Rose Red (2002)

The American television miniseries Rose Red (2002) was released, written by renowned horror novelist Stephen King and directed by Craig R. Baxley. Originally intended as a feature film, King first presented the idea to Steven Spielberg in 1996, envisioning it as a modern take on Robert Wise’s classic The Haunting from 1963. However, after a 1999 feature film remake of The Haunting was released, King’s script underwent revisions and was transformed into a miniseries. Drawing inspiration from Shirley Jackson’s novel and the infamous Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, King incorporated various elements into his teleplay. To create an authentic setting for the series, the production team secured the Thornewood Estate in Lakewood after originally planning to film in Los Angeles. Principal photography took place in Seattle and Lakewood during fall of 2000 and concluded in mid-December. Post-production lasted approximately six months and included the implementation of various special effects into the final product.

Dr. Joyce Reardon, a nonconformist psychology professor at the university, heads a group of psychics to Rose Red – a large and old mansion in Seattle – with the goal of gathering evidence to support the existence of paranormal activity. The mansion is renowned for its supposed hauntings, as numerous individuals have mysteriously vanished or perished within its walls. Additionally, its interior has been observed to shift and expand, but solely from within. As Reardon’s team stirs up the malevolent spirit inhabiting the house, a series of fatalities occur and the harrowing truth about the mansion is revealed.