Apple Inks Deal for 'Lisey's Story' TV Show Written by Stephen King and Starring Julianne Moore

Apple has given a straight to series order for eight episodes of "Lisey's Story," a TV show based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Apple TV Ray Light
Julianne Moore is set to star in the series, while Stephen King will write all eight episodes in addition to executive producing. As The Hollywood Reporter points out, King does not often write for TV shows, making "Lisey's Story" notable.

In the past, King has called "Lisey's Story" one of his favorite books, and one that he'd love to see turned into a television series.

The novel, which is a psychological horror with romance elements, is split between Lisey's life in the present time and her dead husband's life (a famous novelist) as she remembers it. Lisey begans to remember things about her husband that she had suppressed while being terrorized in the present by a former fan of her husband's.

Along with King and Moore, the series also boasts J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson of Bad Robot Productions as executive producers. This is the third series Abrams is working on for Apple, as he is also developing "Little Voice" with Sara Bareilles and "My Glory Was I Had Such Friends" with Jennifer Garner.

Julianne Moore has recently starred in movies that include "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," "Bel Canto," "Gloria Bell," and "Suburbicon," but she has not been in a television series since her stint on "As the World Turns" in the 80s, with the exception of a few appearances on "30 Rock."

Apple currently has more than two dozen television shows in the works for its upcoming Apple TV+ service, which is set to debut this fall. We have a running list of all of the TV shows and movies that Apple is working on available in our original content guide.

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
61 months ago
Super happy about seeing Julianne Moore return to TV. But Stephen King really needs to get over his fan persecution complex ;)
THAT’S WHAT I KEEP TELLING HIM! But somehow Mr. Hotshot Writer hasn’t gotten it through his beautiful, fragile skull that if he doesn’t deal with his little complex, there will be consequences! :mad:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EdT Avatar
61 months ago
Right now I don't care who writes/produces/stars in any show or movie- Apple or anyone else's. Past triumphs do not guarantee future success. Lots of very talented people have been involved in absolute rubbish because whoever backed them wanted to use those talented peoples name without bothering to let them work. And sometimes even a certified genius bombs. Don't care about names. Show me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rpmurray Avatar
61 months ago
Stephen King: This is going to be great.
Tim Apple sends a note: Don't be mean.
Stephen: WTF, didn't you read the treatment?
Tim: We just want you to make a few changes so it'll be family friendly.
JJ Abrams: Just write yourself into a corner and give the fans a **** ending, that's what I always do.
Stephen: I've died and gone to hell, haven't I?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
panjandrum Avatar
61 months ago
Interesting. I'm starting to think there might actually be some good content. Stephen King, done properly, can be extremely good, especially if it is based on one of King's better works. And, Abrams is both a great imitator and an obvious fan of King (Super 8 is, essentially, a perfect Stephen Kingesque story. As if someone had taken one of King's best works and transformed it perfectly onto film; the young love, the friendships of youth, the heartache and heartbreak, the terrible things that happen to good people, the "supernatural" elements. It's all there. When I first saw the film I was shocked that King wasn't involved. It's just that good an imitation).

For those who don't read King because he is undoubtably inconsistent (the second half of IT kind of stunk, because the novel IT also kind of goes on and on like that and loses much of the book's early magic as it progresses), but he is also frequently brilliant, both from the entertainment perspective and the literary perspective. He's got a kind of brutal honesty when it comes to human nature, and he is, when he is at his best, absolutely brilliant. He isn't really a "horror" writer as-such. His books and stories almost all inhabit a multiverse in a way that is portrayed, often, in a supernatural way, but is really more Sci-Fi.

If I were to suggest a single starting place for people wanting to jump into King I would say "Joyland". It is one of his shorter works and is absolutely, heartbreakingly brilliant. If you don't weep at points when reading it you have no soul.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stonekirby Avatar
61 months ago
You know, TV is just that...TV.

I wish Apple would focus more on blowing me away with Tech rather then dipping their toes into Hollywood schmuck :/
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jamers99 Avatar
61 months ago
Can't stand Jullianne Moore. Haven't liked her from Boogie Nights until today.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
anker new xmas

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
paramount plus logo

Apple and Paramount Considering Discounted TV+ Streaming Bundle

Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...