For decades, Stephen King has been considered one of the undisputed masters of the horror genre with his legion of books, miniseries, and films. The man is responsible for such classics as The Stand and The Green Mile, but King's true gift lies in the creation of his monsters.
What would a horror story be without a few threatening entities, right? Here's a look at the most frightening monsters and madmen from the mind of Stephen King.
Updated October 7th, 2020 by Zach Gass: through his works of both literature and film, Stephen King is responsible for creating some of the most frightening creeps and creatures to ever dwell within his audience's nightmares. From terrifying eldritch horrors from another dimension to the standard issue, garden-variety werewolves and vampires, King has kept is readers and viewers captivated by his monsters for decades. Whether they exist on the page or on the screen, fans of his work can count on the author painting with a pallet of fear to create some of his greatest stories.
The Creep (Creepshow)
Consider this one an honorable mention, but if there's one thing to take away from Stephen King's film debut, it's the Creep from Creepshow. An obvious nod to Tales from the Crypt's cackling Crypt Keeper, the Creep is skeletal, sinister, and serves as a perfect introduction to the series of shocking stories King has prepared in this George Romero masterpiece. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all.
Mr. Gaunt (Needful Things)
This movie might not be the typical Stephen King outing, but to say it lacks a certain breed of monster would be grossly untrue. Enter the devilish Mr. Leland gaunt and his titular antique shop, Needful Things.
Without going into spoiler territory, everything in the gentleman's shop can be bought at a modest price, though not necessarily in terms of money. An interesting twist on the Faustian bargain, Mr. Gaunt offers more than the ways of the world in exchange for one's soul.
Isaac’s Cult (Children of the Corn)
Creepy kids never go out of style, and Stephen King's cast of unholy terrors in Children of the Corn definitely get some major props for their creep factor. Isaac and Malachi alone are enough to send shivers down many adult spines. Although some might consider them campy by today's standards, there is a strange unsettling element seeing preteen kids with various sharp farm tools sacrificing adults to an evil corn demon.
Church (Pet Sematary)
Church is practically the mascot for Pet Sematary, both the novel and the films. But why does the undead cat earn a spot on this list? Simply put, after his reanimation, Church is not the same cat anymore.
Rather, he is something more feral and ancient than the cute and cuddly kitty seen at the beginning of the film. As illustrated in both book and film, the dead return as something not of the mortal world.
Gage Creed (Pet Sematary)
" Sometimes, dead is better." No truer words can ever be used to describe what happened to little Gage in Pet Sematary. Grief will drive anyone to do unspeakable things, but as seen in most of Stephen King's work, they come with consequences. In this case, the Creed family has a demonic, undead toddler on their hands. Isaac and Malachi have got nothing on this little creep. Dead is better indeed.
Happy Toyz Truck (Maximum Overdrive)
It might not be the most terrifying entity on the list, or even the most terrifying movie for that matter, but it's impossible to say the big-wheeled behemoth isn't memorable. What psychopathic toy company would own a delivery truck with the Green Goblin's face welded to the front? It definitely captures the overall tone of the film in a nutshell.
Cujo (Cujo)
Now for something legitimately scary, here we have a once faithful and loving canine companion turned into a massive bloodthirsty monster in the form of Cujo. What makes the dog so incredibly unnerving is the fact that he didn't start out as a killer but was someone's beloved animal.
Cujo was cared for, trusted, and loved by his owners before turning into something out of a nightmare, giving the horror a personal edge.
Werecats (Sleepwalkers)
Stephen King has two types of horror stories: seriously scary or surprisingly silly. Sleepwalkers is the latter and it's completely unashamed of it. The cat demons walking around in human forms are like something out of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video and both the story and the effects are knowingly over-the-top overkill. Chalk it up to being one of those so-bad-it's-good entries in King's library.
He Who Walks Behind the Rows (Children of the Corn)
Religious fanaticism and a cult of creepy killer kids are more than enough to craft a good horror story, but credit has to be given to King for trying to make corn scary. He Who Walks Behind the Rows is the demonic entity that lives in Gatlin's cornfields and is probably eerier in the book than he is in the film.
That being said, the demon's presence is something still uncomfortably felt throughout the film. The devil you see is safer than the devil you don't.
Kurt Barlow (Salem’s Lot)
Though he's drastically different in Tobe Hooper's miniseries than he is in the novel, this throwback to the golden age of movie vampires is not without some merit. Kurt Barlow checks all the monster boxes but makes it work. If it's possible for something to be so dated it's classic, this incarnation of Mr. Barlow is definitely worthy of the title.
Christine (Christine)
When it comes to stylistic '80s horror films, John Carpenter is absolutely the man. Pair him with one of the most renowned horror writers of all time and you've got a recipe for success.
Christine is the product of this marvelous collaboration, and its star is a hot rod with a hellbound heart. Christine isn't like her peers in Maximum Overdrive; she's a force of evil that gives new meaning to the term "Speed Demon."
Rose and the True Knot (Doctor Sleep)
Salem's Lot had a more traditional form of vampire, but Doctor Sleep presents a different and more dangerous species in the form of Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot. This caravan of camper-driving creeps feeds not on blood, but on psychic energy in the form of steam. They're ruthless and manipulative, and with their array of different abilities, they're borderline unstoppable.
Henry Bowers (It)
Henry Bowers has a special place on the list, simply because he needs no vampirism, werecat form, or psychic abilities to be considered a monster. This bully from the mean streets of Derry, Maine is evil out of his own pure tenacity and volition.
He's a violent psychopath who makes a perfect anchor for a certain sewer-dwelling demon clown. Long story short, human monsters are always the worst.
The Overlook Hotel (The Shining)
Whether it's the naked zombie prostitute in the bathtub, the gory Grady twins, or whatever the guy in the dog suit might be, the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel breathe new life into the concept of a haunted house. Whether it's in Stephen King's original novel or Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror interpretation, the scares are real and the spirits are restless. For a seriously spooky getaway, check into the Overlook.
Pennywise the Dancing Clown (It)
Though not It's true form, the number one spot has to go to the one and only Pennywise. Whether it's the original novel version, the entertaining Tim Curry performance, or the unsettling Bill Skarsgård portrayal, Pennywise is the main monster associated with Stephen King. With his creepy clown persona, deadlights, and appetite for children, there's no denying how positively petrifying Pennywise can be.