The Kings’ Throttle Headed to Big Screen

I’ve never heard of a book being written by a father and son team, but I guess that’s the hook to “Throttle”, a 60-novella (that means it’s too small to be a novel, but too big to be a short story, in case you’re wondering, kids) by Stephen King and son Joe Hill (aka King Jr.). Of course, the fact that it’s written by Stephen Bloody King and his kid doesn’t hurt, either. Why does the son have a different name than dad? I dunno, daddy issues, perhaps? In any case, Nick Wechsler, the producer behind “The Road” and “The Time Traveler’s Wife”, bought the book (set to be published in 2009 as part of the Richard Matheson tribute book “He is Legend”) and is developing it for the big screen.

Variety has your horror-themed plot and various stuff of maybe interest:

The protags in the King-Hill novella are father-son members of a motorcycle gang that’s chased through the desert by an 18-wheel tanker truck.The novella will be published in 2009 in “He Is Legend,” an anthology dedicated to Richard Matheson, author of “I Am Legend.”

“It has elements of iconic films like ‘Duel’ and ‘Breakdown,’ but with a horror element that I want to push,” Wechsler said. Literary collaboration is the first between King and his son.

Ol Joe is sure following in daddy’s footsteps, which is a bit ironic, when you consider that he used “Joe Hill” instead of “Joe King” for the purpose of getting away from King’s shadows. And here he is collaborating on a book with dear old dad, and everything he writes is being turned into a movie. Just like dad. Oh, the wackiness of life.

Below is a pic from the movie adaptation of King’s “The Mist”.