These Are the 10 Best Stephen King Movies of All Time

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The question is, will Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk or Edgar Wright’s The Running Man end up on this list should it ever be revised? Given the strength of their trailers, there seems to be a decent chance.

1) Carrie (1976)

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The first Stephen King adaptation is still one of the best, thanks to airtight direction by Brian De Palma and a pair of powerhouse lead performances. In fact, that latter factor was the make or break factor for this particular story, just as it was for the 2013 remake and the upcoming miniseries.

Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie were both nominated for Academy Awards for their performances as, respectively, Carrie White and Margaret White. Spacek earns the audiences empathy and keeps it, even when she’s burning her classmates to death while Laurie’s overly maternal Margaret was and remains one of the most terrifying purely human antagonists in horror cinema.

Stream Carrie on Max.

2) The Shining (1980)

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Considered by many to be not just the best Stephen King adaptation, but one of the best scary movies ever made, Stanley Kubrick‘s The Shining is a masterclass on several fronts. Kubrick’s alleged mistreatment of the late Shelley Duvall behind the scenes is an unfortunate cross to bear for the film when watching it these days, but it’s hard to argue with just how concrete his vision for this thing was.

This is, of course, the Jack Nicholson show. He’s utterly captivating from his first frame as Jack Torrance, and it very well may be the most iconic villainous performance to date. But really just about everything that went into crafting the film was well done, from the music to the cinematography to the choice of shooting location.

Rent The Shining on Amazon Video.

3) Creepshow (1982)

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Creepshow was one of the first King adaptations, and the very first anthology film (it wouldn’t be the last). It’s a must-watch for any King fan, with each of its five segments proving to be both incredibly entertaining and grimly funny.

Two of the five segments are based on King stories, “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” and “The Crate.” Admittedly, “Jordy Verrill” is the weakest of the bunch, but it’s still incredibly important given how its led by King himself.

Rent on Amazon Video.

4) The Dead Zone (1983)

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For the most part, director David Cronenberg is known for his work in body horror cinema. In fact, The Dead Zone (which he imbues with haunting ambiance) was sandwiched between Videodrome and The Fly.

The Dead Zone may actually be the most restrained and character-focused piece on Cronenberg’s filmography, but his airtight direction isn’t the only reason this often touching movie functions like clockwork. Christopher Walken makes Johnny Smith feel like a fully organic human going through something he doesn’t understand, while Brooke Adams is the film’s second beating heart. On the opposite side of the coin there’s Martin Sheen, a likable performer who is nonetheless perfect as detestable, power-hungry scumbag politician Greg Stillson.

Rent The Dead Zone on Amazon Video.

5) Christine (1983)

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Christine wasn’t a project John Carpenter was particularly passionate about. It was more of a studio gig. But he was still a perfect fit for a King adaptation. The master of horror cinema adapting the master of horror literature? Couldn’t be better.

But Carpenter isn’t the best thing about the movie. And, while John Stockwell and Alexandra Paul are fantastic as the protagonists, they aren’t the best thing about the movie. Not even Harry Dean Stanton and Robert Prosky in supporting roles are the best thing. Instead, it’s Keith Gordon, who sells the first act’s sheepish Arnie Cunningham just as well as he sells the third act’s morbid, twisted, and deadly Arnie Cunningham. The moment midway through when Arnie terrifies his own father by their family staircase is unforgettable. Toss in a great soundtrack composed of choice hits like “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood and the Destroyers as well as a typically excellent score by Carpenter and Alan Howarth and Christine is a winner.

Rent Christine on Amazon Video.

6) Stand by Me (1986)

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Stand by Me is one of the best coming-of-age movies ever made. It may actually be the best coming-of-age movie ever made. It’s also an improvement on King’s novella “The Body,” which was already sublime.

What helps the movie stand above the book is fantastic direction by Rob Reiner and genuinely perfect casting. The roles of Chris Chambers, Gordie Lachance, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio were put in the ideal hands with, respectively, River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell.

Stream Stand by Me on fuboTV.

7) Misery (1990)

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Even if it features one major change from the source material (specifically, here Annie uses a sledgehammer instead of a bone saw in a pivotal scene), Rob Reiner’s Misery once more proved he had a great handle on King’s voice. It also showed that he knew exactly what kind of performances he had to get from his actors.

The late James Caan is solid as captive author Paul Sheldon, but make no mistake, this is Kathy Bates’ movie all the way. Like Spacek in Carrie and Nicholson in The Shining, her work here as Annie Wilkes is firmly placed in the upper echelon of performances in King adaptations, big screen or small. Bates remains the only performer in a King film to have won an Academy Award.

Rent Misery on Amazon Video.

8) The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

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One of the best King adaptations by his frequent directors, in this case Frank Darabont, The Shawshank Redemption is many people’s favorite movie, not unlike Forrest Gump. The pure quality of this classic would alone be enough to have Darabont considered one of the ultimate directors of King’s unique voice.

The film’s theme of hope is captivating, and even at 140 minutes it never feels remotely overlong. Furthermore, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are both perfectly cast, as are Bob Gunton, William Sadler, and Clancy Brown (whose previous film was another King-ish film in Pet Sematary Two, of which he was the sole highlight).

Rent The Shawshank Redemption on Amazon Video.

9) The Mist (2007)

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The biggest issue with King novels is his tendency to craft fairly weak endings. His novella The Mist, included in Skeleton Crew, is no different.

Frank Darabont’s movie version of The Mist, however, has a whopper of a conclusion. In theaters, going in fresh back in 2007, it was absolutely devastating and holds much of that power on rewatches. The ending alone would be enough to have The Mist considered for the purposes of this list, but it’s also well-paced, has a fantastic lead performance by Thomas Jane and an even better pair of very different antagonist performances by Marcia Gay Harden and the late, great Andre Braugher.

Stream The Mist on fuboTV.

10) Gerald’s Game (2017)

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Like The Long Walk, Gerald’s Game was once considered an unfilmable King work. It really came down to having the right director and the right lead star. Director Mike Flanagan was without a doubt the right director, and Carla Gugino gives one of her best performances to date as Jessie Burlingame.

Flanagan understands King, and it’s easy to see why he’s stuck with the master of horror with his subsequent movies Doctor Sleep and The Life of Chuck. And he’s not done yet, as Flanagan is serving as the developer, writer, editor, executive producer, and director of the Carrie miniseries. But this is still Gugino’s movie, and she sells her characters strength and desperation in equal measure. It’s the rare type of horror performance that was worthy of Oscars consideration.

Stream Gerald’s Game on Netflix.

The Long Walk hits theaters on September 12 and The Running Man hits theaters on November 7. What’s your favorite Stephen King movie? Sound off in the comments.