(Photo by Neon/courtesy Everett Collection. THE MONKEY.)
The latest: The Monkey, based on the 1980 short story, becomes the 12th Certified Fresh King-based movie. It’s the first to do so since 2019’s Doctor Sleep.
For as long as King’s been been publishing, Hollywood’s been knock-knock-knockin’ on Stephen’s door for more. First came 1976’s Carrie, two years after he published that first novel, which made household names of the author, Brian De Palma, Sissy Spacek, and the humiliating viscosity of pig’s blood. The 1980s saw a slew of adaptations, the highlights being The Shining, Stand by Me, and The Running Man (the book for which was published under pulp fall-guy name Richard Bachman). As for the ’90s, well…it’d be the best decade ever for just The Shawshank Redemption. But nope, there was also Misery and The Green Mile!
In recent years, it’s been about cats (Pet Sematary), clowns (It Chapter Two), and kids (Doctor Sleep, new adaptations of Firestarter and Children of the Corn). In 2023, The Boogeyman was pulled out of the pages of short story collection Night Shift and splayed on screen. So let’s get this fire started with all rated Stephen King movie adaptations by Tomatometer!
(This is a guide to theatrically released King adaptations. If you’re interested in King on different platforms, look to our guide of Stephen King TV Series, Miniseries Ranked.)
#1
Critics Consensus: Carrie is a horrifying look at supernatural powers, high school cruelty, and teen angst — and it brings us one of the most memorable and disturbing prom scenes in history.
#2
Critics Consensus: Stand By Me is a wise, nostalgic movie with a weird streak that captures both Stephen King’s voice and the trials of growing up.
#3
Critics Consensus: Elevated by standout performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates, this taut and frightening film is one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.
#4
Critics Consensus: Steeped in old-fashioned storytelling and given evergreen humanity by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, The Shawshank Redemption chronicles the hardship of incarceration patiently enough to come by its uplift honestly.
#5
Critics Consensus: The Dead Zone combines taut direction from David Cronenberg and and a rich performance from Christopher Walken to create one of the strongest Stephen King adaptations.
#6
Critics Consensus: Post-Misery Kathy Bates proves to be another wonderful conduit for Stephen King’s novels in this patient, gradually terrifying thriller.
#7
It
(2017)
85%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and fiendishly frightening with an emotionally affecting story at its core, It amplifies the horror in Stephen King’s classic story without losing touch with its heart.
#8
Critics Consensus: Though it deviates from Stephen King’s novel, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness — exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson.
#9
Critics Consensus: Relying on psychological tension rather than overt violence and gore, 1408 is a genuinely creepy thriller with a strong lead performance by John Cusack.
#10
Critics Consensus: Though The Green Mile is long, critics say it’s an absorbing, emotionally powerful experience.
#11
Critics Consensus: Cruelly clever with some unforgettably gory set pieces, The Monkey reaffirms director Osgood Perkins’ horror bona fides while revealing he also has a surprising — albeit sick — sense of humor.
#12
Critics Consensus: Doctor Sleep forsakes the elemental terror of its predecessor for a more contemplative sequel that balances poignant themes against spine-tingling chills.
#13
Critics Consensus: Frank Darabont’s impressive camerawork and politically incisive script make The Mist a truly frightening experience.
#14
Critics Consensus: The cracks are starting to show in John Carpenter’s directorial instincts, but Christine is nonetheless silly, zippy fun.
#15
Critics Consensus: An effective if knowingly silly Stephen King anthology that combines comedy and terror.
#16
Critics Consensus: The Running Man is winking sci-fi satire with ridiculous clothes and workmanlike direction.
#17
Critics Consensus: Tim Matheson’s gripping performance and a strong mood make Sometimes They Come Back an effective, if not wholly revelatory, Stephen King adaptation.
#18
Critics Consensus: It’s uneven, as anthologies often are, but Creepshow is colorful, frequently funny, and treats its inspirations with infectious reverence.
#19
Critics Consensus: It: Chapter Two proves bigger doesn’t always mean scarier for horror sequels, but a fine cast and faithful approach to the source material keep this follow-up afloat.
#20
Critics Consensus: The Boogeyman might fall short of its terrifying source material, but a spooky atmosphere and some solid performances help keep the chills coming.
#21
Critics Consensus: Cujo is artless work punctuated with moments of high canine gore and one wild Dee Wallace performance.
#22
Critics Consensus: The Dark Half is a highly serious psychological study that can be faulted for being more curious than actually scary.
#23
Critics Consensus: Pet Sematary takes its source material in a few different directions, but this remake feels like an exhuming almost as often as it does a revival.
#24
Critics Consensus: Pet Sematary is a bruising horror flick that wears its quirks on its sleeves, to the detriment of its scare factor.
#25
Critics Consensus: A somewhat disturbing movie that works as a suspenseful thriller, yet isn’t completely satisfying.
#26
Critics Consensus: It boasts a talented cast, but Kimberly Peirce’s “reimagining” of Brian De Palma’s horror classic finds little new in the Stephen King novel — and feels woefully unnecessary.
#27
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#28
Critics Consensus: Hearts in Atlantis is well-acted and beautiful to look at, but the movie is nothing more than a mood piece.
#29
Critics Consensus: An old-fashioned spookfest, this Salem’s Lot won’t be the definitive adaptation of Stephen King’s famed vampire tale but it makes for a passable reintroduction to a new generation.
#30
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#31
Critics Consensus: Depp is quirkily entertaining, but the movie runs out of steam by the end.
#32
Critics Consensus: Despite a pair of layered performances from its talented leads, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone never quite connects with the source material’s intriguing themes.
#33
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#34
Critics Consensus: Firestarter‘s concept hews too closely to other known Stephen King adaptations, though it’s got nice special effects (including scenery-chewing George C. Scott).
#35
Critics Consensus: Children of the Corn‘s strong premise and beginning gets shucked away for a kiddie thriller that runs in circles.
#36
Critics Consensus: The Lawnmower Man suffers from a predictable, melodramatic script, and its once-groundbreaking visual effects look dated today.
#37
Critics Consensus: A potentially intriguing premise is rapidly lost in the weeds during In the Tall Grass which struggles to stretch its slim source material to feature length.
#38
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#39
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#40
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#41
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#42
Critics Consensus: Not even the melding of Stephen King and George A. Romero’s writing sensibilities can elevate this spineless anthology, which is too simple in its storytelling and too skimpy on the genuine scares.
#43
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#44
Critics Consensus: An incoherent and overly long creature feature.
#45
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#46
Critics Consensus: Pet Sematary: Bloodlines takes half-hearted stabs at expanding the world of Stephen King’s original story, but they’re largely lost in a substandard story that mistakes bland gore for effective horror.
#47
Critics Consensus: As disposable as its predecessor is indispensable, The Rage: Carrie 2 mimics the arc of Stephen King’s classic story without adding anything of value.
#48
Critics Consensus: Stephen King adaptation veteran director Mick Garris has lofty storytelling goals which ultimately flail and undercut the story’s terror.
#49
Critics Consensus: Not realizing that it had no unfinished business, Pet Sematary rises from the grave once more to beat an undead corpse.
#50
Critics Consensus: This made-for-TV adaptation of Stephen King’s classic fails to impress or bring anything new to the table, – or to the prom – paling even more in comparison to the 1970’s memorable version.
#51
Critics Consensus: A bland, weightless horror film that seems to want to mock itself as the proceedings drag on.
#52
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#53
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#54
Critics Consensus: Go then, there are other Stephen King adaptations than these.
#55
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#56
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#57
Critics Consensus: Bereft of a single kernel of fear or excitement, this Children of the Corn suggests the franchise is irrevocably lost in a maize of sub-mediocrity.
#58
Critics Consensus: Shoddily crafted and devoid of suspense, Cell squanders a capable cast and Stephen King’s once-prescient source material on a bland rehash of zombie cliches.
#59
Critics Consensus: There was plenty of room to improve on the original, but Firestarter trips over that low bar and tumbles toward the bottom of the long list of Stephen King adaptations.
#60
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#61
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#62
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#63
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#64
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#65
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.