ABC’s Stephen King Movie “Rose Red”
ABC filmed the original Stephen King mini-series movie "Rose Red" here at Thornewood Castle. Restoration, construction
and filming for the movie took six months here at Thornewood during 2000. Some other local locations
including in Seattle were also filmed. The movie was aired
in 2002. The DVD of the movie is now available. This movie is the first novel or script that Stephen King completed after his tragic accident. This movie is rumored to be the largest budgeted
mini series yet filmed. 
Not apparent at first, the house “Rose Red” (i.e. Thornewood Castle) turns out to be the star or central figure in the movie. (Current trailers call Rose Red the "house with feelings".) ABC selected Thornewood Castle from location proposals from 30 states and Canada. It matched almost identically all the major characteristics of the house in the Stephen King’s script (age, style, size, etc.). (Already kinda spooky, huh?)
We have collected lots of fascinating movie memorabilia (scripts, shooting schedules, before-during-after photographs, and of course the new house and grounds) to share with future guests. You can sleep, or dine and party, in some of the same rooms/sets filmed in the movie.
We agreed to do the movie in Thornewood Castle principally because ABC/Disney wanted to reopen and restore the grand rooms on the first floor back to their original look and grandeur as first constructed in 1911, plus additional improvements to the grounds. Many years ago most large rooms on the first floor were divided into smaller rooms and apartments. This has all been taken out now. This was a major financial undertaking and the results are truly breath-taking. Fabulous ceilings, fireplaces, moldings, floors and walls are now exposed for the first time in over 50 years, and painstaking restored to 100 years ago. It is now truly a grand castle.
Click here for information on the prequel "The Diary of Ellen Rimbaur."
Here are some images of our home from the mini series promo and DVD cover:
