The canceled anthology sequel Tales From The Darkside 2 almost brought one of Creepshow.
The series was an uneven horror anthology that featured its share of duds, but also included a lot of terrifying tales, such as season 4’s infamous “Cutty Black Sow." The Tales From The Darkside movie, meanwhile, was a modest box office hit that brought the writer and director of Creepshow Stephen King and George A Romero back for another anthology horror. The Tales From The Darkside movie featured three segments co-written by Michael McDowell and Romero, with the latter adapting King's short story "Cat From Hell.” The movie also featured a great cast, including Julianne Moore, Christian Slater and Steve Buscemi, who all co-star in the first segment "Lot 249."
Romero’s "Cat From Hell" was outshone by the superb closing story “Lover’s Vow,” but he almost got his revenge when a sequel was planned and he looked to adapt another of King’s stories. Tales From The Darkside 2 was set to feature adaptations of Psycho author Robert Bloch's "Almost Human," King's “Pinfall” - a discarded segment originally set for Creepshow 2 - and "Rainy Season." The latter is considered one of the author's best short tales and sees a couple taking a vacation who find themselves besieged by murderous toads with sharp teeth when it starts raining; the trip doesn't end well.
Despite the surreal premise, this Stephen King short story remains one of his most popular shorts among longtime readers. Referencing Shirley Jackson’s "The Lottery", the strange tale spelled the end of a bout of writer’s block suffered by the author, and its creepy imagery could have translated perfectly to a big-screen adaptation in the right hands. Alas, Tales From The Darkside 2 never came to fruition despite the first film’s success.
However, thanks to Shudder’s recent Creepshow revival, all hope is not lost for horror fans who hope to see more of King’s short-form stories onscreen. The acclaimed series recently adapted the previously-unadapted "Survivor Type" into a gory animated Halloween special, so only time will tell whether the creators ever attempt to take on "Rainy Season," following Tales From The Darkside 2's thwarted attempt to film Stephen King's story.
