Mike Flanagan is returning to the world of Stephen King with a new feature adaptation of The Mist, but fans expecting a remake of Frank Darabont’s beloved 2007 film should reset their expectations.

The filmmaker has made it clear that his version is charting its own path.

Responding to fan questions on BlueSky, Flanagan reassured audiences that the project wouldn’t exist without a compelling creative reason. “The Mist is going to be great. If there wasn’t an excellent answer to why, I wouldn’t do it,” he wrote.

He was even more direct in a follow-up post, emphasizing his admiration for Darabont’s film while confirming his new approach: “I love Darabont’s film, and there’s zero point in remaking it. Which is why I’m going in a different direction.”

Flanagan doubled down on that promise, adding, “This isn’t a retread. The differences start page 1.”

The director also noted that skepticism tends to follow many of his projects. “FWIW, I got the same ‘but why’ comments for Haunting of Hill House, Bly Manor, House of Usher, Carrie, The Exorcist, even Ouija: Origin of Evil,” Flanagan wrote. “Also got it for Life of Chuck. I’ve been lucky so far in my career to only take on projects I’m really excited about.”

Flanagan will write and direct the new film based on Stephen King’s novella, originally published in the 1980 anthology Dark Forces before later appearing in King’s 1985 collection Skeleton Crew, which also includes “The Raft,” “Survivor Type,” and “The Monkey.”

The story follows a small Maine town engulfed by a mysterious, creature-filled fog. As survivors barricade themselves inside a grocery store, paranoia and mob mentality begin to spiral, turning the human threat inside into something just as dangerous as the monsters lurking in the mist.

Flanagan’s The Mist joins a growing wave of Stephen King adaptations currently in development, including Flanagan’s own “Carrie” series for Prime Video and a television adaptation of King’s novel Fairy Tale.