Almost two decades after the 2007 movie adaptation brought Stephen King's 1999 supernatural novel 1408 to life, a sequel is in the works.
As reported by Variety, the sequel is being led by original director Mikael Håfström, with stars Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack set to return, though the pair are still negotiating the terms. The upcoming movie has already added two new faces too: Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood and Stranger Things actor Natalia Dyer.
Based on King's short story of the same name, the movie follows Cusack as a cynical author named Mike Enslin who investigates haunted places. However, Enslin begins to become a believer when he receives a tip about a haunted room at the New York City hotel The Dolphin. Against the advice of hotel manager Gerald Olin, Enslin checks in for the night in room 1408, and the skeptic experiences bizarre events that he cannot explain away this time.
Cusack and Jackson will return as Enslin and Olin, respectively. But the pair won't be leading the sequel. Variety reports that the writer and concierge duo will be secondary characters, with Dyer set to star in the movie. Details about the new characters remain under wraps, but Wood is also expected to play a supporting role.
Cusack's return isn't too surprising, as in 2025, the actor told People that though he has never had "the desire" to make a sequel, the only movie he would return to is 1408. "Just because… I think today, you know, most movies suck," said Cusack.
No plot details have been shared at this time. However, the original movie actually has four endings, two where Mike dies, and two where he reunites with his wife Lily. Due to Cusack returning, we assume that the sequel will be picking up after one of the endings where Mike is still alive. But there is the possibility that Cusack could be returning as a ghost haunting the hotel, just as the writer met many past victims in his hotel room that night. As for Dyer's character, Mike did have a daughter, but she died years before the events of the movie.
Find out where 1408 places on our list of the best Stephen King adaptations, and keep up with all of the other upcoming Stephen King movies and shows on the way.
