There’s a good number of our favourite films that started as novels before making their way to the big screen. Some of them include The Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Twilight, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and the list goes on. One author who’s had more of his work adapted for film and television than almost anyone else is Stephen King.
If you don’t know him (first of all, where have you been?), Stephen King is one of the most prolific and successful authors of all time. Dubbed the “King of Horror,” his books often explore the darkest parts of human nature through fear, guilt, obsession, and the supernatural.
His stories are about ordinary people thrust into terrifying, emotional, and often morally complex situations. Aside from horror, King’s imagination also stretches into suspense, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. And Hollywood? Well, let’s say Hollywood couldn’t resist.
Over the years, his stories have inspired a huge range of film adaptations… some brilliant, some strange, and some so bizarre you can’t help but wonder if King himself had a good laugh watching them.
Here’s a look at some of the best (and most bizarre) Stephen King adaptations ever made.
The Best Stephen King Movie Adaptations
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
You wouldn’t expect one of the most beloved prison dramas ever made to come from a Stephen King novella, but that’s the beauty of his versatility. The Shawshank Redemption follows Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover.
Inside Shawshank Prison, he forms a quiet friendship with a fellow inmate, Red, and uses his financial knowledge to assist the corrupt warden’s money-laundering scheme.
It’s a story less about crime and punishment, and more about hope, resilience, and freedom in the unlikeliest of places. What makes Shawshank timeless isn’t its plot twists or explosions; it’s the emotional journey. It’s about surviving confinement with your spirit intact, which might be why it’s now often considered one of the greatest films ever made.
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2. The Green Mile (1999)
Another prison-based story adapted by director Frank Darabont, The Green Mile adds a supernatural twist. It tells the story of Paul Edgecomb, a death row officer (played by Tom Hanks), who meets John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a gentle giant accused of killing two young girls. Coffey isn’t what he seems, as he possesses a mysterious healing power that blurs the line between miracle and curse.
The film mixes heartbreak, faith, and morality in a way that lingers long after it ends. While it’s not without controversy (particularly in how it portrays Coffey’s character), The Green Mile remains an emotional experience that is tender and devastating.
3. The Shining (1980)
Few horror films have left as deep a mark as The Shining. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on King’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and their young son Danny as they move into the remote Overlook Hotel for the winter. Jack, a struggling writer, hopes the solitude will help him work, but instead, he’s slowly consumed by the hotel’s malevolent forces.
Between Jack Nicholson’s unhinged performance and Kubrick’s chilling direction, The Shining has become the blueprint for psychological horror. Interestingly, King famously disliked Kubrick’s adaptation, but audiences and critics continue to call it one of the most iconic horror films of all time.
4. Misery (1990)
If you’ve ever been a little too attached to your favourite author or series, Misery might make you rethink things. The story follows novelist Paul Sheldon, who wakes up after a car crash in the home of his self-proclaimed “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes. At first, Annie seems caring, but when she discovers that Paul plans to kill off her favourite character, she turns psychotic.
What comes next is a terrifying game of captivity and manipulation. The film perfectly captures King’s knack for making everyday human obsession feel as horrifying as any supernatural monster.
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5. Carrie (1976)
Before Mean Girls made high school cruelty look fun, Carrie showed us how horrifying it could truly be. The film tells the story of Carrie White, a painfully shy teenager who’s relentlessly bullied at school and controlled by her religiously fanatic mother.
When Carrie discovers she has telekinetic powers, her pain and anger take a deadly turn, which leads up to one of cinema’s most unforgettable prom scenes.
Carrie is a coming-of-age story twisted into a horror masterpiece. It’s emotional, tragic, and relatable for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider. Sissy Spacek’s performance is one of the best portrayals of teenage isolation ever put on screen.
