20th Century Studios has released the first trailer for the highly anticipated feature film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Boogeyman. The studio announced this trailer via its official YouTube channel with the caption, "From the mind of Stephen King, see #TheBoogeyman only in theaters June 2."

For fans who have read the book, the forthcoming film is not a faithful adaptation of the eponymous short story first published in King’s 1973 Night Shift story collection. While the film employs the same premise as the book, it takes the story forward and is essentially a sequel to the short story.

The Boogeyman is a supernatural horror-thriller that was initially slated for release on the streaming service Hulu. Following a highly successful test screening, 20th Century Fox decided on a theatrical release instead. After its theatrical run, the film will arrive on Hulu for the studio’s US audience, before finally hitting Disney+ for the international audience.

It follows the Harper family – a teenage girl, Sadie Harper, her sister, Sawyer, and their father, Dr. Will Harper – in the aftermath of their mother’s death. While trying to get used to life without their mother, the young children are beset with The Boogeyman, a sadistic entity that threatens their very existence.

The over two-minute-long trailer opens with the psychiatrist Dr. Will Harper putting his younger daughter Sawyer, who is scared of her closet, to bed. Before he leaves, Harper reassures Sawyer that she has nothing to fear in the closet. Unfortunately, this is not true as The Boogeyman soon opens the door to the closet and scampers under her bed.

The Boogeyman’s cast members include Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland, Madison Hu, and LisaGay Hamilton. The film is directed by Rob Savage, while Scott Beck, Mark Heyman, and Bryan Woods are responsible for its screenplay. Also, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine served as producers.

By the way, Savage had explained his method for adapting King’s books during an interview with ScifiNow sometime last year. The filmmaker, who is on his third King adaptation, stated, "We built on the mythology in a way that’s very unique and David is mind blowingly good. It’s the best he’s ever been – and that’s saying something."

The Boogeyman is only one of the numerous Stephen King books that are currently being adapted for the screen. For one, the author’s 1975 novel Salem’s Lot is awaiting a release date. The film was originally slated for release in September 2022 but was delayed due to COVID-related issues. Other forthcoming adaptations include a prequel to Pet Sematary, From A Buick 8, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, and The Long Walk. Also, the 2020 adaptation of another of the author’s short stories, Children of the Corn, will finally get a wide release on March 3.

The Boogeyman is scheduled to premiere in theaters on June 2, 2023.