Horror author Stephen King has sold the rights to one of his short stories to a group of Welsh students for 77p.
Year 11 students at Blaenau Gwent Film Academy in Tredegar, Wales will now adapt the short story Stationary Bike – first published in 2003.
Alfie Evans and GCSE drama student Cerys Cliff, 14, will write the script, after their tutor Kevin Phillips discovered the Dollar Babies section on Kings website; the section allows prospective filmmakers to buy the rights to one of Kings many short stories for just $1 (77p).
Phillips then wrote to the office of Stephen King to seek his support from the project, and a reply came within 24 hours offering them the rights for just £1.
It is great for our students who are fans of his writing and a great scoop for the Academy, Kevin said.
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Being given an opportunity to bring one of Stephen Kings novels to life is crazy, said 16-year-old Alfie.
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King had previously revealed that he decided in 1977 to give back a little of the joy the movies had given me by offering some of his stories to potential producers for a small sum.
It was the Dollar Babies section that led to Frank Darabont directing the 1994 Oscar-nominated movie The Shawshank Redemption after he bought The Woman In The Room for $1 and turned that into a short film, beloved by King.
Their friendship then blossomed and King gave Darabont a handshake deal for the rights to Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
MORE: You can have these very rare James Bond posters if you have £28,000 to spare
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