Gary Dauberman's Thrilling Journey

Remind Me SALEM’S LOT opens in AMC theatres April 21, 2023.

This September, Gary Dauberman will join a club consisting of directors like Stanley Kubrick, Frank Darabont, Rob Reiner, and Mike Flanagan when his adaptation of Stephen King’s SALEM’S LOT opens in AMC Theatres nationwide. Although this isn’t the first time Dauberman has worked on an adaptation of one of the horror icon’s novels — he co-wrote IT and IT: CHAPTER TWO — the upcoming theatrical release is the first time the filmmaker has sat in the director’s chair for one of those projects.

In a way, Dauberman’s soon-to-be-released movie about a writer coming back to his hometown only to find out it is under the control of a powerful vampire is the culmination of his career up to this point; a career that has seen him work on some of the biggest horror franchises of the past 20 years.

So while we wait for SALEM’S LOT to arrive on the big screen, come with us as we take you on a trip down memory lane and look at Gary Dauberman’s thrilling journey in the world of horror…

Entering The Conjuring Universe

Back in 2014, when the CONJURING universe was still in its early stages — THE CONJURING was released the previous year — Gary Dauberman was brought on to write the screenplay for ANNABELLE, which served as a prequel to the successful supernatural horror film. But instead of focusing on Ed and Lorraine Warren, the movie turned its attention to the Annabelle porcelain doll that would essentially become the franchise’s mascot and one of the most recognizable horror icons of the past decade.

Basically, the movie centers around a married couple who bring home the Annabelle doll as they prepare the nursery for their soon-to-be-born first child. All is well until a group of cultists break into their home and perform a demonic ceremony that ends with the porcelain doll becoming possessed.

ANNABELLE was a massive hit at the box office, bringing in more than $257 million and helped the CONJURING universe reach new heights. And just as the franchise was growing, so was Gary Dauberman’s career.

Directing Annabelle Comes Home

In the years following the release of ANNABELLE, Gary Dauberman would go on to write two additional movies in the CONJURING universe — ANNABELLE: CREATION and THE NUN — before getting the opportunity to direct a movie of his own in the horror franchise. Dauberman would go on to make his directorial debut in June 2019 with ANNABELLE COMES HOME.

This time around, the movie centers on the Annabelle doll as she awakens all kinds of spirits in the home of Ed and Lorraine Warren, with the brunt of her demonic force being felt by the couple’s daughter, who is played by McKenna Grace. Over the course of a single night, the young girl and her friends are forced to confront pure evil if they wish to survive.

Like its predecessors, ANNABELLE COMES HOME was a hit at the box office, bringing in more than $231 million throughout its run, and proved that Gary Dauberman could handle his own not only as a writer but as a director.

Adapting Stephen King’s It

Audiences will finally get to see what Gary Dauberman has in store for them when his adaptation of SALEM’S LOT opens in AMC Theatres nationwide come September, but this isn’t the rising filmmaker’s first experience adapting a classic Stephen King novel. In 2017, Dauberman, along with Cary Fukunaga and Chase Palmer, wrote the screenplay for IT, the first half of King’s legendary novel that was then directed by Andy Muschietti.

The movie told the story of The Losers’ Club, a group of seven outcast kids who are forced to overcome the evil clown Pennywise while also battling their own personal demons in their attempt to save themselves and the small town of Derry, Maine.

IT was a massive success with critics and audiences alike, and eventually brought in more than $701 million at the box office during its theatrical run. Taking King’s classic story and combining it with homages to classic ‘80s horror movies and pop culture, Gary Dauberman, his co-writers, and Andy Muschietti created an instant classic that is arguably one of the best Stephen King adaptations yet.

Two Years later, Dauberman would receive the sole screenwriting credit for IT: CHAPTER TWO, which told the second half of King’s massive novel. Like its predecessor, the film was directed by Muschietti. And while it wasn’t as big of a hit as the 2017 movie, IT: CHAPTER TWO still brought in $473 million worldwide.

With the two successful IT movies under his belt, it is not hard to imagine that Dauberman has found a way to make the latest SALEM’S LOT adaptation just as spooky, compelling, and memorable.

And while we don’t yet know what the future holds for Gary Dauberman and if his name will be added to the list of filmmakers who have directed more than one Stephen King adaptation over the years, it is safe to say the writer and director has had an incredible and thrilling journey through the world of horror since his career first started all those years ago. And with SALEM’S LOT arriving this September in AMC Theatres nationwide, it looks like that twisted journey through the world of horror will continue for at least a little while longer.

Remind Me SALEM’S LOT opens in AMC theatres April 21, 2023.