Is The Life of Chuck based on a book? Here's everything we know about the sci-fi movie

The Life of Chuck is an upcoming film written and directed by Mike Flanagan, best known for his work in the horror genre. This science fiction drama had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. It is slated to be released on June 6, 2025.

Here's the official synopsis:

Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.

People might be wondering if the film is based on a book. The answer is, yes, it is based on a Stephen King namesake novella.

Is The Life of Chuck based on a book?

The Life of Chuck is an adaptation of Stephen King's namesake novella that came out in 2020. The original novella was published in King's collection of stories called If It Bleeds, which consisted of four novellas that were previously unreleased. The book was published by Scribner and was released on April 21, 2020.

When is The Life of Chuck releasing?

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The film was first shown to the public at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival. Following its world premiere, the film is slated for a theatrical release on June 6, 2025. Mike Flanagan has written and directed the film; he is also its co-producer along with Trevor Macy.

Who is starring in The Life of Chuck?

The Life of Chuck has English actor Tom Hiddleston playing the titular Charles Krantz, aka Chuck. Here's a list of other actors and the characters they play.

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Marty Anderson
Annalise Basso as Janice Halliday
Karen Gillan as Felicia Gordon
Samantha Sloyan as Miss Rohrbacher
Mark Hamill as Albie Krantz
Carl Lumbly as Sam Yarbrough
Mia Sara as Sarah Krantz
Q'orianka Kilcher as Ginny Krantz
Matthew Lillard as Gus
Heather Langenkamp as Vera
Kate Siegel as Miss Richards
Nick Offerman as the Narrator
David Dastmalchian as a grieving father
Rahul Kohli as Bri
Molly C. Quinn as the mother of Chuck

What is the plot of The Life of Chuck?

The Life of Chuck is a story that has been told in reverse. It begins with Chuck's death, portrayed against the backdrop of a world that's literally falling apart—a metaphor for his departure. In the second act, we witness Chuck in his midlife, dancing joyfully on a rooftop, embracing the simple pleasures of life even in the face of mortality. The final act (which chronologically is the beginning of his life) takes us to Chuck’s childhood, revealing his early years after being orphaned and raised by his grandparents, and the early signs of the brain tumor that would eventually take his life.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Mike Flanagan was asked what appeals to him about Stephen King's work that he keeps adapting. He said,

"I couldn’t watch horror movies as a kid. They scared me too much. To try to hang out with my peers, I thought I could read scary books to get braver. Stephen King was one of the first authors that I encountered, and I learned the hard way that it’s much scarier on the page. And, yes, the clowns and monsters are terrifying. But it only works because of his incredible humanistic care for the characters. He’s always been my hero as a writer."

Are you excited about the film?