Written by Jordan Speakes. Graphic by Avery Melhado.
From glittering gowns to being drenched in pigs blood, Stephen King’s novel and film “Carrie” has made its mark on the horror genre since 1974. However, even this classic isn’t safe from the endless stream of reboots Hollywood is determined to make. Just recently, Prime Video released their eight-episode adaptation with its own unique take. How does this series differ from the original film? And will it hold up to the horror legacy?
One of the most noticeable changes between the two adaptations is the time it takes place. The novel and film were both written and set in the 1970s, while the series sticks to 2026. What makes this change work is the story’s central focus: high school bullying. While we might not see the cliche ‘kid getting shoved in a locker,’ teens today still struggle with getting picked on. 2026 “Carrie” uses this change to show off the more modern kind of bullying, cyberbullying. With this twist, audiences can still see themselves in a roughly 50-year-old story.
Another advantage of the new 2026 “Carrie” is it is an eight-episode series. Films can be great for that classic three act story structure (shout out to my film majors) of beginning, middle, and end, but a longer series allows us to spend more time learning who these characters are, such as our two main villains, Chris Hargensen and Margret White.
Chris Hargensen is your typical popular ‘Queen Bee.’ In the 1976 film version, there’s not much more to her than a regular bully. In 2026 however, we find a girl who is crumbling under the pressure of her parents’ failed relationship while trying to save her dreams of college from falling apart. Now that doesn’t mean the series paints her as innocent either; it’s still shown that she has a history of bullying, mixed with her parents enabling her. Combining these factors together paints her as someone with depth- a character who has faults as much as they have hopes and dreams, instead of the black and white role of bully.
Moving on to the next villain, Margaret White, Carrie’s own mother. Similarly to Chris Hargensen, the 1976 film paints Margaret as only an overly religious and abusive mother. Though the series doesn’t change that, it adds more layers to the story. On one hand, Margaret was heavily influenced by the wild conspiracies of her deceased husband. On the other hand, (SPOILERS AHEAD) the show’s big ending reveals Margaret possessing some supernatural powers of her own. This change adds a deeper meaning to Margaret and Carrie’s complicated relationship, changing how audiences understand Margret’s growing fear of Carrie’s powers.
Without a doubt the biggest change from the series is how Carrie survives after the massacre at prom. Prime Video has already greenlit the series for a season two, extending the show past its original storyline. Though I don’t know what’s in store for Carrie’s future, I can say the series has given the horror classic a new life, reminding us that some stories are too terrifying to stay dead.
