Mike Flanagan hid a Dark Tower Easter egg in Carrie — and it hints at what he wants to make next
Mike Flanagan confirms the Carrie TV show hides an Easter egg for another of the horror writer’s works — which specific one you’ll want to uncover.
Right, Mike Flanagan's done it again with his latest Stephen King adaptation – this time, it's Carrie for Prime Video. But if you thought he was just dishing up the telekinetic classic and calling it a day, think again. Turns out Flanagan's slipped in a little nod to another King universe heavyweight: The Dark Tower.
Dark Tower fans are going to love the signage at the place where Ralph White works.
That's Flanagan himself tipping us off about an Easter egg in the show. In this version of Carrie, her dad works at a place called LaMerk Industries. Now, if you're deep enough into King's multiverse lore, LaMerk should raise an eyebrow – it's actually an ally of the Crimson King, who's the top villain in The Dark Tower saga. So, not just a throwaway reference, but a genuine bit of connective tissue for fans who live for those world-building touches.
Flanagan Wants the Tower
And if you think Flanagan's just having a bit of meta fun, he's not shy about what he'd really like to do next. Basically, he'd love a proper crack at adapting The Dark Tower into a full-blown TV epic. If you're already groaning at the memory of the 2017 film (shout out to Idris Elba doing his best, but that one... not great), you're not alone. Flanagan's aware of the mess, and reckons TV is the way forward. He describes The Dark Tower series as his favourite thing Stephen King has ever written, and reckons the last attempt barely scratched the surface.
Getting the green light on Dark Tower is a much longer and more involved process than anything else I’ve ever approached in my life.
He's got the whole thing mapped out: five series, then two feature-length films to round it off. And if you're worried he might go all "prestige TV" on us and overcook it, his plan's reassuringly straightforward – adapt the books, in order, and don't dump viewers straight into the deep end of Mid-World without a paddle. According to Flanagan, a big problem with previous versions is they try to start in the middle or skip around, which just leaves everyone baffled. Frankly, he's got a point.
- Flanagan hid a Dark Tower reference in his new Carrie series, via LaMerk Industries.
- LaMerk is tied to the Crimson King, connecting the show to King's wider tapestry.
- His dream is to adapt The Dark Tower for TV, properly, over five seasons and two films.
- He's keen to do the books in the right order, rather than starting in the middle.
- Apparently, getting a studio to sign off on all this is proving far trickier than his past King projects.