"The Life of Chuck" Teaser: Tom Hiddleston Faces Life’s Greatest Mystery in Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King Adaptation

From the mind of Stephen King comes a story of life itself. Tom Hiddleston stars as Chuck.

Stephen King is often regarded as one of the greatest horror authors of all time—and there's no denying he has written some truly terrifying stories, including some of the most iconic horror novels ever. But when you look at the totality of his career, King has worked within a wide range of genres.

Take Stand by Me (The Body) or The Shawshank Redemption (Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption), for example. These stories are rich with emotional depth, delving into themes of individuality and belonging in a world where characters often feel out of place.

The Life of Chuck, the latest in a long line of film adaptations based on King’s stories, once again highlights the often-overlooked humanistic side of his writing. It’s a life-affirming tale of an ordinary man, Charles “Chuck” Krantz, told through three distinct acts. The real horror in the story just might come from the realization that life can pass you by without noticing it—while at the same time, certain moments seem to stretch on at a slow pace.

Tom Hiddleston joins Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak, and Cody Flanagan, all playing Chuck at different moments of his life in this existential, spiritual drama about how even the most ordinary person can still live a full and realized life.

Based on the short story of the same name featured in King’s 2020 collection If It Bleeds, the film also marks a rare departure for acclaimed horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, known for hits like the Netflix miniseries The Haunting of Hill House (2018), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023).

Flanagan is no stranger to King’s works, having previously adapted Gerald’s Game (2017) and Doctor Sleep (2019), the sequel to The Shining.

However, The Life of Chuck might be his first foray into something that’s not explicitly horror, leaning more into a character’s existential journey—one that may have its eerie moments but is ultimately a deeply personal and introspective story rather than a traditional fright fest.

The Life of Chuck emerged out of the Toronto International Film Festival last September, where it had its world premiere as one of the festival's highlights. Critic reactions have been mostly positive.

In addition to Tom Hiddleston, the cast features a stellar roster of talent, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Annalise Basso, Matthew Lillard, Harvey Guillén, Kate Siegel, Mark Hamill, Heather Langenkamp, David Dastmalchian, Hamish Linklater, and many more. Meanwhile, Nick Offerman lends his voice as the narrator.

Following its TIFF debut, the film was acquired by Neon Films, the same studio behind the Oscar-winning drama Anora. Neon has now set a summer theatrical release for the film, scheduled to open in theaters on June 6.

Neon has also unveiled a one-minute teaser, offering a glimpse into the film’s mood and atmosphere. Watch it above.