If The Shining had been a one-and-done type of movie without any open ending and without any chance that another movie could be made, then a part three, or even a spinoff, would have sounded like a horrible idea. But even the sound of the Overlook getting its own series, perhaps a limited one, sounded like a good idea at first. But it was Doctor Sleep that introduced the next character that could really be convincing enough to push forward with another movie, and in another direction. As those that watched Doctor Sleep should remember, Danny Torrance didn’t grow up to be that great of a guy, as he left a woman to die, and left her child with her before he finally turned his life around and started doing things for others. But Abra Stone, the young girl with the Shining that was strong enough to rouse Dan’s senses as well as the members of the True Knot, the villainous creatures that hunted those with the Shining, is a perfect character to push forward in order to discover just how many people there are throughout the country, possibly the world, that have the same abilities.
The trick with this movie is that it couldn’t possibly follow the same course as the two before it, other than the fact that Abra might need to be given a specific task to complete, and perhaps have Dan at her side until his final penance is over and done with. Just as Dick did for him in Doctor Sleep, Dan could show up now and then to keep Abra on the right track, though it’s not likely that she would make the same mistakes that Dan did since he was able to help her out while she was young, and despite the death of her father and the terror that the True Knot put into her, Abra turned out to be far stronger and built with more conviction than Dan. The reason for this is that Dan was tortured by his gift as a small child and had a father that threatened to kill him, in essence, Abra’s parents refusing to meet her eye from time to time wasn’t nearly as bad as being chased through the Overlook.
But all in all, Abra is a very strong-willed individual, which means that it might take a truly powerful threat to challenge her just enough to make a compelling story. Plus, while it wouldn’t be absolutely necessary to create another site like the Overlook, it does feel as though it would be a good idea to show how Abra’s power has grown since Doctor Sleep by showing her going on the hunt for others like her, or others like the True Knot. It might even be a great deal of fun to see her gain allies here and there that are aware of their own power and use it sparingly to their advantage, or don’t use it all and need a bit of help coming to terms with it. But after the horrors of the True Knot, particularly Rose the Hat, it’s fair to say that Abra would be honing her abilities to avoid being overwhelmed, and might even gain a heightened sensitivity to those like her when they’re around.
It doesn’t feel as though it’s necessary to make her so powerful that she could perform a psychic curb stomp on those that dared to threaten her or anyone else, but seeing how far she came with her talent in the last movie it does feel likely that it might be a good idea to show how much Abra has grown and perhaps even how much she’s challenged herself in the years since the events that she and Dan experienced came to pass. Given that the final scene of Doctor Sleep showed Abra facing off against the rotting woman from the Overlook, it’s fair to think that she knows what she’s doing, and she has a surprise for anyone that might want to use their gift to hurt others. But it’s very easy to think that there are other sites like the Overlook that might exist throughout the world, and it’s not hard at all to think that the True Knot was just one of many groups that might exist worldwide. So yes, a third movie in the style of The Shining would definitely be worthwhile since it could end up becoming either a great way to finally cap off the story, or something that might inspire others to see what direction it could take. A series doesn’t really sound like the best idea, but who knows? If someone with enough ambition and the right amount of talent came along and made it happen, it might be something that people could embrace. For now, it’d be nice to have Abra out carrying on the legacy.
The Shining
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