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Ewan McGregor in Talks to Star in ‘The Shining’ Sequel ‘Doctor Sleep’

Production on the film adaptation of Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep may finally be kicking into high gear!

Doctor Sleep is the sequel to King’s classic novel The Shining and, on Wednesday, Variety reports that Ewan McGregor has signed on to star in the film as the adult version of Danny Torrance. According to sources, King has even given his blessing to McGregor taking on the role.

This is a huge step forward for Warner Bros. The film adaptation of Doctor Sleep as well as an adaptation of The Shining prequel Overlook Hotel has been struggling in development for several years due to budgetary issues. Thanks to the massive success of the 2017 Andy Muschietti remake of IT, new doors have opened and the films have been fast-tracked to pre-production.

Mike Flanagan (Netflix’s adaptation of Gerald’s Game) is onboard to direct with Trevor Macy and John Berg producing. According to Variety, the plot details for Doctor Sleep are as follows:

[row]Doctor Sleep begins as Torrance carries the trauma of the Overlook Hotel into adulthood. He’s become a reflection of his murderous father, with lingering rage and a drinking problem that dulls the pain as well as his “shining” powers. Those powers return when he embraces sobriety and uses his gift to help the dying at a hospice. He establishes a psychic connection with a young girl who shares his extreme abilities, and who is being targeted by a group with similar abilities. They’ve found that their powers grow if they inhale the “steam” that comes off others with the power to shine when they are suffering painful deaths.”[/row]

We can’t wait to find out more details about this production in the coming weeks! Doctor Sleep is currently scheduled to hit theaters in 2020. In the meantime, Ewan McGregor can be seen next in the upcoming Disney film Christopher Robin where he plays the titular character.

What do you think about Ewan McGregor playing the adult version of Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep? Are you excited about this upcoming film? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!