Netflix Has Found Its Cujo Director, And It's A Filmmaker Perfect For Stephen King

In a bit of unexpected news, Darren Aronofsky is headed to the world of Stephen King. Yes, the man behind everything from "Requiem for a Dream" to "Mother!" has been tapped to direct Netflix's upcoming film version of "Cujo," King's 1981 novel that previously inspired a big screen adaptation in 1983. Now, Aronosky will be afforded the chance to put his own stamp on the material.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Aronofsky has signed on to direct the adaptation, which is being produced by Roy Lee ("Barbarian," "It"). There is still no word on who is penning the screenplay, but the filmmaker is expected to be meeting with candidates soon. This is all pretty surprising, as Netflix's "Cujo" was only revealed to be in development very recently. It seems this one won't be languishing in development hell.

Aronofsky is coming off his hit "The Whale," which ultimately netted Brendan Fraser an Oscar. He is one of the more roundly respected directors working in Hollywood today, which makes his hiring for something so commercial — and made specifically for a streaming service — so surprising, but not unwelcome. For those who may need a refresher, the synopsis for King's original book reads as follows:

The Cambers' once-friendly St. Bernard turns into a killer after being bitten by a rabid bat. Donna Trenton's husband is in New York trying to contain a disastrous ad campaign. Feeling abandoned by her workaholic husband, who is frequently out of town, Donna Trenton embarks on an affair with a local handyman. Left to fend for herself, she takes her ailing Pinto to Joe Cambers' garage for repairs only to be trapped with her son Tad in the sweltering car by the monstrous dog.

Hiring a guy like Aronofsky to direct "Cujo" suggests that Netflix is really going to allow this to be a filmmaker-driven movie. The streamer has adapted several King stories in the past, including "In the Tall Grass" and "1922," among others. The best of the bunch to date is Mike Flanagan's "Gerald's Game." The common thread there is that it was similarly very much driven by a filmmaker with a vision.

Aronofsky has also put his stamp on the horror genre before, having the acclaimed hit "Black Swan" to his name. He has largely avoided franchises throughout his career, though he did try very hard to make a "Batman: Year One" movie at one point. While this is not technically a franchise, playing in the Stephen King sandbox isn't far from it. Putting a guy like Aronofsky, who is truly adept at crafting compelling characters above all else, feels like an inspired choice for something that could easily devolve into a "monster movie of the week" if not handled correctly.

There is no word yet on casting, nor is it clear how soon production could begin. But with a director now onboard, things should be falling into place sooner rather than later. Given that Aronofsky is at the helm, that opens up the door for A-list actors to also join the project. 

"Cujo" does not currently have a release date, but stay tuned.