Summary
- King's iconic cameo appearances could be coming to an end due to health concerns.
- The author was offered a role in 'The Institute' but declined as he felt it would be distracting.
- King's cameo in 'It Chapter 2' was a success, despite initial reluctance due to past "jinx" experiences.
The horror legend Stephen King has made countless cameo appearances throughout his 50-plus-year career by adding something a little special to whatever TV show or movie he has appeared in, especially many of his own adaptations, but his appearances could now be coming to a sad end for fans who were looking forward to seeing the author in MGM+’s The Institute series.
Just like Stan Lee did with many of his Marvel movies and video games, throughout the years, King has made cameos in projects based on his own works, like Storm of the Century, Creepshow 2, Kingdom Hospital, The Shining, and many more, but he even made a guest appearance in some that he wasn't even involved in. King's cameos started all the way back in 1981 in the George A. Romero movie Knightriders, in which he played the illustrious role of "Hoagie Man," and from there, went on to make more cameos in Frasier, Sons of Anarchy, The Simpsons, and the 2005 rom-com movie, Fever Pitch. One of King's most successful and more recent adaptations was in It Chapter 2, but even then, King wasn't too keen on being included in the movie, telling the director, Andy Muschietti, "Well, you have to consider that I'm a jinx. Every movie that I'm in bombs." Thankfully, King agreed in the end and played a small part as a pawn shop owner, along with Muschietti, too.
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Stephen King’s Binned Cameo in The Institute Could Be the End of His Iconic Appearances
According to Cinemablend, Stephen King was supposed to have a cameo in his latest adaptation, The Institute TV series, which King wrote in 2019, but unfortunately, things didn’t pan out. While the idea was for King to travel to the set in Nova Scotia, Canada, for a cameo appearance, he was unable to make the trip due to chronic back pain. Speaking to The Institute's filmmakers, Jack Bender and Benjamin Cavell, during the show's virtual press day, Cinemablend had the chance to get a little more inside information on what happened. Cavell revealed that King was offered the role of The Lisping Man, a character who visits Luke and the other surviving children at the end of the book after the Institute is destroyed. However, King considered it a "mistake" to bring him in for the part in The Institute series.
"He worries that it's distracting, which I think it can be. I mean, there was this notion, I don't even remember who suggested it, but there was this notion at some point that he might play The Lisping Man, which I think he, by the way, before anybody else, said, 'I think that's really a mistake.' He said, 'You know, I think you need an actor for that.' "
For anyone who has followed King's cameos throughout his career, it's always a highlight to try and spot the legendary author, so to hear that he thinks that his presence would spoil it in some way is certainly far from the truth, at least according to his adoring fans. However, since King is nearing 78 years old this September and has been suffering from horrific back pain since 1999, when he was hit by a car while walking, resulting in multiple surgeries, complications, and even pneumonia, it is safe to say that King's previous more active lifestyle might be finally coming to a halt.
Cavell did reveal, however, that they do have "an incredible actor" to take the role of The Lisping Man and agreed that there was "too much narrative weight on that character to make it Stephen," but have left the door open for King to make an appearance in season 2 of The Institute if he felt like it was something he was able to do. "But look, in Season 2, who knows what he'll want to come in and do? Anything he wants, I guess." As for now, it doesn't look like King will appear in cameos for the time being, or maybe at all, and might prefer to be more stationary as he writes or records upcoming fairytale audiobooks. Either way, the King fan base will continue to grow strong and have unconditional love and respect for one of the world's best horror writers.
The Institute Season one premiered on MGM+ on Sunday, July 13, 2025.
'At Your Own Risk' Stephen King Gets Really Honest About Having So Many Books Adapted For Film And TV (Including The Institute)
Stephen King has had countless books turned into movies and TV shows, but what does he think about the MGM+ TV series, The Institute?
- Release Date
- July 13, 2025
- Network
- MGM+
- Directors
- Jack Bender, Brad Turner, Jeff Renfroe
- Writers
- Sam Sheridan, Benjamin Cavell, Ed Redlich, Eric Dickinson, Sophie Owens-Bender
Cast
-
Ben BarnesTim Jamieson -
Joe FreemanLuke Ellis -
Simone MillerKalisha
-
Fionn LairdNick Wilholm
Source: Cinemablend