Stephen King in the mid 1970s.Photo:Alex Gotfryd/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty
Alex Gotfryd/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.From possessed cars to murderous clowns, here are PEOPLE’s picks for the best Stephen King page-to-screen adaptations.
Carrie
Sissy Spacek in 1976’s ‘Carrie’.Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty
Though King sold his first short story in 1967, his debut novel,Carrie, wasn’t published until 1974. Thepaperback advance for the novel, about a bullied teenager with telekinetic abilities, was enough to allow King to pay for his mother, who was dealing with cancer, to quit her job.In 1976, the book was turned into the iconic horror film starringSissy Spacekas titular character Carrie White. Whether watching the original movie adaption, or the various remakes to come, including the 2013 adaptation withChloë Grace Moretz, one thing is clear — nothing beats that epic, gory prom scene.
The Shining
Jack Nicholson in 1980’s ‘The Shining’.Warner Brothers/Getty
Warner Brothers/Getty
Cabin fever might not initially seem all that scary, but who better than King to turn it into something terrifying? In 1974, King and his family briefly relocated to Boulder, Colorado, where the author spent time in the infamous (and reportedly haunted)Stanley Hotel. The stay inspired him to write his 1977 novelThe Shining, about an author who serves as the caretaker of a similar hotel, and who begins to lose his grasp on reality.Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of the novel famouslywasn’t King’s favorite, but its impact on pop culture — notably, Jack Nicholson’s hair-raising “Here’s Johnny!” line — has stayed.
King also penned the novel’s sequel,Doctor Sleep, in 2013, with its film adaptation following in 2019.
The Stand
Molly Ringwald and Gary Sinise in 1994’s ‘The Stand’.Sharon M Beard/Greengrass Prod/Laurel Ent/Kobal/Shutterstock
Sharon M Beard/Greengrass Prod/Laurel Ent/Kobal/Shutterstock
King wrote the 1978 novelThe Standafter his family returned to Maine in 1975. The post-apocalyptic novel about a deadly pandemic outbreak is especially chilling today, but remains one of King’s best-known works.The novel was adapted into a 1994 television miniseries starringGary SiniseandMolly Ringwald. A remakepremiered in 2020starringWhoopi GoldbergandAlexander Skarsgård.
Children of the Corn
John Franklin in 1984’s ‘Children of the Corn’.New World/Angeles/Cinema Group/Kobal/Shutterstock
New World/Angeles/Cinema Group/Kobal/Shutterstock
King is also the author of numerous short story collections, including 1978’sNight Shift. One of those stories, “Children of the Corn,” follows a couple who find themselves lost in Nebraska during a road trip — and end up amidst a group of murderous children.As if the story itself isn’t scary enough, the 1984 film adaption, starring Peter Horton andLinda Hamilton, is sure to keep you out of any corn mazes for the foreseeable future.
Firestarter
De Laurentiis/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
King exploded into the 1980s with his novelFirestarter,about a girl with pyrotechnic abilities whose father is trying to protect her from the government agency hunting her down.Drew Barrymoreappeared in one of her first leading roles in the 1984 Mark Lester-directed film adaption.Firestarterwas also remade in 2022 withZac Efron.
Cujo
A still from 1983’s ‘Cujo’.AJ Pics/Alamy Stock Photo
AJ Pics/Alamy Stock Photo
From left: River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton in 1986’s ‘Stand By Me’.Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
King’s 1982 collectionDifferent Seasonsfeatured two works that were later turned into iconic films. The first wasStand By Me, which was adapted from the novellaThe Body,about a group of four friends who are looking for a missing 12-year-old.The 1986 movie version saw early roles for actors Wil Wheaton,River Phoenix,Corey Feldman,Jerry O’ConnellandKiefer Sutherland, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Shawshank Redemption
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in 1994’s ‘The Shawshank Redemption’.Everett
Different Seasons’ other well-known novella,Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, follows a former bank vice president who is imprisoned after he’s wrongly accused of murdering his wife and her lover.
While not a horror novel, the prison break story is another of King’s highly recognized works. Its 1994 film adaptation starringTim RobbinsandMorgan Freemanwas also nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Christine
Alexandra Paul and John Stockwell in 1983’s ‘Christine’.Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
Pet Sematary
Dale Midkiff (left) and Brad Greenquist in 1989’s ‘Pet Sematary’.Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection
Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection
King was famously inspired to write 1983’sPet Semataryafter his daughter’s cat died suddenly. The author imagined what it would be like if the feline were to come back to life, and the resulting book became one of the author’s most disturbing reads.The novel was first adapted into a 1989 film starring Dale Midkiff and Fred Gwynne, and a 2019 adaptation followed. Director Guillermo del Torohas also statedthat he would like to make his own version of the novel, too.
It
Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown in 1990’s ‘It’.Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection
Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection
Misery
Kathy Bates and James Caan in 1990’s ‘Misery’.Columbia Pictures/Getty
The Green Mile
Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan and David Morse in ‘The Green Mile’.Ralph Jr Nelson/Castle Rock/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
Ralph Jr Nelson/Castle Rock/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
King’s 1996 serial novel follows a death row officer who begins to experience supernatural events after the arrival of a new inmate. The 1999 film starsTom Hanksand Michael Clarke Duncan and was nominated for four Academy awards.
source: people.com
