Carrie (franchise) explained

Carrie
Creator:Stephen King
Origin:Carrie (1974)
Owner:Amazon MGM Studios
Years:1974–present
Novels:Carrie (1974)
Musicals:
Films:
Tv Specials:Riverdale: A Night to Remember (2018)

Carrie is an American horror media franchise, based on the 1974 novel of the same name by author Stephen King. The series consists of four films, a Broadway musical and a television special.

Novel

See main article: Carrie (novel). In the novel, which was King’s first work, a slightly overweight, shy, and usually bullied girl named Carietta "Carrie" Nadine White is being raised by Margaret, an unstable religious fanatic who thinks almost everything could be sinful. The book describes an odd incident of her exhibiting signs of telekinesis as a child, before focusing on her as a teen in high school; when she gets her first period in the shower, she panics as Margaret never taught her to prepare for having a period. Popular girls Christine "Chris" Hargensen and Susan "Sue" Snell ringlead the other girls to chant "period" and taunt Carrie. A few of the girls even throw tampons, further confusing Carrie, who believes she is dying. The gym teacher, Rita Desjardin, punishes the girls with a week of detention and suspends Chris when she refuses to comply. Desjardin also sends Carrie home with Margaret, believing Carrie should confront her mother about never being taught about a period. Margaret locks Carrie in the "praying closet," as Margaret believes that periods are a symbol of a sexual sin on Carrie's part. However, she lets Carrie out much earlier than she does normally, and Carrie believes it is because her mother knows that Carrie has become aware of her own powers.

Meanwhile, Chris is furious at her suspension and decides to take revenge on Carrie. Sue, however, feels bad about her part in the incident and wants to apologize, but is too nervous to do so. She tells her boyfriend Thomas "Tommy" Ross to ask Carrie to prom, noting that Carrie has a crush on him “like half the girls in the school.” Carrie originally thinks that the invitation was a means of tricking her, but Tommy pleads, and Carrie realizes that his invitation is genuine and accepts. She then sews herself a beautiful white dress to wear to the prom. Meanwhile, Chris and her boyfriend Billy Nolan collect pigs’ blood in a bucket and hang it over the auditorium stage. Chris employs her friend Tina Blake to make fake Prom Queen ballots with Carrie’s name on them so that she will be called onstage, where the blood will dump on Carrie and humiliate her. On prom night, Margaret initially forbids Carrie to attend prom, claiming that Tommy and the others will laugh at her, but Carrie is tired of her mother controlling her life and uses her powers to shove her mother into the "praying closet." At prom, the blood is dumped on Carrie, but in the process the bucket falls and hits Tommy on the head, killing him.

Carrie at first flees in sadness, but is soon overtaken by rage and locks the gymnasium doors with her powers and sets the room on fire. She continues to wreak havoc on the scene, killing multiple students and teachers. Leaving a path of destruction in her wake, Carrie returns home, where Margaret tells Carrie that she was conceived in a bizarre instance of marital rape. Margaret then comes to the conclusion that Carrie's powers come from Satan and stabs her with a knife. Carrie telekinetically stops Margaret's heart in an attempt to save herself, but is immediately regretful of this and of all she has done. Carrie attempts to flee, but she is bleeding so heavily from the stab wound that she can barely walk. Sue finds Carrie, and after a brief telepathic conversation, Carrie forgives Sue. Soon after, Carrie dies crying out to her mother.

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
Director(s) Screenwriter(s)Producer(s)
CarrieBrian De PalmaLawrence D. CohenPaul Monash
Katt SheaRafael Moreu
CarrieBryan FullerDavid Carson & Stephen Geaghan
CarrieLawrence D. Cohen & Roberto Aguirre-SacasaKevin Misher

Carrie (1976)

See main article: Carrie (1976 film).

The Rage: Carrie 2

See main article: The Rage: Carrie 2.

Carrie (2002)

See main article: Carrie (2002 film).

Carrie (2013)

See main article: Carrie (2013 film).

Television

Special

A television special of The CW series Riverdale, based on , from the series second season episode titled "". The series' cast portrayed the characters from the musical, also with their respective characters of Archie Comics from the series.[1] "A Night to Remember" also made references to the 1976 film.[2]

Miniseries

In December 2019, Collider reported that a new adaptation, a miniseries, is in development at FX and MGM Television.[3]

Cancelled projects

A television series which served as a follow-up to the 2002 film was in development, only to be cancelled by NBC due to the 2002 film's low ratings.

Cast and characters

CharactersFilmsStageTelevision special
Carrie
Carrie 2
CarrieCarrieBroadwayOff-Broadway Revival
A Night to Remember
The Cast
Carietta "Carrie" WhiteSissy SpacekAngela Bettis
Chloë Grace Moretz
Linzi HateleyMolly RansonMadelaine Petsch

Emilija Baranac
Margaret WhitePiper LauriePatricia ClarksonJulianne MooreBetty BuckleyMarin MazzieMädchen Amick
Susan "Sue" SnellAmy IrvingKandyse McClureGabriella WildeSally Ann TriplettChristy AltomareLili Reinhart
Rita DesjardinBetty Buckley
 Rena Sofer
Judy GreerDarlene Love
Carmen Cusack
Ashleigh Murray
Tommy RossWilliam KattTobias MehlerAnsel ElgortPaul GyngellDerek KlenaKJ Apa
Chris HargensenNancy AllenEmilie de RavinPortia DoubledayCharlotte d'AmboiseJeanna de WaalCamila Mendes
Billy NolanJohn Travolta Jesse CadotteAlex RussellGene Anthony RayBen ThompsonJordan Calloway
Norma WatsonP. J. SolesMeghan Black Vanessa Morgan
Helen ShyresEdie McClurg Chelan SimmonsShannon Purser
Rachel Lang Emily Bergl
 
Barbara Lang 
Jesse Ryan  
Mark Bing  
Eric Stark  
Monica Jones Rachel Blanchard 
Tracy Campbell Charlotte Ayanna 
Brad Winters Justin Urich  
Supporting characters
Principal MortonStefan GieraschLaurie Murdoch Barry Shabaka Henley 
Eleanor Snell Priscilla PointerCynthia Preston 
Mr. Fromm Sydney Lassick 
Freddy DeLoisMichael Talbott   
GeorgeHarry Gold   Demetrius Joyette 
Frank Geen / Freddy Holt
Doug Cox Connor Price Cole Sprouse
Cora WilsonCindy Daly  
Rhonda WilsonDeirdre Berthrong 
Frieda JasonNoelle North   
Kenny Garson Rory Stevens  Miles Meadows Kyle Mac 
Tommy ErbterCameron De Palma
 Andrew RobbTyler Rushton 
Lisa Parker Mena Suvari 
Chuck Potter Eli Craig 
Arnold Eddie Kaye Thomas 
Boyd  
Emilyn Kate Skinner  
Ralph White 
Jackie Talbot  Malcolm ScottMax Topplin 
Tina Blake Katharine IsabelleZoë Belkin 
John Hargensen Michael KopsaHart Bochner 
Detective John Mulcahey David Keith 
Nicki Watson Karissa Strain 
Lizzy Watson Katie Strain 
Heather  Samantha Weinstein 
Erika Mouna Traoré 
Mr. Ulmann   Jefferson Brown 
Mr. Stephens Wayne Alan Wilcox 
Stokes  
 Casey Cott
Fred Andrews 
 Nathalie Boltt
Hiram Lodge 
Hal Cooper Lochlyn Munro

Additional crew and production details

RoleFilmsTelevision special
CarrieCarrieCarrieRiverdale: A Night to Remember
Composer(s)Pino DonaggioDanny B. HarveyLaura KarpmanMarco BeltramiBlake Neely
Sherri Chung
CinematographyMario TosiDonald M. MorganVictor Goss Steve YedlinBrendan Uegama
Editor(s)Paul HirschJeremy PresnerLee PercyGaston Jaren Lopez
Production companiesRed Bank FilmsUnited Artists
Red Bank Films
MGM Television
MGM Home Entertainment
Trilogy Entertainment Group
Misher Films
Screen Gems
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Archie Comics
Berlanti Productions
CBS Television Studios
Warner Bros. Television
DistributorUnited ArtistsMetro-Goldwyn-MayerNBCSony Pictures ReleasingThe CW
Running time98 min105 min132 min99 min42 min

Reception

Box office performance

FilmRelease dateBox office grossBudget
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwide
CarrieNovember 3, 1976$33,800,000 $33,800,000 $1.8 million[4]
March 12, 1999$17,762,705 $17,762,705 $21 million[5]
CarrieOctober 18, 2013$35,266,619 $49,524,059 $84,790,678$30 million[6]
Total$86,829,324$49,524,059 $136,353,383$52.8 million

Critical and public response

TitleRotten TomatoesMetacriticCinemaScore
Film series
Carrie93% (67 reviews)[7] 85 (14 reviews)[8]
19% (36 reviews)[9] 42 (21 reviews)[10] C+[11]
Carrie20% (10 reviews)[12]
Carrie50% (183 reviews)[13] 53 (34 reviews)[14] B−
TitleRotten TomatoesMetacriticCinemaScore
Television special
Riverdale: A Night to Remember100% (14 reviews)[15]

Music

Musical

In 1988, a Broadway adaptation of Carrie was produced to scathing reviews. It closed after 16 previews and 5 performances. An Off-Broadway revival began previews on January 1, 2012 and officially opened on March 1, 2012. It closed on April 8 of the same year.[16]

Soundtracks

TitleU.S. release dateLengthPerformed byLabel
Carrie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack197636:02 Pino DonaggioUnited Artists Records
The Rage: Carrie 2 - Music from and Inspired by United Artists Motion PictureMarch 23, 199955:14 Various artistsEdel Records
Carrie: Music from the NBC Movie Event2002
Carrie: The Musical (Premiere Cast Recording)September 25, 20121:10:29Ghostlight Records
Carrie: Music from the Motion PictureOctober 11, 201350:27 Columbia Records
Carrie: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackOctober 15, 201348:57Marco BeltramiSony Classical
Riverdale: Special Episode - Carrie: The Musical (Original Television Soundtrack)April 19, 201826:38Riverdale CastWaterTower Music

Notes and References

  1. The Riverdale cast will sing in an adaptation of Carrie: The Musical. Stack. Tim. Entertainment Weekly. January 24, 2018. April 20, 2018.
  2. Web site: 13 Side-By-Side Pictures Of The "Riverdale" Musical Episode Vs. The Original "Carrie" Movie. Dominick. Nora. BuzzFeed. April 20, 2018. April 20, 2018.
  3. Web site: Exclusive: FX Developing Limited Series Based on Stephen King's 'Carrie'. Collider. Sneider. Jeff. December 20, 2019. December 20, 2019.
  4. Web site: Carrie (1976). Box Office Mojo. December 28, 2019.
  5. Web site: The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999). Box Office Mojo. December 28, 2019.
  6. Web site: Carrie (2013). Box Office Mojo. December 28, 2019.
  7. Web site: Carrie (1976). Rotten Tomatoes. November 3, 1976 . Fandango. October 7, 2020.
  8. Web site: Carrie (1976) Reviews. Metacritic. December 28, 2019.
  9. Web site: The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999). Rotten Tomatoes. July 17, 2001 . Fandango. October 7, 2020.
  10. Web site: The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) Reviews. Metacritic. December 28, 2019.
  11. Web site: Cinemascore. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/. 2018-12-20 . 2019-12-28.
  12. Web site: Carrie (2002). Rotten Tomatoes. August 12, 2003 . Fandango. May 14, 2020.
  13. Web site: Carrie (2013). Rotten Tomatoes. October 18, 2013 . Fandango Media. October 7, 2020.
  14. Web site: Carrie (2013) Reviews. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. December 28, 2019.
  15. Web site: Riverdale – Chapter Thirty-One: A Night to Remember. Rotten Tomatoes. April 20, 2018.
  16. Web site: Hetrick . Adam . Carrie Dies Sooner Than Expected; Revival to Close April 8 Off-Broadway . . June 9, 2023.