Many of Stephen King's stories have made their way to the big screen, but a bunch have also been adapted for TV, and here's the full list. King is one of the most adapted authors in history, although that makes perfect sense, since he's also one of the most prolific. King has so far published a whopping 61 full-length novels, and written about 200 short stories, many of which have been compiled into collections. That's not even counting his non-fiction works.
Even at the age of 72, King shows no signs of slowing down, and as long as he's still actively writing, it seems likely that he'll stay ahead of Hollywood's seeming quest to eventually adapt everything he's ever written. Knowing King's macabre sense of humor though, it wouldn't be surprising to learn after his eventual death that he's held back a pile of stories designed to be released from beyond the grave. That's especially likely when one considers the breakneck pace at which he writes material.
Without any further ado, here's a guide to every King story, both novel and short, that has been adapted for the TV medium. This includes movies that were made for TV, miniseries, King-based TV shows, and King stories that were adapted into anthology TV episodes.
Every Stephen King Story Adapted for TV (So Far)
Salem's Lot (1979) - This legendary CBS miniseries marked the very first time a King novel was adapted for TV, and was directed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Tobe Hooper. It's a bit overly long, but features some iconic scare scenes, and a terrific, albeit not faithful to the book version of lead vampire Kurt Barlow.
The Word Processor of the Gods (1984) - This Tales from the Darkside episode is the first of several instances in which King shorts would be adapted by anthology TV shows. Bruce Davison stars as a frustrated author whose new word processor is able to make what he writes become real.
Gramma (1986) - This is an episode of the underrated 1980s Twilight Zone revival, and focuses on a boy left alone with his creepy grandmother. As the story goes on, the old woman becomes literally monstrous, and the boy's safety is put in serious jeopardy. This story was later adapted into a 2014 direct to video movie called Mercy, starring The Walking Dead's Chandler Riggs.
IT (1990) - This ABC miniseries is another iconic adaptation, featuring Tim Curry as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. TV content restrictions prevent the book's really hardcore scares and gore from being adapted, and the ending is infamously laughable, but the miniseries overall is still a great watch.
Sometimes They Come Back (1991) - After years of discovering it via home video, many King fans might not be aware this began life as a CBS TV movie. Starring Tim Matheson as a teacher menaced by his undead childhood bullies, it's not a bad movie, but it's far from a faithful adaptation of King's short. Two unrelated direct to video sequels were later produced.
The Tommyknockers (1993) - While King adaptations rarely measure up to his prose, this ABC miniseries arguably bests it, although that's because the book is pretty lackluster. Even King looks back on the book with disgust, as it was written during the darkest parts of his struggles with substance abuse.
The Stand (1994) - King's apocalyptic novel will soon be adapted again for CBS All Access, but this first ABC miniseries still holds up pretty well, especially thanks to a terrific lead performance from Gary Sinise, and a great Randall Flagg in Jamey Sheridan. Some of the 1990s CGI effects look pretty awful nowadays though.
The Langoliers (1995) - Yet another ABC miniseries, this features some illogical time travel rules, and is really hit and miss overall. The biggest issue is some awful, wooden as a log cabin acting from much of the cast, while Bronson Pinchot does the reverse and hams it up as villain Craig Toomy.
The Shining (1997) - King's attempt to make up for what he thought was a lacking movie adaptation by Stanley Kubrick, this ABC miniseries is much more faithful to the novel, but is also way too long and features a terrible performance by Courtland Mead as Danny Torrance.
The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson (1997) - This was an episode of the also underrated 1990s revival of The Outer Limits, and those familiar with The Tommyknockers will recognize a lot of it, as Becka Paulson also appears in that book, and takes part in a similar scenario involving a cheating husband.
Trucks (1997) - This made for TV movie was based on the same story King adapted for his infamously bad directorial debut Maximum Overdrive. However, Trucks is somehow even worse, trading in silly but gory kills and a sense of ridiculous fun for abject boredom.
Chattery Teeth (1997) - This King short was adapted into one of two segments in the Mick Garris made for cable anthology movie Quicksilver Highway. Chattery Teeth is one of King's many stories that manage to make a mundane object sinister, in this case an evil pair of the titular novelty. Clive Barker wrote the other story featured in the film, titled The Body Politic.
Woh (1998) - Likely unknown to many of King's constant readers, this Indian TV series was an official adaptation of IT, or more specifically the 1990 miniseries, from which it copies several scenes. Woh ran a whopping 52 episodes into length, so needless to say, the story adds a lot of odd material. The full series can be found on YouTube, but sadly, no English subtitles are available.
Carrie (2002) - The second of three screen adaptations of Carrie, this ABC TV movie was originally intended as a backdoor pilot for a Carrie TV series that ended up being passed on. May's Angela Bettis takes over the titular role in this best left forgotten effort that ends with Carrie faking her death and moving to Florida.
The Dead Zone (2002-2007) - The first full-on American TV series to be adapted from a King book, USA Network's The Dead Zone starred Anthony Michael Hall as psychic Johnny Smith. Not nearly as grim as the David Cronenberg film, this series managed to run for six seasons, although things fell apart a bit in the final episodes.
Salem's Lot (2004) - This second attempt at turning Salem's Lot into a miniseries, this time on TNT, is fine, but fails to reach the heights of fright attained by the 1979 version. Rob Lowe stars as protagonist Ben Mears, with Rutger Hauer as a more book accurate Barlow. Andre Braugher, James Cromwell, and Samantha Mathis also star.
Desperation (2006) - This ABC TV movie directed by Mick Garris drew decent reviews, but wasn't embraced by King fans, and today has widely been forgotten. The casting is at least on point, with notables like Ron Perlman, Tom Skeritt, Steven Weber, Annabeth Gish, and Henry Thomas in tow.
Battleground (2006) - Directed by Brian Henson, this was the first installment in TNT's short-lived King anthology series Nightmares & Dreamscapes. It tells the tale of a hitman (William Hurt) battling against sentient army men after murdering a toy maker.
Crouch End (2006) - Claire Forlani and Eion Bailey star in this adaptation of King's homage to H.P. Lovecraft, the second episode of Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Sadly, the final product isn't great, changes the story's ending for the worse, and features terrible CGI effects.
Umney's Last Case (2006) - The third Nightmares & Dreamscapes episode stars William H. Macy as both literary detective Clyde Umney and his real-world creator, an author unsatisfied by his life. It's a fine effort, and Macy is good, but the ending is anticlimactic.
The End of the Whole Mess (2006) - Nightmares & Dreamscapes' fourth episode is one of its best, telling the tale of a genius who manages to create a substance that cuts off humanity's violent urges. Unfortunately, it also gives everyone Alzbeimer's disease, condemning humanity to a painful demise.
The Road Virus Heads North (2006) - Tom Berenger stars as a successful horror author - King's usual stand-in for himself - in this fifth Nightmares & Dreamscapes episode. He finds a ghastly painting at a yard sale, but its deceased owner soon returns to reclaim his property.
The Fifth Quarter (2006) - This sixth Nightmares & Dreamscapes installment actually isn't really a horror tale, and is instead a crime thriller about the aftermath of a risky heist. Jeremy Sisto stars as a recently released ex-con drawn back into a life of crime to try and help his family survive.
Autopsy Room Four (2006) - The penultimate episode of Nightmares & Dreamscapes, this story stars Richard Thomas as a man presumed dead after getting bit by a snake on a golf course. He enters a race against time to try and let the doctors know he's alive before they start cutting into him.
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band (2006) - The eighth and final King short adapted for Nightmares and Dreamscapes casts Steven Weber and Kim Delaney as a couple who makes a wrong turn and end up in Rock & Roll Heaven, which is actually closer to Hell. Evil versions of deceased rock legends like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley lead to amusing cameos.
Children of the Corn (2009) - This was a little-seen made for Syfy re-adaptation of King's short Children of the Corn, and while it was more faithful than the 1984 film, it was plagued by bad acting and poor creative choices in general. Another movie adaptation is currently filming in Australia.
Haven (2010-2015) - A hit series for Syfy, Haven ran for five seasons and 78 episodes total. Its basic premise is a loose adaptation of King's novel The Colorado Kid, but Haven mostly tread its own creative path. Some fans weren't satisfied with the ending and hope for a revival.
Bag of Bones (2011) - Made for A&E, Bag of Bones is a technically competent but often boring and lackluster miniseries adaptation of King's novel. Pierce Brosnan plays a successful author whose wife dies, leading him to take a vacation at their summer house, where supernatural craziness occurs.
Under the Dome (2013-2015) - This CBS TV series was quite popular in season 1, but fell off a cliff in quality in seasons 2 and 3. King has even himself suggested his book deserves a second TV adaptation, possibly by streaming giant Netflix. The show's major failing is veering wildly away from the source material, and replacing it with a lame Invasion of the Body Snatchers type plot.
Big Driver (2014) - Lifetime, of all networks, aired this King novella adaptation about a mystery writer (Maria Bello) who suffers a brutal, heinous attack in which she's raped, beaten, and left for dead. But she survives, and sets out on a quest for revenge.
11.22.63 (2016) - This eight-episode Hulu series adapted King's acclaimed tale of a teacher (James Franco) who uses a time portal to try and go back and prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, only to find out that history has dangerous safeguards against being tampered with.
The Mist (2017) - Airing on Spike TV, this short-lived adaptation of King's beloved Lovecraftian novella drew instant fan backlash for not actually including monsters within the titular mist. Reviews were terrible and ratings were bad, leading to a quick cancellation. King fans should stick with the 2007 film directed by Frank Darabont.
Mr. Mercedes (2017-???) - Airing on AT&T's obscure Audience Network, Mr. Mercedes deserves more fans, as it earned great reviews and managed to stay good over the course of three seasons. With Audience Network now gone though, season 4 is uncertain.
Castle Rock (2018-???) - Hulu's two-season anthology series doesn't straight up adapt particular King stories, but does make use of existing King characters, locations, and lore to craft its own creative endeavors. It's unclear at present if season 3 will happen.
Gray Matter (2019) - This adaptation of a King short served as the first half of Creepshow's debut episode on Shudder, and concerns a man who develops a deadly drinking problem after a bad batch of beer turns him into a horrifying creature. One assumes Creepshow season 2 might adapt more King material.
The Outsider (2020) - A hit 10-episode HBO adaptation of one of King's most recent novels, The Outsider centers on Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), a seemingly upstanding citizen of Flint City, Oklahoma. When Terry gets arrested for the brutal murder of a young boy, the investigation takes a turn for the strange.