An elderly gay haunted by a young hunk? ‘Mister Yummy’ might be Stephen King’s gayest horror story

Look out Freddy Krueger, the Babadook, and M3GAN—there’s a new queer horror icon on the way, and his name? It’s Mister Yummy!

Deadline recently reported that production company Intrinsic Value Films is in the process of bringing an adaptation of Mister Yummy to the big screen, a short story penned by master of horror Stephen King.

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Originally published as part of the author’s 2015 shorts collection The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams, it’s described as a “haunting tale” about lust and mortality all centered around an elderly gay man.

Unfolding at the Lakeview Assisted Living Center, it follows the final days of Ollie Franklin as he recalls distant memories—and details possibly paranormal encounters—to his friend in the home, Dave Calhoun.

Specifically, Ollie regales Dave with stories of growing up gay in 1980s America amidst the AIDS crisis, a time when he had to say goodbye to many of his peers way too soon. He also has a vivid memory of one particular night out at an NYC dance club where he had a chance encounter with a handsome young man his friends dubbed “Mister Yummy,” who he never saw again. Until…

Decades later, Ollie believes he’s been seeing the stranger again around the home, just as attractive as he remembered, and each time he gets closer and closer. Though Dave chalks it up to his friend’s senility, Ollie’s convinced these visions are a vision of the Grim Reaper, heralding that his end is near.

Obviously, we’re not going to spoil any further, but it sure sounds fascinating no? An eerie, if not outright terrifying story with some real dramatic potential, one distinctly rooted in some of the very real horrors of queer history.

Not to mention, there’s room to cast a total dreamboat as Mister Yummy!

Though no names have been attached yet, Deadline notes that the script comes from emerging screenwriter Troy Blake, and that Intrinsic Value Films is now shopping the project around for potential buyers.

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A big moment for queer representation in Stephen King adaptations

The Mister Yummy news comes amid another big year for Stephen King adaptations, but particularly those with notable queer angles to them or with prominent LGBTQ+ cast members.

First up was the darkly comedic horror The Monkey from director Osgood Perkins (Longlegs), which starred The White Lotus‘s Theo James in dual twin roles, one of which was a very queer-coded character, albeit one that seemingly perpetuates some negative trans stereotypes. So, yeah, the less we say about that one the better.

But then there was this fall’s surprise hit The Long Walk from filmmaker Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games), a dystopian saga about a group of boys selected to walk in a televised endless marathon until only one of them remains. Among its stars is trans actor Jordan Gonzalez, whose character is never specifically identified as trans, but whose inclusion in the ensemble marks a win for inclusion.

Not to mention—and, sorry, some spoilers here—the whole film really revolves around the homosocial bond between walkers Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman ) & Pete McVries (David Jonsson), with the latter of the two casually alluding to his homosexuality in one unforgettable scene. (For the record, his queerness is made even more explicit in King’s original book).

Then most recently, there’s The Running Man from Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), an adaptation of King’s ’82 novel of the same name, which was previously made into a campy ’80s blockbuster with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Another dystopian adventure, it stars Glen Powell as a man who enters a reality show where he must survive being hunted fro 30 days in order to win a life-changing cash prize.

Aside from an action sequence featuring the hunky Powell in little more than a bath towel (and a cheeky flash of bare bum, to boot), the flick has plenty for the gays to be excited about thanks to its surprisingly stacked cast of LGBTQ+ all-stars including Colman Domingo as a garrulous TV host, Lee Pace as a lethal hunter, Katy O’Brian as a party-hearty fellow contestant, plus roles for Will & Grace legend Sean Hayes and out bi actor Simon Haines.

While some have fared better than others, it’s interesting that all of this year’s major Stephen King adaptations feature some shades of queerness, following in the footsteps of some of his most famous stories like It and Carrie.

Though King doesn’t identify as queer himself, a good number of his books make space for LGBTQ+ characters and narratives, which is perhaps part of why his work continues to resonate with so many: No matter how supernatural or far-flung the stories can get, they’re often grounded in the human experience, but they wouldn’t feel as authentic if he ignored the fact that queer people exist.

The Running Man is now playing in theaters everywhere. Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming Mister Yummy.

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