When it comes to Stephen King‘s horror books, there’s usually no need to read the source material before seeing the adaptation. In many cases, people will encounter films like The Shining or It long before they get the chance to pick up their book counterparts. And seeing them first doesn’t take away from the magic of reading King’s stories. In many cases, there are differences that make it well worth picking up both. And King’s books tend to land, whether you’ve seen the adaptation or not, as they’re masterfully crafted.

However, there is one King book that viewers should pick up before seeing the movie. While the source material is strong on its own, this is the one case where the film adaptation actually turns out to be an improvement on it — especially when it comes to the ending. Those who experience the movie’s ending first might find themselves disappointed if they dig into the book after. Although the novel’s conclusion is still a good one, the film’s is just that much better. And it may set too-high expectations for those who read King’s original story second.

You Should Read The Mist Before Seeing The Movie (Otherwise You’ll Be Disappointed)

Seeing The 2007 Film First Might Set Readers Up For Disappointment

The Mist is one of King’s best novellas, and it’s certainly among the strongest additions to his 1985 story collection, Skeleton Crew. Following David Drayton as he finds himself stranded in a grocery store while a mist full of ᴅᴇᴀᴅly creatures descends on his Maine town, The Mist has a chilling premise that delivers on the suspense all the way through. David’s situation is made worse by being separated from his wife, having to protect his young son, and grappling with the people increasingly at odds within the store.

King handles all this masterfully, making The Mist a must-read story from the author’s backlog. However, you’ll want to pick it up before Frank Darabont’s 2007 film adaptation, as the movie captures all the strengths of King’s original — but it has a better ending. While diverging from the source material is typically a no-no for such adaptations, it works incredibly well for the 2007 film. The Mist‘s ending has become iconic because of its changes, which make the story far more devastating.

And because the movie’s conclusion is more memorable and tragic than the book’s, those who see the film first may go into King’s story expecting something similar. Although King’s ending is satisfactory on its own, the film could set them up for disappointment.

Why The Mist’s Movie Ending Is Better Than The Book’s

It’s Even More Horrifying & Pays Off The Rest Of The Story Better

The ending of The Mist is the biggest difference between the book and the movie, and the latter opts for a far more tragic fate for David, Billy, and their allies. In both iterations of the story, the group is forced to leave the safety of the grocery store, venturing out into the ᴅᴇᴀᴅly mist. King’s novella leaves the fates of the characters open-ended, however, concluding with David hearing a radio communication about potential safety in Hartford. We don’t see the group reach this safe haven, but they’re also still alive when the source material comes to a close.

The Mist movie gives David’s group a grimmer send-off, having them drive through the mist until their vehicle is on empty. Once they’re stuck with nowhere else to go, the group agrees that there’s only one way out of the situation: to end their lives. David kills Billy and the rest of the group, but the gun is empty when he turns it on himself. And the military shows up, with the mist clearing, moments later, forcing David to survive with what he has done.

This is far more horrifying than King’s original ending, and it has a greater emotional impact. It also offers closure that isn’t present in The Mist novella. While the ambiguous ending may be favored by those looking for something a bit less depressing, this one suits the tone of the story. It’s also perfectly set up by Mrs. Carmody’s insistence that a sacrifice is required, bringing a major element of King’s narrative to a head in a twisted way.

Even Stephen King Agrees That The Mist Adaptation Has A Great Ending

The Author Liked The Changes To The Original Story

It’s a testament to how great The Mist movie’s ending is that King himself appreciated the changes. Sometimes, book-to-screen differences can leave authors unhappy with adaptations of their work. But King had great things to say about this version of his novella (via CinemaBlend), admitting that he was on board with it:

When Frank said that he wanted to do the ending that he was going to do, I was totally down with that. I thought that was terrific. And it was so anti-Hollywood — anti-everything, really! It was nihilistic. I liked that. So I said you go ahead and do it.”

It’s great that both versions of The Mist exist, and the 2007 film’s ending has become widely acclaimed since its debut. The novella is still just as worthwhile, but given the high expectations the movie sets, those hoping to experience both should reverse the typical order of reading and viewing.

Stephen King

Birthdate

September 21, 1947

Birthplace

Portland, Maine, USA

Notable Projects

The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, It, The Stand, Misery, The Dark Tower, Mr. Mercedes, Carrie

Professions

Author, Screenwriter, Producer, Director, Actor