Freeform is looking to give its young viewers a scare, with a little help from Stephen King.
The cable channel has put “Joyland,” a series based on the famous horror author’s novel of the same name, into development, the Disney-owned network announced Wednesday.
Per Freeform, the TV adaptation tells the story of Devin, a college student who takes a summer job at an amusement park in a North Carolina tourist town where he confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child and the way both will change his life forever.
“We are honored to be working with Stephen King – a master storyteller who understands the importance of culturally embedded tales that resonate with audiences on a deeply personal level,” said Karey Burke, executive vice president, Programming and Development, Freeform. “We can’t wait for ‘Joyland’ to become part of Freeform’s offerings and haunt our viewers as only Stephen can.”
Bill Haber’s Ostar Productions (“Valor”) will executive produce “Joyland,” with Chris Peña (“Jane the Virgin”) and Cyrus Nowrasteh (“The Stoning of Soraya M.”) set to pen and produce the pilot.
“Joyland” would be the latest in a long string of TV adaptations of King’s notable works, with the most recent being Hulu’s “Castle Rock,” based on several stories within the author’s universe.