Very few authors have had more of their books adapted into movies than horror icon Stephen King, and this has been true from the start, when he had no less than 14 movies based on his work in the 1980s alone. The first novel King ever published, Carrie, became a movie just two years later in 1976. Four years after publishing Salem’s Lot, it ended up being turned into a TV miniseries in 1979. In the 1980s, King’s popularity exploded, and the movies based on his work showed this.

King had six of his novels turned into movies, including one that hit theaters the same year his novel hit store shelves (Christine). He had one of his Richard Bachman novels made into a movie (Running Man), and two of his novellas (Stand By Me and Silver Bullet). He also had short stories made into the other six movies, including one that he directed himself (Maximum Overdrive). Not all the Stephen King movies of the 80s were good, but they all had moments that made them pure-King.

14

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Based On Trucks From Night Shift

Stephen King directed only one movie in his career and that happened in 1986 with Maximum Overdrive. The film is based on his short story Trucks, which appeared in his short story collection Night Shift. The plot is about the fear of technology and shows a world where everything electronic comes to life and seeks to destroy humanity. In the end, the only things that really remain memorable about Maximum Overdrive is the Green Goblin semi-truck and the AC/DC soundtrack.

Stephen King himself disowned the movie and never stepped behind the camera to direct another film. While it has a nice cast, led by Emilio Estevez, it remains a B-grade horror movie, although it also has a lot of fun moments that are missing in King’s more serious horror adaptations. The film also has fans, with actor Giancarlo Esposito saying that he has fond memories of acting in the movie and feels it is not as bad as people might make it out to be.

13

The Running Man (1987)

Based On The 1982 Richard Bachman Novel

Despite becoming the best-selling horror author in the world quickly after his career started, Stephen King felt pigeonholed as a horror writer and wanted to prove that he could write in other genres and still find success. To do so, he used the pseudonym Richard Bachman and published books under that name in secrecy. One of those books became a movie in 1987 when Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in The Running Man.

As with several of King’s novels that became movies, the filmmakers changed many things from his original story. The main plot remains intact, with a dystopian world where prisoners can win their freedom by taking part in a reality TV game show where they go on the run from trained killers. If they get to the end, they win freedom. If not, they die. The film is receiving a new adaptation in 2025 by director Edgar Wright, and there is hope he gets it right this time around.

12

Silver Bullet (1985)

Based On Cycle Of The Werewolf (1983)

In 1983, Stephen King published the novella Cycle of the Werewolf, about a young boy in a wheelchair terrorized by a werewolf in his hometown. The book was also released in a mᴀss-market illustrated version, with art supplied by comic book artist Bernie Wrightson. The movie arrived two years later, re-тιтled Silver Bullet. Corey Haim stars as the young Marty, the only person who knows who the werewolf really is.

The film received mixed to negative reviews when released, although the critics who praised it recognized that it was almost a parody of King’s novel, and not a werewolf movie that horror fans should take seriously. However, the biggest complaints mentioned the subpar special effects. Corey Haim and Gary Busey both really tried to help the movie rise, but it remains a low-key King adaptation that has been mostly forgotten.

11

Children Of The Corn (1984)

Based On The Short Story From Night Shift

Children of the Corn has an interesting reputation. The original movie is not one that is highly regarded today, but it remains a cult favorite, especially for fans of Stephen King’s work. Even with its status as a lower-budget B-grade horror movie, Children of the Corn was successful enough to warrant a franchise, and there have been 11 movies in the franchise, none of which really have any continuity between them.

Future Terminator star Linda Hamilton stars alongside Peter Horton, as a young couple stranded in a Nebraska town. All the adults are missing, and the remaining kids are all homicidal, killing adults in the name of “He Who Walks Behind The Rows.” While Hamilton herself has dismissed the movie, it remains a cult classic, and former child actors John Franklin and Courtney Gains are still favorites in the horror genre to this day.

10

Creepshow 2 (1987)

Based On The Short Story The Raft From Night Shift

In 1982, Stephen King teamed with George A. Romero for the anthology horror movie Creepshow and the success of that film led to a sequel in 1987. While the first movie had two King adaptations in it, Creepshow 2 has only one King short story adapted here. That story was The Raft, which was originally published in Night Shift. However, King came up with the ideas for all the stories here, with Romero writing the screenplay.

There are four stories here, including Wraparound Story, Old Chief Wood’nhead, The Raft, and The Hitchhiker. Unlike the first anthology, this horror movie received mostly negative reviews, with critics complaining that it was “too simple in its storytelling” and light on actual scares. It also fell short of the brilliance of the first Creepshow, which hurts its legacy. There was a third movie made years later, but neither King nor Romero had anything to do with it.

9

Firestarter (1984)

Based On The 1980 Novel

In 1984, King’s novel Firestarter was turned into a movie with nine-year-old Drew Barrymore in the lead role as Charlie McGee. In the story, her father Andy (David Keith) was experimented on by a secret government agency and developed superhuman powers. He pᴀssed these on to his daughter, who has pyrokinesis (the ability to control and create fire). He takes her on the run, after someone murdered his wife Vicky, who also took part in the experiment.

The cast is decent, with Barrymore turning in a great performance and George C. Scott terrifying as one of King’s best villains, the man The Shop hires to hunt her down. While critics were unimpressed, it ended up a successful film once it hit home video. King was also not happy with Firestarter, calling it “flavorless.” He said he also disliked Martin Sheen and David Keith’s performances. Blumhouse ended up remaking the Stephen King novel in 2022.

8

Cat’s Eye (1985)

Based On The Short Stories Quitters, Inc. & The Ledge From Night Shift

In 1985, the horror anthology Cat’s Eye had three shorts in it, and two of them were based on Stephen King’s short stories. The two sections based on King’s short stories were Quitters, Inc. and The Ledge. There was also a third segment that was not based on King’s original work. In Quitters Inc., a man wants to quit smoking, but learns the hard way what happens if he relapses. In The Ledge, a crime boss torments a man who will bet on anything.

The cast was solid, with Drew Barrymore and James Woods as the most notable names. The one downfall to this anthology is that it remains mostly forgotten in an era that saw Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside, and Twilight Zone: The Movie. However, this anthology matches up with the others with interesting tales of terror that focus mostly on phobias.

7

Christine (1983)

Based On The 1983 Novel

Christine is an interesting movie because the film’s producer optioned it before Stephen King published it. This allowed Christine to hit theaters just a few short months after the book’s publication. John Carpenter signed on to direct the movie and that makes it better than it really could have been. Between his direction and the musical score he performed, Christine has a lot to like as a cult classic.

The film follows a young man named Arnie (Keith Gordon) who gets a new car and finds that the vehicle has a mind of its own. When it starts killing people, Arnie finds himself under its spell. Critics praised the film when released, with a 73% fresh Rotten Tomatoes score. However, Christine did not impress Stephen King, who said the movie was “boring.” With that said, the movie has fans, with Mike Flanagan saying it deserves more love than it gets.

6

Cujo (1983)

Based On The 1981 Novel

The 1980s saw Stephen King’s stories get very dark, many having tragic endings where there is no happily ever after. One of these novels was 1981’s Cujo. The movie did a smart thing and gave the story a happier ending than the book. In the film, Donna (Dee Wallace) takes her car to a mechanic and finds herself trapped when a formerly lovable St. Bernard ends up bitten by a bat and goes rabid, killing his owner and targeting Donna and her young son Tad next.

With no escape and no one coming to help them, Donna has to keep her son alive and remain hidden from the rabid dog. The book ended in tragedy, but the film kept the terror and fear intact while at least ending on a better note. It received mixed to positive reviews, with Wallace praised for her performance. King has also referred to Cujo as one of his favorite adaptations.

5

Pet Sematary (1989)

Based On The 1983 Novel

Another Stephen King book with a dark storyline, Pet Sematary follows the tale of a father whose son dies in a terrible accident, and he buries the boy in a cemetery where nothing stays ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. What results is his young son coming back from the grave, only to start killing. Directed by Mary Lambert, the film kept the dark undertones as the novel, and it was a horror movie that held nothing back.

It was a box office success and finished with mixed to positive reviews from critics. It was also big enough to warrant a sequel, which came nowhere close to the level of success of this original. Sadly, Stephen King wasn’t a big fan of the Pet Sematary movie despite its standing among fans. There was also a remake that arrived in 2019, although it was mostly forgotten while the original remains remembered with fondness by Stephen King fans and horror aficionados alike.