Stephen King has never been shy about connecting his stories, and Mike Flanagan‘s new adaptation of Carrie takes full advantage of the author’s sprawling literary universe, slipping in references that go well beyond the original 1974 novel.
The eight-episode Prime Video series follows Carrie White (Summer H. Howell), a bullied teenager whose growing telekinetic powers put her on a collision course with her classmates and her smothering mother, Margaret (Samantha Sloyan). While the story builds toward the infamous prom-night disaster, there are plenty of smaller details hidden throughout the series that longtime King readers, horror aficionados, and Flanagan fans will appreciate.
Some are direct callbacks to Brian De Palma‘s iconic 1976 film, while others hint at connections to The Dark Tower, The Shining, and the larger supernatural world King has spent decades creating. There are even a few unexpected nods to pop culture classics outside King’s universe, along with subtle references to the original novel.
Here are some of the Easter eggs, hidden connections, and literary references you may have missed in Carrie. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Carrie Episodes 1 – 8.
Carrie, Now Streaming, Prime Video