Stephen King isn’t just the King of Horror on the page, and many of his movie adaptations have gotten high scores on Rotten Tomatoes. First making a splash in the mid-1970s with his groundbreaking novel, Carrie, it didn’t take long for Hollywood to adapt King’s first book into a movie. Because the Brian De Palma adaptation was such a success, King’s books soon became popular fodder for movies and TV shows. While they haven’t all been perfect, Stephen King adaptations have remained popular with audiences nearly 50 years after the release of his first movie.
Horror is a tricky thing to pull off, and the genre hasn’t always been well-respected by the critical establishment. Legendary horror films with rabid fanbases are sometimes given negative ratings by reviewers, and their critical reputation isn’t necessarily representative of their overall quality. Stephen King’s movies and shows have had their fair share of stinkers, but the craft that the author puts into his books often appears on the screen too. Even if the scores might not match popular perception of the films themselves, some of Stephen King’s movies have earned impressive ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
10
The Shining (1980) – 83%
Stanley Kubrick’s King Adaptation Was Divisive
Though Stephen King himself is notoriously critical of Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining, it is still one of the author’s most famous movies. Capturing the nightmarish and lyrical quality of the haunted H๏τel, the Jack Nicholson film is a slow and haunting descent into madness. Despite this, the film was divisive upon release, and critics weren’t as high on it then as they are now.
Kubrick’s ideas were bigger than the confines of the novel, and it almost stands on its own outside of being an adaptation.
Its reputation has only grown in the nearly five decades since its debut, and it is an example of a Stephen King movie that interprets the book instead of literally adapting it. Kubrick’s ideas were bigger than the confines of the novel, and it almost stands on its own outside of being an adaptation.
9
It (2017) – 85%
The Second Attempt At The Novel Fared Much Better
The 1990 TV movie version of It might be a nostalgic favorite, but the 2017 version certainly benefited from an increased budget and broader storytelling ability. Showing just how a modern Stephen King movie should approach its subject matter, the newer It adaptation brought the story forward a few decades without sacrificing the nostalgia of the original time period.
Bill Skarsgård’s turn as Pennywise has been firmly cemented as part of horror movie history, and his interpretation was a bit closer to the cosmic evil presented in the book. The 2017 movie was split into two parts, but the second half of the story didn’t fare nearly as well with critics.
8
Dolores Claiborne (1995) – 86%
Stephen King’s Gripping Thriller From The ’90s
While he may be best remembered as a master of horror, 1995’s Dolores Claiborne proved that Stephen King could do other genres too. The second King movie to star Kathy Bates features her in the тιтle role, and it’s a mystery thriller that explores ideas like abuse and generational trauma. Bates gives one of her best performances, and she even called Dolores her favorite role.
The movie was a hit upon release, and though it has faded a bit, it still deserves a place among King’s best movies. What it lacks in chills it makes up for with brilliant characters and a тιԍнтly-plotted script that actually improves upon the novel it’s based on.
7
The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Zone (1983) – 89%
David Cronenberg’s Stephen King Movie
Often forgotten in the wash of Stephen King movies from the 1980s, The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Zone is one of the author’s most effective adaptations. Helmed by body horror icon David Cronenberg, The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Zone captures the horror and tragedy at the heart of the novel it’s based on. Making only a few changes, the movie is nearly flawless because it’s based on a perfect book.
The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Zone was also adapted into a TV series that ran from 2002 to 2007.
Instead of a story about a terrifying monster, the movie finds its scares through a plausible plot and rising suspense. Johnny Smith is cursed with his powers, and that curse becomes a terrible burden as he spirals toward the movie’s dark conclusion.
6
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – 89%
The Better Of Stephen King’s Two Prison Movies
Adapting Stephen King’s short story, The Shawshank Redemption was one of the first times that the writer’s dramatic side was shown onscreen. The emotional prison drama was totally unlike anything that had been adapted from King before, and critics loved the tale of retribution and hope. Over 30 years later, the movie is still a crown jewel in King’s filmography.
Frank Darabont’s adaptation tapped into the essence of King’s writing to pull out complex characters with interesting arcs
Though his horror stories certainly aren’t without their well-written characters, Frank Darabont’s adaptation tapped into the essence of King’s writing to pull out complex characters with interesting arcs. The movie was nominated for seven Oscars (the most of any King film), but failed to win any of its categories.
5
Gerald’s Game (2017) – 91%
Mike Flanagan’s First Stephen King Adaptation
Mike Flanagan has become the modern Stephen King whisperer, and his first adaptation took on a book that was once thought to be unfilmable. Gerald’s Game is one of King’s most subversive works, and takes place largely inside the mind of its main character. Flanagan cleverly expanded on the flashbacks in order to carry the film forward, while also utilizing tension effectively.
As some King adaptations opted for the more bombastic approach, Gerald’s Game succeeds because of its simplicity, and it focuses on the right parts of the novel. The Netflix original movie brought King into the age of streaming, and it was one of his most well-received adaptations in years.
4
Misery (1990) – 91%
Stephen King’s Only Oscar-Winning Film Thus Far
In the pantheon of great villains in Stephen King movies, few are as memorable as Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery. Reflecting King’s own fears about obsessed fans, the gripping thriller was Rob Reiner’s second King adaptation and is still one of his most chilling movies to date. The claustrophobic atmosphere and premise are unique among King books, and it has a smaller scale while remaining just as frightening.
Bates won an Oscar for her role in the movie, and Misery is still the only Stephen King movie to win an Academy Award. The 1990 adaptation is a prime example of why King’s novels make such good movies, and his book’s plot structure was tailor-made to play out on the big screen.
3
1922 (2017) – 92%
One Of Stephen King’s Darkest Novellas
Though it is often overshadowed by other adaptations, the Netflix original film 1922 ranks near the top according to Rotten Tomatoes. The dark tale of murder and madness was directed by Zak Hilditch, and is one of two King adaptations hosted by Netflix in 2017. With an eerie concept and a slow-burn story, 1922 creeps up on the viewer with growing fright.
King has written other stories with a similar premise, but the adaptation of 1922 highlights all the best qualities of the novella it’s based on. Smart visual choices and incredibly strong performances sell the movie’s ideas, and its unᴀssuming nature is ultimately what makes it so nightmarish.
2
Stand By Me (1986) – 92%
Stephen King’s Coming-Of-Age Classic
A lot of Stephen King’s work has a nostalgic angle, and Stand By Me is perhaps his most nostalgia-driven movie of all. Adapting the short story “The Body”, the Rob Reiner ’80s gem is all about the fleeting nature of youth as illustrated by an adventure story featuring young boys. Almost like a fairytale, every aspect of Stand By Me has a larger-than-life quality, as if it’s being seen through the eyes of a child.
Fitting nicely alongside the other kid adventure movies from the ’80s, Stand By Me is a bit darker and has an ultimately tragic undertone. King’s true power as a writer is on full display, and Reiner deftly took the short story and expanded all the best elements.
1
Carrie (1976) – 94%
The First Stephen King Movie Is Still The Best
Helping to make Stephen King a household name, 1976’s Carrie is still his best movie adaptation to date. Brian De Palma took the epistolary novel and fleshed it out, and the performance of Sissy Spacek as the тιтular character is one of horror’s best. It doesn’t matter that the movie made some major changes to Carrie’s character, because it streamlined the book.
Ironically, King would go on to become a better writer after publishing Carrie, but no adaptation has been able to match the 1976 movie in terms of quality. It’s scary and sad in equal measure, and it truly captures the anguish of its lead character before she eventually turns on the school at prom. Future sequels and remakes were a pale imitation of De Palma’s masterpiece, and no other Stephen King movie has reached the level of Carrie.
