I can do whatever I want on here, as long as it’s vaguely writing or reading related.

Today we’re gonna talk about Stephen King, and you’re gonna like it.

Everyone, no matter what, has seen at least one movie or TV series adapted from a Stephen King book. In fact, Stephen King is currently the most adapted-to-film living writer on record (source). I haven’t seen all of them, but I’ve seen a lot. In this blog post, the first of two (or more, if I have a lot of fun. That’s what this is about. Fun), I will cover my favorites, the ones that really shine as good adaptations in my opinion. Part two will cover my least favorites, the ones that failed to make for a good adaptation and that made me generally upset as a fan of the written work.

But today we’re being positive! So let’s get to it!

First, what makes a good adaptation (in my opinion)?

Not only does a good adaptation generally follow the original plot of the written work, it effectively captures the spirit and soul of the original work. They don’t necessarily have to follow each and every story point in the exact order of the book (that’s not how you adapt something to a different medium), but the main plot still needs to be there in some way. It also just generally needs to be an enjoyable movie to a casual viewer.

I’m going chronologically, not in any kind of ranking order. You know I’m bad at picking between favorites (looking at you, trauma-inducing blog post).

If you don’t see something on here, I either haven’t seen it yet, or it might appear in part 2!

 Cujo (1983)

The casting was on point for this one for sure, and the cinematography and shading do a good job of capturing the claustrophobic heat of the car and the tense anticipation of praying that Vic returns home and finds his family in time. The ending was changed, no spoilers, but they get a pass on this one. King has some pretty bummer endings, and some of the really depressing ones just wouldn’t translate well to the screen, so I agree with their choice to change it for Cujo.

Christine (1983)

When the movie started and I saw who played Arnie and Dennis, I actually gaped. I think a fly flew in my mouth. These two actors were no exaggeration, exactly how I pictured the two teens as I was reading.

Keith Gordon and John Stockwell had such good chemistry that I would’ve bet they were actually friends before this movie. They have perfect back and forth and just look like they fit together. Some people criticize this one for how “unscary” the car is, but if you’re a real King fan, you know that it’s not really about scares, it’s about the characters and their drive to stand and be true. This is also one of those that I believe has a better ending than the book. Arnie’s fate unfolds “off-screen” in the book and isn’t really tied to the main conflict, which is the car. The movie found a way to make it all tie together much more clearly.

Children of the Corn (1984)

Not only is this one of those classic 80’s horror movies on its own, it’s one of those adaptations that made the story even better. This story was not a full-length novel and was part of the collection Night Shift, so it was relatively quite short. While the story set the off, creepy tone of an apparently abandoned Midwest township and gave us some nice hateable adult characters, the movie took this concept and flew with it. The kid who plays Isaac is quite literally the scariest child I’ve ever seen in a movie. The way he delivers his lines, and that dead, dark look in his eyes… kid should’ve won an Oscar.

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Hear me out.

The short story upon which it’s based, Trucks, is a goofy, ridiculous sci-fi concept of a story where cars and trucks gain evil sentience and trap a classic King cast of characters in a gas station. Fun enough, right? A jolly good time. But then someone gave King a baggie of Coke and a director’s chair.

Maximum Overdrive starts with a cameo from King himself, where an ATM calls him an asshole, which he proclaims in the goofiest, campiest exclamation ever. I was immediately in after that.

The car damage scenes went on for a comical amount of time, and the crashes, gore, and action were so ridiculously over-the-top that I got a stomach cramp from laughing. Don’t go into this movie thinking it’s quality cinema with a unique sci-fi premise. Go into it ready to laugh your ass off.

Stand By Me (1986)

Yeah, we all knew this was coming. People often give the heavy-hitter status to The Green Mile and Shawshank, and while those are also going to appear on this list, there’s something special about this one.

As an adaptation of The Body, it’s perfect. Many lines were ripped directly from the page (I’ll rip your head off and shit down your neck!), and the kids were perfectly cast. We lose the snippets of Gordo’s stories written later in life, which I enjoyed in the book, but would’ve been weird interruptions in a movie.

As a standalone movie, it’s uber-perfect. The soundtrack. The shooting. The cast. The wardrobe. This movie feels like it was made in 1959. Kiefer Sutherland is the perfect no-good derelict bully. And, most importantly of all, it casts viewers back to the way life felt when we were twelve. 11/10 all around.

Pet Sematary (1989)

You ever notice that the best adaptations in the 80’s were the ones that King produced?

The story as it was really didn’t need any work to make it a film. We get the backstory with Zelda (best shot in the movie), we get the heartbreak and the bloody action. I have no notes. The casting is iconic all around. Miko Hughes is now a cult icon with his grave-fresh Gage, and I’m still convinced that King had Fred Gwynne’s face in mind when he created Judd.

Misery (1990)

Absolutely no notes on this one. We all know Kathy Bates was born to play Annie, and the set design does a perfect job of making us feel claustrophobic and hopeless.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

I don’t think you guys need me to explain this one.

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

I was so glad to see my idol Kathy Bates work with King again. It’s funny, I didn’t know there was an adaptation when I first read the book, and I actually was picturing Kathy as Dolores. Swear to God. This movie is dark and dour just like the book, and really takes you for a ride. It’s also great to see Kathy take on a King character that is generally a stable, sound of mind person.

The Langoliers (1995)

Don’t even start with me. I know you’re going to. I don’t want to hear it.

This adaptation, while decently long, perfectly encapsulates the offputting, something’s-wrong-here, distressing feel of the novella. It’s campy in all the right places, and exciting where it needs to be. I don’t care if you think it’s too long and looks bad. I think it did the story justice, and it’s a story that I love dearly.

Apt Pupil (1998)

Wow, this one seems to have really fallen off the radar right away. But, dude. Ian McKellen. We love him. And he’s great in this.

Todd is portrayed very well, giving us that great mix of all-American kid and budding psycho. I liked the role of Ed French being elevated a little in the movie, and David Schwimmer’s performance was actually really impressive in the role.

The Green Mile (1999)

Again, I don’t think I need to explain myself here. Just want to say, Michael Clarke Duncan stole all of our hearts here, and we lost that big guy way too soon.

‘Salem’s Lot (2004)

Yeah, yeah, I know. There’s a knee-jerk reaction here. But listen. We all like to look at Rob Lowe.

And this miniseries, in my opinion, did a much better job of not only telling Ben Mears’s story, but making it interesting, while somehow managing to capture the spirit of the book in an early 2000’s setting. That takes skill. I know it’s a little long, but I really didn’t feel like a minute was wasted here. Susan is an actual character in this one with real motivations and depth. We lean more heavily into Ben’s childhood horrors, and the interior of the Marsten house is much closer to the book description. Seriously, you probably haven’t checked it out, thinking the original was your only option, but this one literally held me for four hours without me even noticing.

The Mist (2007)

Be angry with Frank Darabont over the ending if you want, but he took a mid-level story and made it into a Lovecraftian freak-fest. The cinematography is brave and unique, and Thomas Jane does a great job of being the hunky dad-turned-hero. Extra points for the Dark Tower reference at the beginning, too.

Dolan’s Cadillac (2009)

Yeah, that’s right. There’s a movie of this short story from Nightmares & Dreamscapes. It was my favorite in the collection, and I was excited when I found the movie. And y’all, this thing is a hidden gem.

First of all, look at this stacked cast. Christian Slater as Dolan. Wes Bently as Tom. Emmanuelle Vaugier as Elizabeth. Holy crap.

This story is nuts, full of grief, anger, and lots of road work under the boiling sun on a deserted stretch of highway. What else could you want? The casting is on point, the acting is great, and they kept it faithful to the story. Seriously, you should watch it.

Carrie (2013)

This is the one that will probably piss people off. But calm down for just a second. I don’t think people are objective about this argument. I really don’t. It’s the same problem I have with Nightmare on Elm Street. I think the story is better in the remake.

While the original Carrie is admittedly iconic and has great cinematography, I think the 2013 version is a better adaptation of the book. Neither adaptation perfectly follows the plot of the book, but this one gets a few key elements closer to the heart of the story.

While Sissy Spacek is adorable and talented, she’s not a good Carrie. The girl looks like a European supermodel. Carrie is supposed to be homely and imperfect. I’m not saying Chloe Grace-Moretz isn’t gorgeous, but she actually looks like a real teenage girl.

The second thing this one did better in my opinion was the ending. I just think the killing of Chris and Billy was more impressive visually in this version, as well as the collapsing of the house. We also focus a lot more on the conflict between Carrie and her mother in this version, and I really liked the scene where Carrie gets locked in the closet; her crying is really heartbreaking.

Gerald’s Game (2017)

We all know that Mike Flanagan is the only man we trust with the hard ones. This previously unadaptable work turns into a horrifying and memorable flick when it’s touched with Mike’s Magic. Carla Gugino, a Flanagan regular, absolutely shines here. The things Mike took away and added, few though they were, were all perfect adaptive choices that I fully stand behind. Just a warning, all of Flanagan’s are going to be on this list.

IT Part 1 (2017)

This is one that changed a significant amount of the plot but still managed to make it work for me. If we didn’t have this incredible casting, it might’ve been a bad movie.

These kids have great chemistry, and everyone was perfectly cast. The trainwreck of casting in the original series is completely remedied here (looking at Bev’s actress especially). While neither adaptation really did the actual plot much justice, the 2017 version did manage to capture something similar to Stand By Me, that feeling of being on the verge of teenagedom and your last summer of innocence.

1922 (2017)

This is where I first encountered Thomas Jane, and holy crap, what an introduction. Jane was literally the only person who could’ve played Wilf. Also, fun fact, fucking Mike Patton did the soundtrack for this one. What??

Neal McDonough is the perfect Harlan Cotterie, Molly Parker does her job with great dignity, and Dylan Schmid is the perfect mix of adorable and heartbreaking.

But while this casting is amazing, Thomas Jane absolutely carried this movie on his shoulders. I’ll say it again, no one else could’ve played this part as well. I fucking love this movie. Go watch it.

Doctor Sleep (2019)

Here’s our guy Flanagan again. Mike somehow managed to please both fans of the book and the Kubrick adaptation with his references and nods to both that meshed perfectly. The cinematography is off the charts and the acting is on-point. Mike did change up the plot a bit, especially at the end, but like in Gerald’s Game, every change he made only served to make a better film.

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (2022)

I was very impressed with this one. The original story itself really doesn’t have much in terms of plot, but the vibes and character work we do here is very fitting to the original feel of the story. I fell in love with Jaeden Martell for his portrayal of Bill in It Part 1, and I think he’s phenomenal here too. I hope he continues to work on King IP’s.

The Life of Chuck (2024)

It has come to my attention that not everyone in the world has seen this movie. This is what’s wrong with society.

Seriously though, I knew this was going to be a hard-hitter based on the way The Haunting of Bly Manor made me ugly cry for two days. Flanagan just knows how to hit right where it gets me, and this was no exception. While not necessarily a cryer, Life of Chuck just made me really get that feeling of live life while you can that came across so well in the novella. Every Chuck actor knew just how to get me, and the beginning sequence is so darkly beautiful. And if anyone ever wants an example of why Flanagan is one of the most talented directors today, all they need to see is the dance scene.

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BONUS: Upcoming adaptations that have me cautiously excited

According to King’s official website, several exciting titles are currently on their way to us. Two Bachman books currently have release dates: The Long Walk (September 2025) and The Running Man (November 2025). I am quite optimistic and excited about The Long Walk, a story that I thought to be unadaptable but is a very important reflection of the attitudes toward young lives that were present in the Vietnam War era. I’m less optimistic about The Running Man, as it’s been adapted quite poorly in the past. But it’s no fun to be a naysayer about something I haven’t seen, so I’m open.

On deck with no current release dates, we’ve also got The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (pretty excited), Hearts (cautiously interested), Sleeping Beauties (depends on the production), and Suffer the Little Children (can’t remember that one). Also, I noticed Mike Flanagan’s Carrie miniseries isn’t on here, but that one’s definitely at the top of the excitement list. I trust him with anything. There’s also Rat, theoretically in its infancy with Ben Stiller at the helm. That sounds awesome.

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BONUS BONUS: Adaptations I’d like to see done someday

Firestarter– Unfortunately, there hasn’t been an adaptation of this one yet that I loved. I think it would make for a really cool miniseries. Someone get Mike Flanagan on the phone.

Revival– I think this one, done right, could have a seriously eerie atmosphere. I think they should probably give it to Zak Hilditch, who did 1922.

Billy Summers– This one could be a great action flick with heart.

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Didn’t see your favorite? Check back when Part 2 comes out! I’ll get all Negative Nancy and roast some movies that you probably liked!

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