Following a violent thunderstorm, an artist and a small town community come under vicious attack from creatures prowling in a thick and mysterious mist. A film by Frank Darabont, starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, Alexa Davalos, Nathan Gamble, Chris Owen, Sam Witwer, Robert Treveiler, and David Jensen.

THE MIST

Frank Darabont
(2007 / 2023)
★★★★☆

Commercial artist David Drayton’s home is battered by an unexpected violent storm. The next morning, David (Thomas Jane) and his wife Steff (Kelly Collins Lintz) notice an eerie shroud of mist over the lake. But he is more worried about the damage and cleaning the mess after the storm.

David drives his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) and his neighbor Brent (Andre Braugher) to town to get some supplies. Surprisingly, the local grocery store is bustling with townspeople, all stocking up on food and supplies in anticipation of another storm.

An old man bursts into the grocery store with a bloodied nose, his eyes wide with terror. He frantically warns everyone of a dangerous presence in the mist, claiming it devoured his friend. One skeptic disregards his warnings and rushes out, only to vanish with a horrified scream. The realization that something malevolent lurks beyond the mist grips the townspeople, their fear palpable.

As the fear of the unknown spreads faster than anyone can grasp. A woman (Melissa McBride) is determined to return to her children, who she left unattended. The mysterious mist has already clouded the minds of the townspeople, making it impossible for her to find a companion. Undeterred, she ventures out of the grocery store into the swirling mist, determined to find her way home.

The townspeople are now confused and uncertain, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), a deeply religious woman, suggests that this is a sign of the judgment day. Of course, no one believes her at first, thinking she is simply crazy. However, she gradually gains supporters.

As Mrs. Carmody’s predictions come to pass, the townspeople become increasingly agitated and fearful. Driven by their desperation to find answers and salvation, they turn to her for guidance. Mrs. Carmody’s religious fervor and unwavering conviction captivate them, and they begin to believe that she is a conduit to God. Fear and confusion drive them to commit unthinkable atrocities, led by their newfound prophet.

Frank Darabont’s stylish storytelling, Mark Isham’s haunting background music, a believable plot, great production values, a well-written script, and the captivating performances of the ensemble cast effortlessly transport the audience into the eerie world of THE MIST, sending shivers down their spines. This instant classic B-movie is a masterclass in suspense and horror.

THE MIST is a film adaptation of a horror novella written by Stephen King, which was first published in Dark Forces (1980) and an edited version was included in Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew (1985). The film is directed by Frank Darabont, an American film director, screenwriter, and producer, who is best known for directing The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.

The film’s ending diverges from the original novella, enhancing its impact. Stephen King’s novella concludes ambiguously, with the protagonists driving through the mist in search of safety. Frank Darabont’s altered ending becomes one of the most powerful scenes in cinema, lingering long after the credits roll. Even Stephen King prefers Darabont’s ending to his own.

THE MIST was screened at ShowEast film convention on 18 October 2007. The film premiered in New York City on 12 November, before its theatrical release in the United States on 21 November.

On 9 August 2023, Lionsgate announced that THE MIST will arrive on 4K Ultra HD on 3 October. The SteelBook 4-disc collector’s edition includes a Dolby Vision/HDR presentation of the film with a Dolby Atmos audio track, an alternate black-and-white version, an audio commentary with writer-director Frank Darabont and producer Denise Hunt, deleted scenes with optional commentary by Frank Darabont, and a conversation with Stephen King and Frank Darabont, with optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature.

Stephen King on killer clowns, ‘Stranger Things,’ and his secrets for scaring you silly
When Frank was interested in The Mist, one of the things that he insisted on was that it would have some kind of an ending, which the story doesn’t have — it just sort of peters off into nothing, where these people are stuck in the mist, and they’re out of gas, and the monsters are around, and you don’t know what’s going to happen next. When Frank said that he wanted to do the ending that he was going to do, I was totally down with that. I thought that was terrific. And it was so anti-Hollywood — anti-everything, really! It was nihilistic. I liked that. So I said you go ahead and do it.

An Oral History Of Frank Darabont’s Gut-Wrenching Stephen King Adaptation
I sent the script to Steve King. I said, “Listen, here’s the script. It takes a bit of a left turn at the end.” It’s inspired, actually, by a line from his book, “But it’s not the ending at all that you wrote, Steve. And if you don’t want me to make this movie, I won’t make this movie. You tell me.” I put it in his hands. And he wrote back and he said, “I read it. I love your ending. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it, because I would’ve written that instead.” Right. Okay, great. I take that as a great compliment and an endorsement.