Cell phones are more than ubiquitous these days. To some, they're a constant companion (you might well be reading this on one right now). But what if there was something terrible lurking in the signal, that has unforeseen consequences? That's the subject of Stephen King's 2006 novel Cell and, via that, the film adaptation, which stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. The trailer can be seen below.
The story here finds Cusack as Clay Riddell, in the midst of travelling at Boston airport and trying to get back to his family when a signal sent to cell phones turns hundreds of users into rabid killers. Seemingly immune from its effects, Clay must struggle to survive and teams up with Tom McCourt (Jackson) in a desperate quest to return to his estranged wife and boy. Along the way, they meet Alice Maxwell (Isabelle Fuhrman) and discover some terrifying new information about those affected – they seem to be turning into a new form of humanity and band together to react to anyone who still has their faculties...
It's Cusack and Jackson once more in King's horror world after 1408, and this one has been in development since shortly after the book hit shelves, with Eli Roth planning to make the film before eventually leaving to work on other things. Director Tod Williams took up the challenge, working from a script by King himself and Adam Alleca and shooting occurred in 2014. It's sat on the shelf since then, but will be available in the US via VOD in June. There's no sign of a UK release yet, and even a planned screening at Film4 FrightFrest Glasgow was cancelled, so we have no idea when or if it might make it across the pond.