Spielberg and King go UNDER THE DOME for SHOWTIME

Fiction powerhouses Stephen King and Steven Spielberg are reuniting to bring Under the Dome, King’s 2009 novel, to the Showtime network as a miniseries. DreamWorks Television is producing the drama series based on the novel. King will be an executive producer along with Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. No writer has been brought in yet, but it’s just a matter of time. I’m personally holding out hope that Damon Lindelof will be hired, as unlikely as that is.

The series would focus on the people of a small Maine town who become separated from the world by a force field and end up turning on each other; a classic cabin fever scenario. I haven’t read the novel myself, but the premise, while a little silly (force field?), is incredibly appealing. Anything that shows how terrible human beings can be when cut off from the rest of humanity and left to their own devices is awesome in my book. The more despicable and violent they become the more I feel entertained.

The last time Stephen and Steven worked on a project together was in 2006. The duo worked on an adaptation of King’s 1984 novel The Talisman. Unfortunately it was scrapped before it could become something amazing. Stupid budget problems. Spielberg has been attaching his name to many TV projects lately, from TNT’s Falling Skies (which got renewed for a second season this summer) and this fall’s Terra Nova. He’s been having success lately, so let’s hope he can keep the ball rolling.