Stephen King is one of the most prolific authors of his generation. He is best known for his work in the horror genre, penning novels such as Pet Sematary, The Shining, and Carrie. These terror-inducing tales provide nightmare fuel for countless film and television adaptations, which have their own avid fan bases as well. Some auteur directors have been the ones to adapt King’s works, including renowned director Stanley Kubrick and more. Early 2025 saw the release of The Monkey, which was directed by budding horror master Osgood Perkins.
One of the most common adapters of King’s work in the 21st century is Mike Flanagan. This started when the horror filmmaker adapted Gerald’s Game in 2017. His work then continued with the first-ever adaptation of The Shining sequel, Doctor Sleep, which King himself greatly approved of. Flanagan will soon enter into the King-based TV space with his Carrie television series. The director was also a part of another King adaptation this year that is getting great reviews.
Life Of Chuck Is One Of The Very Best Stephen King Movies In Years
Or Possibly Of This Century
The Life of Chuck was released to positive reviews this year. The adaptation of King’s short story of the same name tells the tale of Charles “Chuck” Krantz’s life, but in reverse. Four actors play the тιтular role, including Cody Flanagan, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, and Tom Hiddleston, who are joined by a supporting cast including Karen Gillan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill, and Matthew Lillard. Life of Chuck is getting great reviews, boasting an 82% Tomatometer from critics and an 87% Popcornmeter from audiences.
One of Life of Chuck‘s champions was ScreenRant‘s Mae Abdulbaki, who gave the movie 8 out of 10 stars and called it “an exciting King adaptation.” Most critics agree that the movie is one of the best King adaptations to come out in several years. The movie is insightful, thematically rich, and features a stellar ensemble cast. Arguably, the film is also one of the best King adaptations of this century. There have been some pretty good ones, such as It, but it is hard to deny the greatness of The Life of Chuck.
Life Of Chuck Is A Reminder That So Many Of The Best Stephen King Movies Aren’t Horrors
And This Has Been True For Almost Four Decades
Unlike other recent King adaptations such as The Monkey, The Life of Chuck is not a horror film. Instead, it is actually a good reminder that many of the best King-based movies do not fall within the horror genre. It is easy to forget that dramas like The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption are actually based off of King’s books, because the cultural zeitgeist has been much quicker to emphasize his horror тιтles, like It or The Shining. But suffice to say, these non-horror movies are among his best regarded by critics and audiences.
In fact, non-horror King adaptations stem all the way back to Stand by Me in 1986. While the 1983 David Cronenberg movie The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Zone is also not as much of a horror film, the director’s ᴀssociation with the genre and the movie’s thriller elements make it more horror-adjacent. Stand by Me has not only become a classic ’80s coming-of-age tale, but one of the first examples that really helped prove that some of the best King adaptations are not horror films.
While the horror genre might be his sweet spot, King really is so much more than a horror writer.
The Life of Chuck only helps this existing argument about the author’s work. Taking on fantasy and sci-fi elements, it is more of a genre film than something like The Green Mile, which is a strict drama, but it is definitely not horror. It is a great way to highlight the fact that the best King movies can still be genre-bending and interesting without taking on the director’s horror work.
Life Of Chuck Is A Departure For Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King Movies
He Usually Directs Horror Movies
As a frequent flyer in the King adaptation realm, The Life of Chuck is also an interesting departure for Flanagan. His other King adaptations are more strictly within the horror genre, and his next one, Carrie, will also return to this genre. Flanagan is also more apt to make horror films in general, making The Life of Chuck even more non-standard. His decision to take on one of King’s non-horror works just shows the director’s reverence for the author’s work as a whole, even if it is outside his genre comfort zone.
Stephen King Really Is So Much More Than A Horror Writer
He Can Tell Very Human Stories
While the horror genre might be his sweet spot, King really is so much more than a horror writer. Even stories that include supernatural or otherwise spooky elements can be, at their core, intensely human. The Shining is a great example of this. Though the book (and movie) are definitely classified within the horror genre, the story is ultimately about a family and a deeply emotional story about alcoholism and family. Similar things could be said about The Monkey, which released its movie adaptation earlier this year.
But without having to look within his horror films themselves for emotional stories, the author also has so many great stories that prove he can tell very human, conventionally dramatic tales. There are multiple factors behind the resultant trend that his non-horror works tend to be some of his best. There’s a much bigger pool of horror тιтles, so the hit rate is bound to be lower. Within that group, there have also been some big and widely publicized misses, such as the 2022 film Firestarter. These lower the quality of the average horror adaptation, whereas the non-horrors have been consistent.
This Stephen King Trend Bodes Well For Another 2025 Movie
The Running Man Is Not Horror
The Life of Chuck has exhibited King’s non-horror qualities at a good time. Later this year, Edgar Wright will release his updated remake of The Running Man. While the dystopian sci-fi story has some thriller elements, it is not overtly a horror story either. Though originally published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, it is well-known to be ᴀssociated with King. As such, it will be good for audiences to remember what the author can do outside what is neatly the horror genre, as this is relevant to The Running Man.
Of course, none of this means that King will escape the label of being a horror author. 2025 will also see the release of The Long Walk, which, while a dystopian thriller as well, is horrific enough for many to consider it an entry within the genre. However, movies like The Life of Chuck and The Running Man may pave the way for a wider breadth of the author’s work to be adapted. People have loved The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and more, and now with The Life of Chuck, the trend is continuing strong.
