Darren Aronofsky Negotiating for Adaptation of King’s Canine Thriller “Cujo” for Netflix

by Annika March 18, 2025

Darren Aronofsky, the visionary mind behind Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan, is said to be in negotiations for Netflix’s adaptation of Stephen King’s chilling tale, Cujo. Having his sights set on the 1981 novel about a seemingly innocent St. Bernard turned killer dog marks a departure from Aronofsky’s critically acclaimed arthouse films and a clear dive into horror.

Darren Aronofsky Negotiating for Adaptation of King’s Canine Thriller “Cujo” for Netflix

– Acclaimed filmmaker Darren Aronofsky is in negotiations to direct Netflix’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Cujo, which was recently revealed as a project in development.
– The original novel and 1983 film adaptation revolves around a mother and her son trapped in a car by a rabid St. Bernard dog, a scenario that has become a part of pop culture references.
– Known mostly for his arthouse films that have earned Oscar nominations and wins, Aronofsky has previously shown interest in horror and psychological thrillers with films such as Black Swan and Mother!.

The details regarding this feature project only surfaced just last week. Nevertheless, it is clearly either farther along than anticipated, or rapidly accelerating. Producer of the film will be Roy Lee, with a reputation for his previous efforts with King adaptations including two It movies, Salem’s Lot, and the upcoming dystopian nail-biter, The Long Walk. A writer for the project is not yet identified, however, it is anticipated that Aronofsky will sit down with prospective scribes shortly.

In the 1981 King novel, readers are introduced to Cujo, a loveable St. Bernard who shifts into a rabid killer after being bitten by a bat. The focal point of the story, a mother and her son afflicted by seizures, are trapped in a dilapidated vehicle located just outside a repair shop. This was also the main theme in the 1983 adaptation helmed by Lewis Teague.

Both iterations, novel and film, became embedded into pop culture, making the term ‘Cujo’ a reference for any berserk canines.

Aronofsky is perceived by many as an art-house film director, as his films have been recipients of Oscar nominations and wins, among other prestigious recognitions. However, he has also shown a distinctive inclination toward the horror genre, more specifically psychological horror. His ventures into this genre include the critically acclaimed Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, and Mother!, led by Jennifer Lawrence. Aronofsky even had a closed-ended collaboration around the adaptation of Batman: Year One during the early 2000s that did not see the light of day.

Aronofsky recently wrapped up post-production on his latest venture, Caught Stealing, a crime drama starring Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz, set to be released by Sony on August 29. His last directorial work was on the 2022 drama, The Whale, which manifested into an Oscar for best actor for Brendan Fraser.