The team behind Netflix’s Locke & Key opened up about how this iteration of the series differs from the previous ones planned for Fox and Hulu. The new show is gearing up to hit the streaming platform this Friday and has received mostly positive reviews, currently sitting at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite feeling very similar to the platform’s other success stories, namely Stranger Things and The Haunting of Hill House, it’s sure to be a hit amongst fans who have longed for a live-action adaptation of the comics for years.
Written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, Locke & Key centers on three siblings who move into their ancestral home following the mysterious death of their father. Upon moving in, they discover the house is filled with magical keys that are seemingly connected to their father’s death. But, a demon is also on the hunt for the keys and will stop at nothing to obtain them. It’s a story that many have wanted to see adapted to the screen, but getting it to this point has been a lengthy process. Prior to its current home at Netflix, the show also had a pilot made for Fox back in 2011 that was never picked up, a planned trilogy at Universal, then a series planned at Hulu that fell through. Now, the series’ creators are opening up about how Netflix’s adaptation differs from its previous attempts.
During a Q&A for Locke & Key, Screen Rant asked the team what they learned from previous iterations of the pilot, on Fox and Hulu, that helped shape the current version at Netflix. Executive producer Carlton Cuse explained that the pilots “were connected.” For instance, “in the Hulu version and in the comic, the story starts with the brutal murder of Randall Locke. And it’s such, a like, such a powerful piece of storytelling, but in a way, it felt over-weighted.” Since their version would focus more on the kids and them coming-of-age with the keys, they didn’t want to open with the murder, but rather “tell the story in flashbacks.” Especially since “it’s no less emotionally effective,” but it does “convey that this [the opening brutal murder] isn’t what the show is. This is a part of the show.” Showrunner Meredith Averill also added that Hulu’s version had more of “an emphasis on the adult characters,” but since “the kids are the ones that experience the magic,” they leaned more into their story.
Considering how much success Netflix has seen with their shows centered around kids, especially Stranger Things, it makes sense why the company chose to greenlight Cuse and Averill’s version of Locke & Key. The source material is beloved by many, and the team behind the series seem confident that the show will have a wide appeal. If anything, fans of Hills’ original work will surely be excited to see this live-action adaptation finally grace the small screen.
Angling the series on the children, in the beginning, is an excellent way to expand on the show as it grows. Not only does it allow for a variety of perspectives, but it’ll also serve the show well as it develops more seasons. Even though season 2 hasn’t been greenlit, the showrunners have already begun working on it, showing their confidence in Netflix’s adaptation and anticipation for its future. Hopefully, after a long and winding road to the screen, viewers are just as excited to see Locke & Key finally brought to life.
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