Warning: This post contains major spoilers for The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman, originally a short story written by Stephen King, received the adaptation treatment, but there are quite a few differences between the film and its source material. Directed by Rob Savage from a screenplay by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and Mark Heyman, The Boogeyman is a horror that follows the titular character as it terrorizes Sadie and Sawyer Harper following their mother’s death.
The Boogeyman has gotten a mostly positive critical reception, with many praising the film’s straightforward horror story and chilling elements. Adapted from Stephen King’s work, The Boogeyman’s screenwriters altered multiple aspects of the short story, much of which expanded the narrative to include characters that were previously not in it at all and changed certain roles to give them a lot more depth than they originally had. When it comes to adapting a short story to film, there’s a lot of room for creativity to build a world that is richer than what’s on the page. The Boogeyman takes that concept and runs with it, making distinct changes to the source material.
8 Lester Billings Is Not The Boogeyman’s Main Character
Lester Billings is front and center in Stephen King’s short story. However, Lester’s story and history with the boogeyman is more of a prologue in the film. His visit to Dr. Harper’s home is what ultimately sets up the boogeyman latching onto Sadie and Sawyer. What’s more, The Boogeyman film also goes ahead with an altercation between Lester and the creature, ending with Lester’s death. The short story, on the other hand, only implies that the boogeyman will kill Lester but doesn’t extrapolate. The film also smooths down Lester’s character so that he’s not as aggressive, and he’s seen as more empathetic but with an edge.
7 Sadie & Sawyer Don’t Exist In The Boogeyman Short Story
Sadie is ostensibly The Boogeyman’s main character, and yet neither she nor her younger sister Sawyer exist in the original short story. In fact, Will doesn’t mention anything to Lester about even having children, with the focus primarily being on the latter’s journey and trauma. The film expands well beyond Lester’s story, however, picking up where his left off. Centering Sadie and her family allows The Boogeyman to showcase how the titular creature latches onto other characters, and examines the story from a new perspective. Sadie and Sawyer’s existence provides the film adaptation with fresh material while keeping to the eerie tone of the short story.
6 The Boogeyman Killed 2 Of Lester’s Kids Instead Of 3
In the short story, the boogeyman killed all three of Lester’s children. However, the horror film uses the death of Lester’s third child (of natural causes) as the catalyst for the boogeyman latching onto his family. It’s similar to how the death of Sadie and Sawyer’s mother allows the boogeyman to terrorize them. The Boogeyman movie provides insight into the creature’s behavior, revealing that emotional vulnerability is at the root of its attacks. Lester’s loss paved the way for the boogeyman to terrorize his family until every last one of them was killed.
5 Stephen King’s The Boogeyman Is Set In The 1970s
Rob Savage’s The Boogeyman is set in the present, but Stephen King’s short story takes place in the early 1970s. The boogeyman actually began attacking Lester’s family in the late 1960s, when his and Rita’s eldest son was around two-three years old. Lester is abrasive, showing instances of racism and sexism. Namely, the ideas surrounding a woman’s role as a wife and allusions to the Civil Rights Movement ground the source material within that specific era. It makes sense that the film adaptation is far removed from the 1970s, as it’s more appealing to modern audiences while maintaining the supernatural element.
4 The Boogeyman Can Only Mimic Voices In The Movie
In King’s short story, the boogeyman emerges from the closet, facing Lester while carrying a mask of Dr. Will Harper in his hand, positing that the creature could take on human form (and was masquerading as Lester’s therapist the entire time). However, in The Boogeyman movie, the supernatural creature can only mimic other people’s voices. At the start of the film, Lester’s daughter hears her dad’s voice, as does Sawyer. It’s how the boogeyman lures its victims to it and terrifies them in one fell swoop. Changing it so that the boogeyman can only mimic voices allows the creature to retain its physical appearance while hiding in the dark.
3 Will Harper Isn’t Grieving His Wife In The Boogeyman Short Story
Throughout The Boogeyman, Will Harper is plagued by grief following the death of his wife. He’s unable to open up about his feelings, or discuss his wife, even to Sadie, who is emotionally vulnerable and wanting to talk about her mom. This gives Dr. Harper far more depth than in Stephen King’s short story. In the author’s 1973 work, Dr. Harper doesn’t have much character; he listens to Lester’s story and prompts him when needed, but there is nothing to glean about his personal history or familial relationships. The Boogeyman greatly expands his backstory and provides him nuance and personality that the short story does not.
2 Rita Billings Has A Much Bigger Role In The Boogeyman Film
In Stephen King’s The Boogeyman, Lester Billings mentions his wife, Rita, plenty of times. Sometimes it’s in a condescending manner, but readers get a glimpse into their romantic history and marriage throughout. Despite Lester bringing her up a lot as it pertains to his kids’ deaths, the film adaptation gives Rita a lot more to do. For one, she has a physical presence in the film and a bigger role in it than Lester. Rita helps Sadie in understanding the boogeyman and the ways in which it preys upon its victims and plays an active role in attempting to destroy the supernatural creature before it does any further harm.
1 Stephen King’s Short Story Doesn’t Reveal How To Kill The Boogeyman
Considering that Stephen King’s original work is indeed a short story, it doesn’t get into the details regarding how to kill the boogeyman. It isn’t until the end of the short story, which is unlike The Boogeyman movie ending, that the boogeyman is even revealed, whereas in the film adaptation, the supernatural monster gets a lot more screen time and backstory regarding how to fight it off and destroy it. As an example, The Boogeyman reveals that the creature is scared of light, but that fire is what can get rid of it. The film provides a richer history for the boogeyman and goes beyond the character’s introduction, which is where the short story ends.
