From the classic 1976 film Carrie to the upcoming Pet Sematary prequel (via Screen Rant), Hollywood hasn’t been shy in adapting Stephen King’s works. The “King of Horror” is known for creating novels and short stories that send shivers down the reader’s spine, whether it’s due to the disturbing acts of a psychopath or a very gruesome and vivid depiction of a monster.
It’s hard to say which projects are the best King adaptations, given that some have been helmed by notable directors and show runners. That said, users on Reddit have been very outspoken about which King adaptation they think is best.
Misery (1990)
Kathy Bates and James Caan star in the 1990 psychological thriller film Misery. Just lIke King’s novel, the movie is about an obsessed fan who kidnaps her favorite author and pressures him to rewrite the final book of his famed series of novels.
In a Reddit thread, user spencermiddleton notes that Misery is always the “correct answer” when asked what the best King adaptation is. Apart from capturing the tone and narrative of King’s novel, Misery also features Bates’ standout performance as the disturbing fan Annie Wilkes.
The Mist (2007)
King’s The Mist has been adapted for both the silver screen and television. However, the film adaptation seems to be more liked by King’s fans compared to the one released on television. The plot of the film revolves around a town that’s engulfed in a mist that effectively traps all the residents and contains unexplainable anomalies that kill those who try to escape.
Redditor notashark1 notes that what makes the film a superior adaptation is the director’s “correct decision to change the ending,” which made the film more poignant and impactful. The show’s depiction of the mist is also incredibly spine-chilling as it's partnered with effective camerawork and cinematography.
Cujo (1983)
King is well known for being able to amplify and elevate the horror of already terrifying situations. Such is the case in the 1983 film Cujo, which is about a mother and son who are trying to get away from a rabid dog by trapping themselves in a car.
A comment by ComprehensiveNet6398 on Reddit highlights how Cujo is an overlooked King adaptation, despite being genuinely terrifying as it features an extremely disturbing“attack scene” where the dog infiltrates the car and “bites the mom on the leg.” Cujo is a remarkable film as it’s still able to scare viewers without featuring supernatural monsters and obscene gore.
Apt Pupil (1998)
Apt Pupil is a King adaptation that doesn’t rely on the supernatural to horrify viewers. Instead, the movie explores the cruelty some humans are willing to commit for a cause they believe in. In the film, a high school student played by Brad Renfro blackmails a Nazi war criminal in hiding played by Ian McKellen to tell him stories of the Holocaust.
Reddit user OffKira notes that they “like the menace in the ending of the movie” where Renfro’s character shows how deeply enamored he is with being evil. But despite the incredible performances of the lead actors, some fans feel that Apt Pupil deserves another shot at being adapted as it didn’t live up to its potential.
Carrie (1976)
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Brian De Palma adapted King’s beloved novel Carrie to the big screen in 1976. The source material is one of King’s few works that have been adapted plenty of times, but fans regard De Palma’s film as the superior adaptation.
Apart from De Palma’s masterful direction and the film’s polished screenplay where teen angst and supernatural powers unfolded, the lead actresses Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie were also praised for their performances. Redditor gf120581 notes that they “both got Oscar nominations,” which was an incredible feat since the Academy has a reputation of ignoring horror films no matter how good they are.
Secret Window (2004)
Filmmakers have also looked to King’s short stories for inspiration. Such is the case of the 2004 psychological thriller film Secret Window, which was pulled from King’s short story collection Four Past Midnight. The film is about a newly-divorced writer who is trapped in an isolated lake house by a vengeful stalker.
Secret Window has primarily earned praise due to its lead actors — with Redditor pukelennock agreeing and noting that Johnny Depp played the character “Mort very well.” The film is also superbly paced and keeps the viewers guessing on what will happen next, especially since killer in Secret Window was hidden in plain sight.
Dreamcatcher (2003)
A lot of King’s fans will incessantly argue about what makes an adaptation good, but what’s really necessary to a good adaptation is faithfulness to the source material. That’s exactly why some of King’s loyal readers note that the 2003 film Dreamcatcher is a good adaptation, despite not being well-liked by critics and audiences at the time of its release.
The horror movie follows a group of friends with powers who need to thwart an alien invasion of earth. Reddit user bevilthompson highlights that Dreamcatcher “doesn't get enough love” even though it’s “faithful to the source material. The main gripes of critics with Dreamcatcher are its incoherent narrative, excessive runtime, and random subplots.
Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Not a lot of people are aware that the critically acclaimed drama film Shawshank Redemption is an adaptation of one of King’s novels. The film chronicles the experience of banker Andy Dufresne in the Shawshank State Penitentiary where he is serving life sentence for killing his wife and her paramour.
Shawshank Redemption is an inspirational drama that features screen presences worth nothing, especially by the veteran Hollywood icon Morgan Freeman. On Reddit, BookishDrummer notes that the decision to “adds scenes” that “aren’t in the novella” amplify the film’s dramatic impact. The movie is loved by cinephiles, especially since Shawshank Redemption has many insightful quotes about life, freedom, and hope.
Stand By Me (1986)
Apart from moving dramas and hair-raising horror novels, Stephen King has also penned a coming-of-age novella. The 1982 novel The Body was adapted into film by Rob Reiner and has taken on the title Stand by Me. It is about how a group of four young boys navigated their lives in Oregon after finding a dead body.
In a Reddit post about the best Stephen King adaptations, RickProfits comments that “King is at his best when he plays with human emotion”. Reiner does an excellent job at translating the source material — and even King praised him saying that it’s the best film out of everything that he’s ever written at the time (via Chicago Tribune).
Doctor Sleep (2019)
The much-awaited follow up to King’s glorious horror novella The Shining was titled Doctor Sleep. While Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining wasn’t well-loved by King’s fans due to its deviations from the source material, Doctor Sleep received high praise from King’s readers as was a successful and faithful adaption.
Redditor sanddkisd adds that Doctor Sleep was “the only movie adaptation” that they felt “went almost perfectly along with the book.” As a direct sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep puts the spotlight on Danny Torrance, the young kid who experienced the horrors of the Overlook Hotel in the first movie.