Stephen Kingbooks & movies in order
Stephen King has more screen adaptations than any living author. The quality varies wildly, from all-time classics to forgettable made-for-TV movies. This guide covers the best and most notable adaptations across film and television.
Book to screen, by book publication
| Book | Pub. | Adaptation | Released | Type | Score | Watch on | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carrie | 1974 | Carrie | 1976 | Film | 94% | Max | Read → |
The Shining | 1977 | The Shining | 1980 | Film | 84% | Max | Read → |
The Body | 1982 | Stand by Me | 1986 | Film | 92% | Peacock | Read → |
Misery | 1987 | Misery | 1990 | Film | 90% | Paramount+ | Read → |
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption | 1982 | The Shawshank Redemption | 1994 | Film | 91% | Max | Read → |
The Green Mile | 1996 | The Green Mile | 1999 | Film | 78% | Max | Read → |
It | 1986 | It | 2017 | Film | 86% | Max | Read → |
Gerald's Game | 1992 | Gerald's Game | 2017 | Film | 91% | Netflix | Read → |
The Outsider | 2018 | The Outsider | 2020 | Series | 83% | Max | Read → |
11/22/63 | 2011 | 11.22.63 | 2016 | Series | 79% | Hulu | Read → |
The Dead Zone | 1979 | The Dead Zone | 1983 | Film | 89% | Paramount+ | Read → |
There is no required order since each adaptation is standalone. For a best-first approach: The Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me, The Shining, Misery, It. These five give you the full range of King on screen.
Where to watch
Streaming availability changes monthly. We re-check this table regularly.
Where to buy & read
Frequently asked questions
Gerald's Game on Netflix is remarkably close to the source material. Misery is also extremely faithful. The Shining is famously the least faithful - brilliant film, very different story.
Yes. The 2017 film and its 2019 sequel capture the terror of Pennywise effectively. They cut the book's more controversial scenes and streamline the dual-timeline structure.
The 1990 It miniseries has Tim Curry's iconic Pennywise but has not aged well otherwise. The 1994 The Stand miniseries is solid but long. The 1997 Shining miniseries is more faithful than Kubrick's but less artful.