EXCLUSIVE: Bohemia Group has optioned film rights to Stephen King’s bestseller The Regulators, tapping George Cowan to adapt the Western horror-thriller for the big screen.
First published by Dutton in 1996, The Regulators is the story of the peaceful suburban life on Poplar Street in Wentworth, Ohio that is shattered one fine day when four vans containing shotgun-wielding “regulators” terrorize the street’s residents, cold-bloodedly killing anyone foolish enough to venture outdoors. Houses mysteriously transform into log cabins and the street now ends in what looks like a child’s hand-drawn western landscape. Masterminding this sudden onslaught is an evil creature who has taken over the body of an autistic boy whose parents were killed in a drive-by shooting several months earlier.
The film adaptation of The Regulators is being shepherded by Bohemia Group’s Executive Vice-President, producer Justin Ross, who helped develop the King-approved script with Cowan.
“I’m delighted that the excitement of ‘The Regulators’ is coming to the screen,” King told Deadline. “This is going to be good.”
“We could not be more thrilled than to be working with the prolific Stephen King and his team on this project,” said Bohemia Group’s CEO, Susan Ferris. “The novel’s themes and characters resonate so powerfully, and we are looking forward to making an incredible film.”
“Working with Stephen King is a long-time wish fulfilled,” added Ross. “Susan and George and I look forward to doing the novel and its author proud.”
Celebrating his 75th birthday this year, King is an iconic, award-winning author who lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. The pair are regular contributors to a number of charities, including many libraries, and have been honored locally for their philanthropic activities. Previous books to film from King include It, It Chapter Two, The Shining, Misery and Pet Sematary, to name just a few.
Bohemia Group, Inc is a global management firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York City, London, Auckland, Seoul, Singapore, Berlin and most recently, Karachi, which was established in 1992. The firm launched its production and development arm Bohemia Group Originals in 2015, with recent film credits including the action-thriller The Last Deal and Gravitas Ventures’ release, A Dark Place. Bohemia is also currently setting up a feature adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s New York Times bestseller Mr. Paradise—likewise penned by Bohemia writer, Cowan. In addition, Bohemia is currently shopping a series based on the USA Today bestselling Liz Talbot Mysteries by Susan Boyer, as well as a series based on the acclaimed Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman, which was a finalist for NPR’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Vote.
King is represented by Rand Holston Management and Gang, Tyre, Ramer; Cowan by Bohemia Group.
