Beyond Fest premiers first episodes of upcoming Carrie series
Beyond Fest hosted the West Coast premiere of the first two episodes of Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming series,”Carrie,” followed by a lively Q&A with director Mike Flanagan and Samantha Sloyan, who portrays Carrie’s mother, Margaret White.
Stephen King’s “Carrie” has been adapted for both film and television several times, with varying results, with Brian De Palma’s 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek remaining the best-known and arguably most beloved adaptation. Now, Flanagan is bringing his own interpretation of King’s groundbreaking novel to the screen, exploring what Carrie’s story might look like in today’s increasingly digital world.
Flanagan, known for acclaimed series including “The Haunting of Hill House,” “Midnight Mass,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” approached “Carrie” from a deeply personal perspective. As a father watching his son prepare to enter high school, he became interested in the challenges and pressures teenagers face today. The high school experience of the 1970s, when King’s novel was written, is vastly different from the one teenagers navigate now.
Finding the right actress to portray Carrie White was no small task. Flanagan auditioned more than 1,200 actresses before casting Summer H. Howell. Howell brings a fresh interpretation to the iconic character, creating a Carrie that invites audiences to empathize with her experiences and understand her struggles.
Samantha Sloyan likewise offers a new perspective on Margaret White and the complicated mother-daughter relationship at the heart of the story. During the Q&A, Sloyan discussed the value of working with Howell through an organized rehearsal process—something relatively uncommon on film and television sets—which helped establish the foundation for their dynamic.
The first two episodes screened at Beyond Fest offer an exciting glimpse at what Flanagan has planned. If they are any indication of what’s to come, the remaining six episodes could give audiences plenty to discuss for years to come.
Carrie premieres on Amazon Prime Video Oct. 7, 2026.
