Warner Bros. released Doctor Sleep into theaters several years ago, and while anticipation was high for a sequel, the latest Doctor Sleep 2 news confirms the film has been canceled. Released in 2013, Doctor Sleep was Stephen King's continuation of the story that began in The Shining, which was brought to the big screen by Stanley Kubrick in 1980. Although there are many differences between The Shining book and movie, the Doctor Sleep movie worked as both a solid adaptation of the source material and a sequel to the original film.
Doctor Sleep largely focused on a grown-up Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor). Even though Danny has locked away most of the memories from the events of The Shining, his abilities lead to a friendship with a young girl with greater power named Abra Stone (Kyleigh Curran). Once her incredible gifts are discovered, Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and The True Knot hunt her down to feed on her power. This leads Danny back to the Overlook Hotel for a showdown with Rose to protect Abra. While the story was wrapped up, many were hoping that a The Shining 3 would come to fruition, despite what Doctor Sleep 2 news is saying.
Related: Our 10 Biggest Unanswered Questions After Doctor Sleep
The Latest Doctor Sleep 2 News
Doctor Sleep 2 news seemed initially bright, with director Mike Flanagan set to return to the helm with an entirely new story going beyond the boundaries of Stephen King's books. However, Flanagan himself has now confirmed that the film has been shelved indefinitely (via IndieWire). Originally set to be a prequel, Flanagan's canceled The Shining 3 brings a death knell to the franchise, as he confirmed via Twitter that the project was given the ax after Doctor Sleep's performance at the box office. Despite the fact that Doctor Sleep grossed $72 million worldwide against a $45 million budget, that wasn't enough for Warner Bros., who canceled the movie.
Doctor Sleep 2 Has Been Canceled
The latest Doctor Sleep 2 news, unfortunately, confirms that the film has been canceled by Warner Bros. This means that there will be no Doctor Sleep 2 release date and that The Shining franchise has officially concluded. Flanagan originally had big plans for The Shining 3, aka Doctor Sleep 2, crafting a tale that would include an IT/Pennywise crossover and a prequel story to boot. However, audiences won't get to see these ideas reach the light of day as Warner Bros. isn't confident with moving the project forward. In the meantime, Flanagan will take on another Stephen King adaptation in the form of the upcoming The Dark Tower series.
Doctor Sleep 2 Cast
Since Doctor Sleep 2 news confirms that the film has been scrapped, there won't be a Doctor Sleep 2 cast. However, that hasn't stopped viewers from creating their own dream cast. The characters in The Shining 3 would depend on the story. If it were to be a prequel about Dick Hallorann's early life chronicling his growth with psychic abilities, then actor Carl Lumbly could return to portray the older version of the character as the original The Shining actor, Scatman Crothers, passed away in 1986. Otherwise, the Doctor Sleep 2 cast would be made up entirely of newcomers that surround Hallorann.
However, if Flanagan sought to continue Dan's story, then the Doctor Sleep 2 cast would look different. Again, Lumbly could return to serve as a spiritual guide, and of course, audiences would be eager to see Ewan McGregor reprise the titular role, though now he'd be a spirit. Kyliegh Curran would assuredly return to play Dan's protégé Abra, and she would be considered the new lead. While Rebecca Ferguson's villain Rose has been defeated, viewers would assuredly welcome her return in some capacity, though her career has taken off since then, soon appearing in Dune: Part 2, so it's unknown if she'd have the time.
Related: Doctor Sleep Cast & Character Guide
What Was Doctor Sleep 2's Story About?
Past Doctor Sleep 2 news stated that Mike Flanagan wanted to make The Shining 3 into a prequel story about Dick Hallorann. The working title itself was initially Hallorann, and was supposed to follow the Overlook Hotel's cook in his early years as he was beginning to understand and utilize his psychic powers. Hallorann was the one who taught Danny to use "the shining" in the first film, awakening him to his own abilities. In Doctor Sleep, Hallorann acted as Dan's spiritual advisor in assisting Abra and taking on Rose and The True Knot. It would've been intriguing to get a glimpse of Hallorann's backstory for the Doctor Sleep sequel plot, but Warner Bros. lost faith in the project after Doctor Sleep's box office numbers, and Doctor Sleep 2 has been canceled.
