Stephen King’s The Revelations of ‘Becka Paulson Adaptation Cancelled

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Shortly after the creators of Stranger Things announced they were finished with their hit show, news surfaced that another project based on the work of Stephen King has been cancelled. The Duffer brothers had also been working on an adaptation of The Talisman, but they’ve now confirmed they are no longer involved.

The cancellation of The Talisman as a Netflix series shows how things have changed since the project was first announced five years ago. The creators, the Duffers, have since moved to a new deal with Paramount. They’ve also admitted that adapting The Talisman into a TV show is a difficult task.

I recently answered a reader question for my Matt’s Inside Line newsletter about the status of The Revelations of Becka Paulson adaptation, which The CW announced way back in July 2020. Sadly, it looks like that show isn’t moving forward. It’s one of the many projects that fell victim to the network’s recent change in ownership, which has clearly shaken things up.

In October 2022, Nexstar Media Group bought The CW network. While Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount still own small parts of the network, Nexstar is now in charge. This has led to a shift in programming, with The CW moving away from its popular teen and young adult dramas. Instead, the network is now focusing on cheaper, already-made shows and sports to improve its financial performance.

The show would have centered around Becka Paulson, an incredibly optimistic woman who accidentally shot herself in the head with a nail gun. Afterwards, a cynical Jesus chooses her as the one to prevent the apocalypse and save humanity. However, Becka first needs to convince him—and herself—that the world is worth saving, starting with the oddball people in her small Midwestern hometown.

Stephen King’s story was previously adapted for television, appearing as an episode of The Outer Limits in 1997 starring Catherine O’Hara. Interestingly, Sarah Paulson also has a connection to another King work, The Tommyknockers, a novel he published in 1987.

It’s not unusual for TV shows – even those based on the works of Stephen King – to be announced with a lot of fanfare but never actually air. This can happen for various reasons, like clashes in scheduling, unforeseen problems, changes in who’s in charge, or simply because the story doesn’t come together. However, fans can rest assured that plenty more Stephen King adaptations are still planned.

A new adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie is in the works for Prime Video, coming from the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, Mike Flanagan. That series has finished filming and is nearing completion. Plus, The Institute will be back for a second season on MGM+ after a successful first season.

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2026-01-03 17:58