s high school. Craig’s bully, Kenny Yankovich, is portrayed by Cyrus Arnold.

“Craig, a young boy living in a small town, who befriends older, reclusive billionaire, Mr. Harrigan. The two form a bond over books and an iPhone, but when the man passes away, the boy discovers that not everything dead is gone, and finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through the iPhone that was buried with him.”

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The film also has a remarkable creative team behind it. John Lee Hancock, whose previous projects include The Blind Side and Saving Mr. Banks, wrote and directed the adaptation. Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum are producers, joined by Carla Hacken, with Blumhouse Television’s Marci Wiseman and Jeremy Gold acting as executive producers.

Stephen King’s Praise

Netflix’s adaptation of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone has the seal of approval from King himself. He took to his Twitter to call the film “nothing short of brilliant.” Praise coming from the author is significant as King has not always looked positively towards adaptations of his work. Most of King’s disapproval of adapted works has stemmed from the fact that they deviated too significantly from the source. Given this, maybe we can safely assume that King’s seal of approval on Mr. Harrigan’s Phone means that the adaptation will not stray too far from the narrative of the original work.

King’s approval has also led to an increase in fan anticipation and excitement. While readers of the series eagerly but cautiously look forward to seeing familiar words coming alive on screen, those who have not read the texts are excited to have a Stephen King story in the works.

Release Date

The wait for the film isn’t too far off. The film commenced production in 2021 and will have a Halloween release on Netflix on October 5, 2022. It will join Netflix’s other Fall releases, such as The School for Good and Evil, Robbing Mussolini, and The Curse of Bridge Hollow.