10 More Great Horror Movies Over 2 Hours Long

Time and time again, Mike Flanagan has proved himself as a horror auteur. As such, he seemed like the perfect candidate to helm The Shining sequel, Doctor Sleep. 

Due to the legacy of Stanley Kubrick's Shining adaptation, it seemed almost impossible for the follow-up to live up to expectations (especially since the story this time around centres around psychic vampires). 

Doctor Sleep may not match the first instalment, but it serves as a solid continuation due to the magnificent cinematography, outstanding sound design, subtle world-building, and rich characterisation. Ewan McGregor, who plays Dan Torrance, offers one of the most nuanced and multi-layered performances of his career, and Rebecca Ferguson's Rose is a significantly different antagonist to Jack Torrance, but she remains equally terrifying.

Rather than staying faithful to the source material, major changes were made to interconnect the story with Kubrick's The Shining. This decision does lead to some blatant fan service, but it offers a more satisfying climax overall, allowing Dan Torrance's story to come fullcircle. 

It may not be a necessary sequel, but there's no doubt everyone involved put in an immeasurable level of care and love into this project.