By Ray Kelly
Masslive.com
June 22, 2017
Orange will be the setting of a new Hulu series, based on the writings of horror master Stephen King.
J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television will shoot scenes for the 10-episode streaming series “Castle Rock” in the eastern Franklin County town between July 30 and January 2018.
But before the 20 tractor trailers and crew of 250 begin filming, producers will appear before the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday night to discuss both the financial benefits and the impact on everyday life, said Kevin Kennedy, director of community development and planning for Orange.
“The reaction I have been hearing is very positive,” Kennedy said on Thursday. “I have not heard anyone balking about them coming in and using Orange as their set.”
In addition to location shooting in Orange, studio work on “Castle Rock” will be filmed at New England Studios in Devens.
With King having book sales of 350 million copies, Kennedy said it is a safe bet that the Hulu series could develop a following.
“This is huge. If things go well, it could go one for five or six seasons with them returning every July,” Kennedy said. “Of course, it’s Stephen King, so the stories will not be the happiest of subjects.”
Hulu has billed “Castle Rock” as a “first-of-its-kind reimagining that explores the themes and worlds uniting the entire King canon, while brushing up against some of his most iconic and beloved stories.”
Producers were looking for a New England town that captured the feel of King’s Castle Rock, Maine.
Castle Rock was first mentioned in King’s 1979 novel “The Dead Zone.” It has been the setting or referenced in more than two dozen other works, including “Cujo,” “It” and “Needful Things.”
Casting on “Castle Rock” is underway.
Andre Holland (“Moonlight”) has been signed to play Henry, a death row attorney with a unique and complicated history in Castle Rock.