The 10 Best Stephen King Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes
There is something about October that makes us all crave a little more time with Stephen King. Due to the sheer volume of stories he’s written, his books are often adapted for film, which gives us plenty of options when plotting our Halloween watches. So, instead of assembling a list of my favorite King horror films, I thought it would be cool to see which ten titles are the highest-rated according to Rotten Tomatoes. Some of the results shocked me. I suspect a few of you other constant readers will also do a double-take as you read on.
Because King has written so many genre-blending stories, I had to get technical with this streaming guide. While I love Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption, I skipped them to get to the nightmare fuel. I also didn’t include The Green Mile since it’s not technically labeled horror. However, any fan of Uncle Stephen knows that horror is where the heart is and they should plan to watch them even if they claim to be dramas.
10. Christine (dir. John Carpenter)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+, Peacock, and Tubi
A nerdy boy changes after buying a car that has a mind of its own. We love to see two horror titans team up, so, unsurprisingly, John Carpenter’s adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel earned a spot on this Rotten Tomatoes list. The tale of a boy and his cursed car had no business being as good as it is. Of all the horror movies centered on murderous vehicles, Christine is the only one to truly understand what it means to be hell on wheels. She is a lean, mean, killing machine. We must stan.
9. The Mist (dir. Frank Darabont)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+, Hulu, Prime Video, and Tubi
A storm brings bloodthirsty critters to a small town, stranding a small group of survivors in a supermarket. This movie has one of the bleakest endings of any King adaptation I’ve ever seen. This is a huge part of why I am happy to see it on this list with a 73% Rotten Tomatoes score. My favorite Uncle Stephen stories have small towns that turn against each other in times of crisis, and this one is one of the best to do it. Between Marcia Gay Harden and Andre Braugher’s characters making questionable choices and townsfolk turning on their own, sacrificing them to the monsters outside, I could not look away. Check out Dread Central’s Girl, That’s Scary episode where I was invited to chat about this depressing adaptation.
8. Doctor Sleep (dir. Mike Flanagan)
Where You Can Watch: Max
Decades after the events of The Shining, Dan Torrance finds himself being pulled back to the Overlook Hotel grounds in a desperate bid to protect a girl who also has the Shining. This adaptation attempted to bridge the gap between King’s novel and the vastly different Kubrick movie that premiered in 1980. Doctor Sleep is also the movie that made Mike Flanagan a household name and solidified him as one of today’s most trusted people to adapt Stephen King’s work. More importantly, this movie is where many of us fell for Rebecca Ferguson as she gave us a more ruthless version of Rose the Hat than we ever dreamt possible.
7. 1408 (dir. Mikael Håfström)
Where You Can Watch: Peacock
An author whose specialty is debunking paranormal encounters checks into a hotel room with a supernatural history. I was late to the 1408 party, but now that I’ve seen it, I’m all in. I am so happy this is the Stephen King adaptation starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson made the cut. It’s such an unsettling little gem that managed to hide a few surprises up its sleeve. If you want something supernatural, claustrophobic, and haunting, you should check it out while it’s available on Peacock.
6. The Shining (dir. Stanley Kubrick)
Where You Can Watch: Max
A family finds themselves isolated for the winter in a hotel filled with sinister forces pushing the father to kill his family. This isn’t one of my favorite King adaptations, but I know it’s a favorite of many horror fans. This film still influences many filmmakers today and is mentioned in too many of the greatest horror of all time lists. So, I think we all expected to see it in the top five here. I also love that a movie starring Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Jack Nicholson is on this Rotten Tomatoes list as one of the best King film adaptations. That’s something I can get behind.
5. Dolores Claiborne (dir. Taylor Hackford)
Where You Can Watch: VOD
A reporter returns to her hometown where her mother has been arrested for the murder of the woman she worked for. I haven’t seen Dolores Claiborne since I was a child, so I owe it a rewatch. However, it’s hard not to get drawn into this tale of murder and secrets in a small town. Especially because Kathy Bates and Christopher Plummer are among the cast, and the acting is unbelievably good. Many people understandably think of Misery first when they think of Bates in a Stephen King film, but this one also deserves some attention. So, I am geeked it earned an 83% with the Rotten Tomatoes crowd.
4. It (dir. Andy Muschietti)
Where You Can Watch: Max
A group of bullied kids try to destroy a shape-shifting monster preying on the kids of their small town. I grew up on the original It miniseries with Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown. So, it’s with a heavy heart that I must confess that It: Chapter One is more my speed. Where the first one had to work within the confines of a made-for-TV movie set to air in 1990, this 2017 version was allowed to go much darker. While no one can ever fill Curry’s shoes, Bill Skarsgård gave us the most demonic clown I have ever seen.
3. The Dead Zone (dir. David Cronenberg)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+
Upon waking up from a coma, a man discovers he can see the future. This film stars Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, and Tom Skerritt. However, it’s the fact that it was directed by David Cronenberg that made my cold heart skip a beat. The Dead Zone is one of the few King adaptations that works in every medium. However, the Cronenberg film won me over when I finally checked it out this year, and it might be my favorite version of this story. I sincerely hope I see another King film helmed by The Baron of Blood.
2. Misery (dir. Rob Reiner)
Where You Can Watch: Max
A famous author survives a car crash only to wake up in the care of his number one fan. It’s hard to beat a gripping chiller starring James Caan and Kathy Bates with Lauren Bacall in a supporting role. This is also an Oscar-winning role for Bates, so it makes sense that it would be in the top ten greatest Stephen King adaptations. As a kid who read every King book she could get her hands on, I must admit this is one of the better adaptations even after all these decades. It’s also the perfect time to watch it with winter almost upon us.
1. Carrie (dir. Brian De Palma)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+
A sheltered and bullied teen unleashes her telekinetic powers against those who have wronged her one fateful prom night. Carrie was Stephen King’s first published novel and is one of his most adapted works. Not only is this peak good-for-her cinema, but it also features Sissy Spacek’s iconic performance as Carrie White. So, it’s unsurprising that Carrie is on this Rotten Tomatoes list or that it stole the number one spot with a 93% weighted score. She remains the girl to beat and deserves to be crowned the best of the best.
Let me know if your favorite Stephen King adaptation made the list at @misssharai.
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