Hulu‘s upcoming anthology series Castle Rock, produced by J.J. Abrams and set in Stephen King‘s shared universe, was already one of our most anticipated new shows of 2018, especially after we saw its first great teaser from New York Comic Con. But our excitement for the show has only grown now that it’s clear the streaming site thinks they have a potential hit on their hands. Hulu will be officially premiering an ad for the show during the most prestigious commercial spot of the year, the Super Bowl… but you don’t have to wait until this Sunday to see it, because you can watch it right here, right now.
The show, which is set in the same city as many of King’s stories, including his novels The Dead Zone, Cujo, and Needful Things, is described as “a first-of-its-kind re-imagining that explores the themes and worlds uniting the entire King canon, while brushing up against some of his most iconic and beloved stories.” Notably, not all of the King references will come from his horror stories; Shawshank Penitentiary is one of the more familiar nods included in this unsettling promo, for instance.
The series, which premieres this summer, stars André Holland (Moonlight, American Horror Story) as a man who returns home to Castle Rock after a mysterious call. Also on board are Melanie Lynskey, Jane Levy, and Scott Glenn, plus Stephen King movie vets Sissy Spacek (of Carrie fame) and Bill Skarsgård (a.k.a. Pennywise from It).
Truthfully, we didn’t need a Super Bowl commercial to be excited about the show, but it’ll be fun on Sunday to see the reactions from our friends who didn’t already know about the show.
What King story references did you spot in the ad? Share them with us in the comments below.
Images: HULU
More on Stephen King!
- The developing sequel to The Shining has found a director
- A Pet Sematary remake is on the way
- A guide to Stephen King’s Lovecraftian gods
