Doctor Sleep, the film based on Stephen King's book of the same name and which serves as a sequel to his 1977 novel, The Shining, wasn't the massive blockbuster Warner Bros. expected it to be back when it was released in 2019. However, director Mike Flanagan kept his faith in what King told him about the near-perfect adaptation: Time will be kind to this movie. According to Flanagan, King, the master of literary horror and one of his most important influences, was actually right.

Flanagan took to his X/Twitter account to highlight a list by The Hollywood Reporter, in which Doctor Sleep is mentioned as one of the best sequels of the last 20 years. The horror sequel is put alongside Hollywood behemoths Mad Max Fury Road, The Dark Knight, Logan, and John Wick: Chapter 4. Yes, Terrifier 2 is there as well. The social media post by Flanagan mentions Stephen King had predicted the film would find its deserved spot among notable sequels in a matter of time:

Flanagan also mentions Doctor Sleep is a film close to his heart. Also written by Flanagan, the film is a faithful adaptation of King's sequel to his horror classic, The Shining, in which Danny Torrance, Jack's surviving son, is now suffering from his own issues. He's an alcoholic who's still able to "shine" (the supernatural power that made Danny susceptible to the entities in the Overlook Hotel), but after a traumatic experience, Danny decides to rehab himself, and move on. Starting a new life, Danny is forced to fight a gang of soul-sucking vampires traveling across the country who want to get their hands on Abra, a young girl who's also able to shine and whose soul seems delicious. The film also forces Danny to come to the Overlook Hotel once again, the place where he once escaped from his violent father.

It's not a secret to anyone how divisive Stanley Kubrick's film of 1980 is, with King going on the record often to say it isn't a good adaptation. There's no denying the legacy of Kubrick's legendary horror film, so Flanagan decided to do something about it—with King's permission, of course. At first, King didn't like Flanagan's plans to show the Overlook Hotel (which did not feature in King's book due to the hotel being destroyed in his version of The Shining). However, when Flanagan presented a blueprint for a very important scene inside the hotel featuring a very important conversation that connects everything between the two stories, the author finally agreed. This change of heart resulted in one of the greatest movie sequels in recent history, and not just in horror.

Mike Flanagan is One of Modern Horror's Most Important Filmmakers

Flanagan's career speaks for itself. The horror director has made remarkable horror movies, both original and IP-based: Hush, Before I Wake, Ouija: Origin of Evil (another great sequel), Gerald's Game (another Stephen King masterpiece), and Doctor Sleep. But perhaps he's mostly known for his Netflix original miniseries:

• The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
• The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
• Midnight Mass (2021)
• The Midnight Club (2022)
• The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

His next film to be released is another Stephen King adaptation called The Life of Chuck, which a cast member has already called a "non-horror masterpiece." The film will be released in 2024 at the Toronto International Film Festival. But perhaps, Flanagan's most important future project is his reimagining of an Exorcist sequel. There's almost nothing confirmed about the new Exorcist film by Flanagan, except for the fact that it won't take place in the same timeline as Blumhouse's 2023 panned sequel by David Gordon Green, The Exorcist: Believer, and that Flanagan will make a "really scary film."

Doctor Sleep is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.