His Netflix Deal Is Over. Can Mike Flanagan Save Theatrical Cinema Now?

Stacked up against the Oscar-buzzed galas for movies like Conclave, Babygirl, and Pedro Almodovar’s The Room Next Door, you wouldn’t think the Toronto International Film Festival world premiere of Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck would make too many waves. But a packed house full of fans of both Flanagan and the legendary Stephen King made for one of the most rousing screenings of this young festival.

Flanagan, whose breakout film Oculus was a TIFF premiere in 2013...