‘Flatliners Resurrection’ Poised To Test Genre IP Frenzy With J.D. Barker Novel

Mike Fleming Jr
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Before you watch the Oz Perkins-directed crafty serial killer thriller Longlegs that won last weekend, you have to first go through a dizzying parade of derivative horror film trailers. Genre is hot again, especially titles with proven concepts.

Author J.D. Barker is using that opportunity to put the defibrillator paddles to the chilling 1990 horror film Flatliners. Barker’s been tapped to breathe new life into the franchise that began in 1990 with Joel Schumacher directing a bright young ensemble that included Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, Billy Baldwin and Oliver Platt.

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The original was released by Columbia, but Barker said that scribe Peter Filardi got back the rights to his original script, and the author swayed the scribe with a twist to the original tale that takes the reanimation tale down a different road than the original or a later remake. The novel is based on that script, not the movie, and Intellectual Property Group’s Joel Gotler will broker screen rights.

The original was a cleverly creepy concept: a group of five med students experiment by placing each other in near death experiences, giving them glimpses of the beyond, before they are abruptly revived. The results become more and more dangerous as they test the consequences of tampering with the boundaries between life and death.

“We’re thrilled to have J.D. Barker on board for this project,” said Filardi. “His ability to craft suspenseful, thought-provoking stories makes him the perfect choice to reinvigorate the ‘Flatliners’ franchise for a new generation.”

Barker, whose books include Dracul, The Fourth Monkey and Behind the Closed Door, plans to lean into the supernatural element more than Filardi did with the original.

“The concept of Flatliners has always fascinated me,” Barker said. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to explore these themes of mortality, consequences, and the unknown in a novel format. Fans can expect a story that honors the spirit of the original while pushing into new, uncharted territories. We’re going to scare the hell out of you.”

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