Keep an eye out for Sawtooth Jack, because "Dark Harvest" is coming to a theater near you soon. It was first reported in 2007 that the horror novel would be adapted by New Regency, but after switching, the project was moved to MGM. Written by Norman Partridge, the Bram Stoker Award-winning book was published in 2006 and was named one of the "100 Best Novels" of that year by Publisher's Weekly. So what do we know so far about the film adaptation of "Dark Harvest"?
"Dark Harvest" was initially set to be released this fall, its release date pushed back to September 9, 2022. A date sometime in October might have made more sense for the Halloween-set story, but I'm sure MGM has its reasons If you wonder how to watch "Dark Harvest" from the comfort of your home, the answer can be a bit complicated. Variety reported that Amazon recently bought MGM, so it seems like a safe bet that "Dark Harvest" will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Much of the studio's back catalog is still streaming on other services, though, and according to Cnet, MGM also has a deal with ViacomCBS's Paramount+ that gives them access to new releases after the theatrical window. So, we'll have to see how that all plays out next year.
"Dark Harvest" takes place in a cul-de-sac town in the Midwest, where groups of teenagers try to take down a terrifying killer every Halloween. He goes by many names: Sawtooth Jack, October Boy, even Ol' Hacksaw Face. Regardless of what they call him, everyone knows that he will rise from the cornfields armed with a butcher knife, and despite the risk, they are willing to participate in "an annual rite of life and death" known as the Run.
The film follows Richie Shepard, a guy desperate enough to take on this monster in hopes of repeating the success of his older brother, who won the previous year and escaped small-town life. He will join Kelly Haines, who also dreams of life beyond the small town she grew up in. Few plot details have been revealed, so there's no telling how much the "Dark Harvest" movie will deviate from the source material. One thing that is different is the name of the protagonist (it was Pete McCormick in the book). It is also unclear if the film will take place in 1963, like the novel, or if a more modern setting will be chosen.