Benjamin Cavell and Jack Bender continue to bring Stephen King’s stories to life with MGM+’s adaptation of The Institute, which premiered in July 2023. Based on King’s 2019 novel, the series shifts some character ages and expands certain storylines to adapt the tense and eerie Maine tale for a broader television audience, while maintaining the essence of King’s original work. This Stephen King The Institute adaptation delves into the mysterious facility where gifted teenagers are held against their will, combining suspense with character-driven drama.
The story centers on Luke Ellis, a teenager with extraordinary telepathic abilities, who is trapped in the secretive institute run by the sinister Mrs. Sigsby. Simultaneously, Tim Jamieson, a former police officer haunted by personal tragedy, arrives in a nearby town and gradually uncovers the dark secrets of the institute. Through these intertwined narratives, the adaptation expands the scope of the novel’s mystery and emotional depth.
Adapting Characters to Protect Their Humanity
Cavell and Bender purposely tuned the adaptation to avoid making the story feel excessively cruel, especially since it centers on young characters under extreme oppression. One of their main alterations was aging many of the children from King’s novel into teenagers—except for Viggo Hanvelt’s character Avery—to make the harrowing circumstances more bearable for viewers.
The creators explained that teenagers
“are a little more able to navigate”
such grim experiences, emphasizing that audiences
“don’t want to see kids treated in this way or brutalized in this way.”
This shift also serves to give the story an emotional tone reminiscent of World War II escape films like The Great Escape, where audiences root for the vulnerable to outsmart their captors, hoping
“it’s going to be so great when they turn the tables.”
This change was motivated in part by the casting of Joe Freeman as Luke, who Bender called
“so undeniable as our central character”
that it made sense to adjust other characters’ ages to suit the ensemble. Bender reflected on the casting process with admiration, noting,
“I think casting is kismet, and staring with Joe, and Ben Barnes, and Mary-Louise Parker, oh my God, they’re all so brilliant. And yet, you ride the wave and see what presents itself.”
Aligning with this philosophy, Bender recalled his time on Lost, where he learned that although being stranded or trapped is dire,
“nobody wants to be in a plane crash and marooned on an island,”
but if forced into such a scenario,
“you’d want to be marooned on this island with these people.”
This sentiment guided the casting and dynamic of The Institute, ensuring viewers feel
“you’d want to be in this place with this group”
despite the terrifying environment of being
“kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken to this terrible place.”
Expanding Tim Jamieson’s Role Adds Depth and Builds Tension
Another significant change from King’s novel is the expanded presence of Tim Jamieson, portrayed by Ben Barnes. While Tim’s role is limited to the book’s beginning and end, the show elevates his involvement consistently across episodes, weaving his journey throughout the unfolding mystery.
Cavell described this as
“one of the biggest challenges”
of adapting the story. Since Tim is initially unaware of The Institute in the novel—living miles away and only connecting to Luke later—adding an extensive plot for him required careful narrative crafting. Cavell noted the necessity to develop Tim’s story
“without him stepping on the fact that was always important”
to the original story: that the children ultimately must save themselves. He emphasized,
“There’s not an action hero riding to the rescue as he sort of hears, ‘Oh, kids are being mistreated,’ and now he’s going to go in and take them out of this situation.”
Bender praised Cavell and the writing team for enriching Tim’s character by exploring his personal struggles. Portrayed as a
suffering a loss as a cop
and overall wounded individual, Tim is shown
“taking a step off the merry-go-round of life”
, needing “time” to process his grief while gradually realizing
“Fate has put me into this little town.”
Tim’s work as a nightknocker and his relationship with Mary Walsh’s Annie create subplots that
“bang against the plot of the show”
, building tension and deepening viewers’ investment in the mystery surrounding The Institute.
Capturing King’s Inner Character Thoughts Was a Key Screenwriting Challenge
One of the complexities Bender and Cavell faced was translating Stephen King’s extensive use of inner monologues into a visual narrative. King’s novels often delve deeply into characters’ thoughts, which can be difficult to portray onscreen without resorting to awkward voice-overs. Bender explained how this internal focus is usually
“the cheap thing you throw out immediately”
in adaptations and joked that it is “the worst” obstacle creatively.
He emphasized,
“And you think of that one moment, and you say, ‘There, but for the grace of God, we’re not doing that.’ And yet, adapting it into a very cinematic and a dramatic piece, it takes a lot of brilliant writing to not lose all of that inner life that Stephen has on the page.”
This challenge required the team to find inventive techniques that keep the emotional depth alive without losing the story’s momentum or cinematic quality.
Why Stephen King’s Stories Endure as Cultural Touchstones
With a history of successful collaborations on King adaptations like The Stand and Mr. Mercedes, Cavell and Bender expressed admiration for King’s unique ability to remain relatable and relevant to audiences. Bender highlighted King as
“one of [humanity’s] great story writers,”
praising the author’s skill in weaving narratives within
“a world that’s filled with fear”
while making sure
“he relates it to real human characters.”
This creates stories that resonate strongly with both viewers and readers.
He further noted,
“In fact, Bennett said, and we shared the fact, that we always loved Stephen King’s work the most when he’s writing about monsters inside the people, not just monsters outside the people,”
reflecting on how this humanization of horror connects audiences deeply with King’s stories.
Cavell echoed these sentiments, calling King a masterful storyteller who works
“across genres in a way that almost nobody can do.”
He cited the author’s versatility by referencing works like The Body (adapted into Stand by Me), Salem’s Lot, and IT, emphasizing King’s stunning ability to create compelling characters and relationships. Cavell remarked,
“That just sort of pulls you along through 1200 pages of The Stand, or of a lot of things that he’s written. [Chuckles] But yeah, no, I am with you. He’s a master.”
Release Details and Main Cast Highlights
The first two episodes of The Institute premiered on MGM+ on July 13, 2023, with new episodes releasing weekly on Sundays. The cast includes Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis, Ben Barnes as Tim Jamieson, and Mary-Louise Parker as the ruthless Mrs. Sigsby, each contributing to the series’ tense and emotional atmosphere.
The series continues the creative legacies of showrunner Benjamin Cavell and director Jack Bender, who bring their extensive experience with King adaptations to this latest dark and suspenseful narrative. Through thoughtful adjustments and respectful handling of sensitive material, the show aims to engage audiences while honoring the spirit of Stephen King’s novel.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How high is Stephen King’s IQ?
A. Stephen King is a well-known American writer famous for horror, supernatural stories, and suspenseful tales. King’s IQ is about 130. His skill in creating gripping and thrilling stories has gained him many fans and positive reviews.
