The Only Stephen King Movie To Ever Win an Oscar Is Leaving Netflix in Less Than 24 Hours

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Rob Reiner’s iconic 1990 adaptation of Misery is about to lose its one-month stay on Netflix. After joining the platform on March 1st, the psychological horror movie is scheduled to exit Netflix on April 1st. The movie, based on King’s 1987 novel of the same name, is one of the highest-rated King adaptations of all time, and also the only one to ever take home an Oscar win. Kathy Bates won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, a sadistic, obsessive, and psychotic former nurse who kidnaps her favorite author, Paul Sheldon, and forces him to rewrite his latest book to her liking. The role also won Bates a Golden Globe Award, with Misery earning Saturn Awards nominations for Best Horror Film and Best Writing, but ultimately losing.

Misery Is One of the Best Stephen King Adaptations Ever

There’s no doubt that Misery was deserving of its Oscar win. Bates’ performance as Annie Wilkes is one of the most iconic and chilling performances in cinema history. The actress perfectly balanced the unpredictable, extreme, opposing personality traits of the character, masterfully shifting between a warm, maternal, and almost childlike demeanor and a terrifyingly violent, unhinged psychopath. Bates, who prepared for the role by researching case files of real-life stalkers, ultimately created an iconic villain in Annie Wilkes, and, in doing so, became the first actress to win an Oscar for a horror/thriller role.

Misery really is a masterpiece, and for more reasons than just Bates’ iconic performance. The movie is a masterclass in suspense, relying on a claustrophobic, isolated setting to fuel a tense psychological battle of wits. The movie maintains that high tension all the way up to the climax. In terms of overall ranking, Misery’s “Certified Fresh” 86% critic score and 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes make it among King’s highest-rated ever. The author himself has even stated plenty of praise for the film. The author told The New York Times in 2025 that he believes Reiner’s movie is better than the book and “the combination of James Caan and Kathy Bates was magic, and it had a touch of humor that was missing from my book.”

Where to Stream Misery After It Leaves Netflix?

Given just how iconic a movie Misery is, it’s kind of shocking that it’s about to become a lot more difficult to stream. Following its Netflix removal on April 1st, the 1990 film will not be available on any major streaming platform. Fans will still be able to stream the movie with an MGM+ subscription or by renting or purchasing it online, and Misery will likely reappear on a different platform in the near future.

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