For as long as King’s been been publishing, Hollywood’s been knock-knock-knockin’ on Stephen’s door for more. First came 1976’s Carrie, two years after he published that first novel, which made household names of the author, Brian De Palma, Sissy Spacek, and the humiliating viscosity of pig’s blood. The 1980s saw a slew of adaptations, the highlights being The Shining, Stand by Me, and The Running Man (the book for which was published under pulp fall-guy name Richard Bachman). As for the ’90s, well…it’d be the best decade ever for just The Shawshank Redemption. But nope, there was also Miseryand The Green Mile!
(This is a guide to theatrically released King adaptations. If you’re interested in King on different platforms, look to our guide of Stephen King TV Series, Miniseries Ranked.)
Critics Consensus:Carrie is a horrifying look at supernatural powers, high school cruelty, and teen angst — and it brings us one of the most memorable and disturbing prom scenes in history.
Synopsis: In this chilling adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel, withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) faces taunting from [More]
Critics Consensus: Thanks to director Zak Hilditch’s patient storytelling and strong work from lead Thomas Jane, 1922 ranks among the more satisfying Stephen King adaptations.
Synopsis: A rancher conspires to murder his wife for financial gain and convinces his teenage son to participate. [More]
Critics Consensus: Elevated by standout performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates, this taut and frightening film is one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.
Synopsis: After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who [More]
Critics Consensus: Steeped in old-fashioned storytelling and given evergreen humanity by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, The Shawshank Redemption chronicles the hardship of incarceration patiently enough to come by its uplift honestly.
Synopsis: Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and [More]
Critics Consensus:The Dead Zone combines taut direction from David Cronenberg and and a rich performance from Christopher Walken to create one of the strongest Stephen King adaptations.
Synopsis: When Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens from a coma caused by a car accident, he finds that years have passed, [More]
Critics Consensus: Post-Misery Kathy Bates proves to be another wonderful conduit for Stephen King’s novels in this patient, gradually terrifying thriller.
Synopsis: In a small New England town, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) works as a housekeeper for the rich but heartless Vera [More]
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and fiendishly frightening with an emotionally affecting story at its core, It amplifies the horror in Stephen King’s classic story without losing touch with its heart.
Synopsis: Seven young outcasts in Derry, Maine, are about to face their worst nightmare — an ancient, shape-shifting evil that emerges [More]
Critics Consensus: Though it deviates from Stephen King’s novel, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness — exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson.
Synopsis: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. [More]
Critics Consensus: Showing a sweeter side of director Mike Flanagan’s deeply-felt emotional register, The Life of Chuck is a buoyant and often wonderful adaptation of one of Stephen King’s more cosmically optimistic tales.
Synopsis: From childhood to adulthood, Charles “Chuck” Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained [More]
Critics Consensus: Relying on psychological tension rather than overt violence and gore, 1408 is a genuinely creepy thriller with a strong lead performance by John Cusack.
Synopsis: Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a successful author who enjoys worldwide acclaim debunking supernatural phenomena — before he checks into [More]
Critics Consensus: Cruelly clever with some unforgettably gory set pieces, The Monkey reaffirms director Osgood Perkins’ horror bona fides while revealing he also has a surprising — albeit sick — sense of humor.
Synopsis: When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tears their family apart. Twenty-five years later, [More]
Critics Consensus:Doctor Sleep forsakes the elemental terror of its predecessor for a more contemplative sequel that balances poignant themes against spine-tingling chills.
Synopsis: Struggling with alcoholism, Dan Torrance remains traumatized by the sinister events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was [More]
Critics Consensus: Tim Matheson’s gripping performance and a strong mood make Sometimes They Come Back an effective, if not wholly revelatory, Stephen King adaptation.
Synopsis: High school teacher Jim Norman (Tim Matheson) reluctantly returns to his hometown with his wife (Brooke Adams) to pursue a [More]
Critics Consensus: It’s uneven, as anthologies often are, but Creepshow is colorful, frequently funny, and treats its inspirations with infectious reverence.
Synopsis: A compendium of five short but terrifying tales contained within a single full-length feature, this film conjures scares from traditional [More]
Critics Consensus:It: Chapter Two proves bigger doesn’t always mean scarier for horror sequels, but a fine cast and faithful approach to the source material keep this follow-up afloat.
Synopsis: Defeated by members of the Losers’ Club, the evil clown Pennywise returns 27 years later to terrorize the town of [More]
Critics Consensus:The Boogeyman might fall short of its terrifying source material, but a spooky atmosphere and some solid performances help keep the chills coming.
Synopsis: High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and [More]
Critics Consensus:Pet Sematary takes its source material in a few different directions, but this remake feels like an exhuming almost as often as it does a revival.
Synopsis: Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple [More]
Critics Consensus: It boasts a talented cast, but Kimberly Peirce’s “reimagining” of Brian De Palma’s horror classic finds little new in the Stephen King novel — and feels woefully unnecessary.
Synopsis: High school can be tough for many teenagers, but for Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz), it’s especially hellish. A shy [More]
Critics Consensus: An old-fashioned spookfest, this Salem’s Lot won’t be the definitive adaptation of Stephen King’s famed vampire tale but it makes for a passable reintroduction to a new generation.
Synopsis: Author Ben Mears returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only [More]
Critics Consensus: Despite a pair of layered performances from its talented leads, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone never quite connects with the source material’s intriguing themes.
Synopsis: When Craig, a young boy living in a small town (Jaeden Martell) befriends Mr. Harrigan, an older, reclusive billionaire (Donald [More]
Critics Consensus:Firestarter‘s concept hews too closely to other known Stephen King adaptations, though it’s got nice special effects (including scenery-chewing George C. Scott).
Synopsis: As youths, Andy McGee (David Keith) and his future wife, Vicky (Heather Locklear), participated in secret experiments, allowing themselves to [More]
Critics Consensus:The Lawnmower Man suffers from a predictable, melodramatic script, and its once-groundbreaking visual effects look dated today.
Synopsis: The eccentric Dr. Lawrence Angelo puts mentally disabled landscaper Jobe Smith on a regimen of experimental pills and computer-simulated training [More]
Critics Consensus: A potentially intriguing premise is rapidly lost in the weeds during In the Tall Grass which struggles to stretch its slim source material to feature length.
Synopsis: A brother and sister enter a field of tall grass to rescue a boy, but they soon realize they cannot [More]
Critics Consensus: Not even the melding of Stephen King and George A. Romero’s writing sensibilities can elevate this spineless anthology, which is too simple in its storytelling and too skimpy on the genuine scares.
Synopsis: This second horror anthology presents more eerie tales based on Stephen King stories. One episode finds a cigar-store Native American [More]
Critics Consensus:Pet Sematary: Bloodlines takes half-hearted stabs at expanding the world of Stephen King’s original story, but they’re largely lost in a substandard story that mistakes bland gore for effective horror.
Synopsis: In 1969, a young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown of Ludlow, Maine behind, but soon discovers sinister [More]
Critics Consensus: As disposable as its predecessor is indispensable, The Rage: Carrie 2 mimics the arc of Stephen King’s classic story without adding anything of value.
Synopsis: When her closest friend commits suicide after being manipulated by the popular crowd, quiet and bookish Rachel Lang (Emily Bergl) [More]
Critics Consensus: Stephen King adaptation veteran director Mick Garris has lofty storytelling goals which ultimately flail and undercut the story’s terror.
Synopsis: Ever since his father passed away, art student Alan Parker (Jonathan Jackson) has been hypnotized by thoughts of death. After [More]
Critics Consensus: This made-for-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s classic fails to impress or bring anything new to the table, – or to the prom – paling even more in comparison to the 1970’s memorable version.
Synopsis: Tormented by her fellow high-school students, a teenager (Angela Bettis) uses telekinesis as a tool for vengeance. [More]
Critics Consensus: Bereft of a single kernel of fear or excitement, this Children of the Corn suggests the franchise is irrevocably lost in a maize of sub-mediocrity.
Synopsis: Possessed by a spirit in a dying cornfield, twelve-year-old Eden recruits the other children in her small town to rise [More]
Critics Consensus: Shoddily crafted and devoid of suspense, Cell squanders a capable cast and Stephen King’s once-prescient source material on a bland rehash of zombie cliches.
Synopsis: A graphic novelist (John Cusack) begins a desperate search for his estranged wife (Clark Sarullo) and son (Ethan Andrew Casto) [More]
Critics Consensus: There was plenty of room to improve on the original, but Firestarter trips over that low bar and tumbles toward the bottom of the long list of Stephen King adaptations.
Synopsis: For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron; Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile; The Greatest Showman) and Vicky [More]
Synopsis: While traveling through rural Nebraska, a couple (David Anders, Kandyse McClure) encounters a religious cult of murderous children who worship [More]
94%
74%
59%
