An adaptation of Joe Hill's popular short story The Black Phone is currently in cinemas and has so far been well received by fans and critics alike. It is the latest offering in an ever-growing list of tales taken from one of the most creative minds in the horror genre.
Following in his father's (he's Stephen King's son, for those who are unaware) footsteps, Hill's words have inspired filmmakers to produce some of the scariest shorts, series, and films in the business, spanning from 2008 with the short film Pop Art up to the present day, with the recent release of The Black Phone, and there's still plenty of material left to work with.
Pop Art (2008)
Taken from the collection 20th Century Ghosts, Pop Art is the first of Joe Hill's stories to have been adapted into a short film. Bill Milner (Skellig, Son of Rambow) stars as a lonely schoolboy who befriends Art, an inflatable boy.
It is an artsy, yet melancholy depiction of grief, alienation and friendship. Although some fans of the story have criticized the film for lacking depth into the relationship between the boys, it is certainly worth watching as a supplement to the original tale.
Abraham's Boys (2009)
Stranger Things co-creator Matt Duffer penned the script for the short film adaptation of Joe Hill's story, Abraham's Boys. Like The Black Phone and Pop Art, the story is part of Hill's highly esteemed collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
The story is a sequel of sorts to the Bram Stoker novel Dracula, following Abraham Van Helsing's children as they attempt to uncover their father's past. The film packs a lot of emotional intensity into its mere fifteen minutes and, with talks of a feature-length film directed by Natasha Kerman (per Slash Film), it will be interesting to see how this translates when given more breathing space.
Horns (2013)
Perhaps one of the most famous adaptations of Joe Hill's work is the film retelling of his novel Horns, starring Daniel Radcliffe. The character Ignatius is miles from the young wizard Radcliffe is best known for playing, though there are some small similarities; he is a man accused of murdering his girlfriend who uses his newfound powers to uncover the truth.
Despite the novel's best-selling status, the film fell flat with critics at the time of its release. Despite this, Horns is a fun, darkly humorous, and devilishly different.
Tales From the Darkside (2016)
Tales From the Darkside started out as an intended reboot of the popular anthology series, created by George A. Romero, that originally aired in the 1980s. When no network would pick it up, Hill reworked his scripts and released them as comics instead, with artwork by Gabriel Rodriguez.
Unfortunately, a pilot was made but it remains unaired, so the idea never made it to television. But given the current success of comic-to-screen adaptations, like Locke & Key and The Umbrella Academy, it is certainly an idea worth revisiting from a similar angle.
In The Tall Grass (2019)
In collaboration with his father, Stephen King, Joe Hill penned the novella In The Tall Grass, which was later released as a feature-length film via Netflix in 2019.
The film is an understated gem that, in a sense, got lost in the tall grass itself. With mixed reviews from critics and viewers alike, it is clear to see how it fell under the radar. But with stunning cast performances, including the terrifying Patrick Wilson, and a plotline to keep anyone up at night, the film is definitely worth revisiting.
NOS4A2
Zachary Quinto shines as the formidable Charlie Manx in the television adaptation of Joe Hill's cleverly titled novel, NOS4A2. Manx is a monster that feeds on the souls of children and is hunted down by Vic (Ashleigh Cummings), an artist with newfound supernatural abilities.
The series offers an alternative take on the vampire genre for viewers to sink their teeth into. It shares teen drama elements with its contemporaries, such as The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Riverdale, which helps bring the tale to new audiences.
Creepshow (2019)
Greg Nicotero's reboot of the classic horror anthology series Creepshow features short films based on stories and screenplays by many great writers. Joe Hill himself has contributed a number of stories to the series, including "Silver Water of Lake Champlain", "Twittering from the Circus of the Dead," and "Mums".
Each short offers insight into three completely separate sections of Hill's mind, demonstrating the twisted scope of his expansive imagination. The continued adoration for Creepshow, as evidenced by its successful revival, proves that there remains a thirst for anthology horror series that Hill is readily able to quench.
Locke & Key (2020)
Three entirely separate television pilots came into existence before the Locke & Key series finally premiered on Netflix. The series is based on comics written by Joe Hill, with artwork by Gabriel Rodríguez, in which the Locke family return to their ancestral home following the mysterious murder of their father.
After a rocky journey from page to screen, the series will conclude with its third season, as planned by the creators, which is due for release this August. The series is one of the best supernatural shows on television, with clear similarities to the likes of Stranger Things and The Umbrella Academy, which will undoubtedly keep interests piqued even after the final credits roll.
The Black Phone (2022)
The latest adaptation of Joe Hill's work is, of course, the brilliant The Black Phone, based on a short story of the same name from 20th Century Ghosts. It stars Ethan Hawke as The Grabber - a serial killer terrorizing young boys in a quiet 1970s neighborhood.
Hawke is terrifying as The Grabber, but it is the young cast members that steal the show, delivering performances well beyond their years. Supernatural thrillers steeped in nostalgia are all the rage right now, so it is unsurprising that this film has proven a hit amongst viewers, leading many to revisit the source material or to discover it for the first time.