Mike Flanagan Dreams of Doing a Doctor Sleep Sequel Centered On Abra

The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep didn’t do too hot at the box office, which is too bad considering it’s one of the better horror films to hit theaters in recent years, but that hasn’t stopped director Mike Flanagan from dreaming about a potential sequel — one that focuses on one of the film’s key characters, Abra Stone. He’s even discussed the possibility with Doctor Sleep author Stephen King.

“Absolutely,” Flanagan tole Den of Geek. “I would love it. And when I met Stephen King, I asked him like, is there more? Do you have anything else for Abra Stone? Because my God, she’s so great. And he left it open. He said, you know, he hadn’t thought about it before, but it was people asking questions like that that made him write ‘Doctor Sleep.’ He started to really think about Dan.”

Hopefully, Doctor Sleep gets a second life on blu-ray/DVD so we can see this idea come to pass!

RELATED: Scott Derrickson Teases Next Horror Film After Doctor Strange 2

Doctor Sleep continues the story of Danny Torrance, 40 years after his terrifying stay at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson and newcomer Kyliegh Curran star in the supernatural thriller, directed by Mike Flanagan, from his own screenplay based upon the novel by Stephen King.

Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality. Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before—at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.

Adapted from Stephen King’s bestselling sequel, the movie stars Ewan McGregor (Star Wars: Episodes I, II & III, T2 Trainspotting) as Dan Torrance, Rebecca Ferguson (the Mission: Impossible films, The Greatest Showman) as Rose the Hat, and Kyliegh Curran, in her major feature film debut, as Abra. The main ensemble cast also includes Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind, Bruce Greenwood, Jocelin Donahue, Alex Essoe and Cliff Curtis.

RELATED: The Grudge Red Band Trailer Promises More Gory Scares

Fandango is teaming up with Warner Bros. to debut the film nine days ahead of its release at 400 theaters nationwide with chains including Regal, AMC, Harkins, Cinemark, Marcus Theaters and other participating chains, with those who are a part of Fandango’s VIP membership rewards program being able to head to the ticketing website now to reserve their advanced seats.

“We’re excited to work with Warner Bros to offer film fans their first chance to see ‘Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep’ on October 30, just in time for Halloween,” Fandango President Paul Yanover said in a statement. “With our early access screenings, we are committed to ‘eventizing’ the movies and working closely with studios and filmmakers to surprise and delight moviegoers.”

Doctor Sleep was written and directed by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House). Trevor Macy and Jon Berg produced the film, with Roy Lee, Scott Lumpkin, Akiva Goldsman and Kevin McCormick serving as executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures will release Doctor Sleep in North America on November 8, and globally beginning on October 30.