# Best Stephen King TV / Movie Adaptation? (Poll) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies\ **Created:** [August 24, 2026, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524 "2026-08-24T13:44:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/61 "2026-08-26T12:51:54Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > My favorites that aren’t listed are: Salem’s Lot (1979) & Needful Things (1993) Not the 2004 or 2024 Salem’s Lot? ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/62 "2026-08-26T13:24:57Z")
Back again to comment on _The Dead Zone_. The two main issues/complaints I have about Cronenberg’s film are (1) the conversion of a teenaged character who is warned away from a roadhouse fire to a much younger boy who is endangered by thin ice, and (2) the omission of the FBI agent who is killed by a car bomb. These grate on me a bit. But I think that Cronenberg and Boam did an otherwise masterful job of condensing the novel down to a truly creepy film of manageable length. Walken and King go together like peas and carrots. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/63 "2026-08-26T13:34:37Z")
You have a much better memory of both the book and movie than I do. I have a general memory of the overall plot of the book, the main key plot developments, and a general sense at the time that the book read like classic King at the top of his form. The movie I remember very little, other than some visual memories of scenes with Walken in them. But then, it’s been 40+ years since I’ve read / seen either. I should do a reread / rewatch sometime. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/64 "2026-08-26T13:39:30Z")
Not THAT great, I’m afraid. I just remember the parts that impressed me in both. The movie also omits Stillson’s backstory, which is a shame, but it’s understandable that they couldn’t squeeze absolutely everything in. In the novel, King really went out of his way to make sure you understand that Stillson is not a nice person. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/65 "2026-08-26T14:01:55Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’m one of the votes for the Kubrick “The Shining.” Despite lack of fidelity to the novel, it is, in my view, an actual work of art. From the weirdness of the “impossible architecture” to the flawless casting, it has not one dull second. It’s been so long since I read the book (and it’s been a while since I last saw the movie, too) that I actually couldn’t say where the movie deviates from the book, only that I thoroughly enjoyed both, and both are indeed works of art in their own right. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > **Mr. Meredes** isn’t mentioned, either. It was a decent series but easy to leave off, considering the competition. The same is true of **Pet Sematary**. Although some of King’s works have been made into fine movies, many have been mangled in the process. _Pet Sematary_ was a great novel but the 1989 movie was only mediocre, and the 2019 remake which I didn’t even bother watching was supposedly even worse. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/66 "2026-08-26T14:03:36Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Not the 2004 or 2024 Salem’s Lot? The 2004 version was ok. I didn’t see the 2024 version; I don’t think I even knew it existed. I’ll give it a watch. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/67 "2026-08-26T14:06:50Z")
I forgot to mention **Pet Sematary.** The 1989 version. I don’t know if I watched the 2019 version and I only made it partway through the one from 2023. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/68 "2026-08-26T14:25:19Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > _Pet Sematary_ was a great novel but the 1989 movie was only mediocre, I think the Ramones song and Fred Gwynne’s performance (the best Stephen King impersonation ever) push it past mediocre. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/69 "2026-08-26T14:42:15Z")
**Maximum Overdrive** and it’s AC/DC soundtrack were awesome! > [@TRC4941](#): > > The 2004 version was ok. I didn’t see the 2024 version; I don’t think I even knew it existed. I’ll give it a watch. It’s actually not bad. Starts off pretty good with the typical Stephen King small town slowly pulling back it’s veil of normalcy to reveal an ancient evil bit but then gets a bit bonkers at the end. I think you can find it on HBOMax. A couple of prominent gaps in the OP’s list: - Creepshow (1982) - Cujo (1983) - Children of the Corn (1984) - Firestarter (1984) - The Running Man (1987) or more faithful 2025 remake ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/70 "2026-08-26T14:56:13Z")
I thought about _Creepshow_ - “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verill” is probably my favorite King appearance in one of his films - but I can’t remember any of the other segments. _Firestarter_ is great for Drew Barrymore’s performance, but I don’t think it lived up to the book. And the 1987 _The Running Man_ is a classic in its own right for the sheer kitsch of it, but any resemblance to the story is incidental. I haven’t seen the new one yet. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/71 "2026-08-26T15:16:56Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > - Children of the Corn (1984) This is a weird one. That film had six sequels. The original was remade twice, for some reason, in 2009 and 2020. There were also two TV series based on the material. I’m guessing it’s all a bunch of junk, and why this story spawned so many others is a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/72 "2026-08-26T15:22:11Z")
Carrie has 2 remakes, a sequel and a [miniseries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_(miniseries)) all based on it. The mini-series is expected October 7, 2026, on Amazon Prime Video. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/73 "2026-08-26T15:48:19Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Write-in candidate - The Langoliers Yeah how was Langoliers not even in the list? I get that it was a bit cheesy, and some of the acting was ropey, but it had something; you get invested in the story. And honestly, I remember it better than I remember the Green Mile (despite the latter being executed (so to speak) better). I’d love a remake to just soften out some of the flaws. So anyway, that would make my list: The Running Man It (1990 version) Langoliers The Green Mile The Mist ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/74 "2026-08-26T16:09:29Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > The Mist I loved The Mist… until that ending. I know SK says he likes the movie ending better than the one he wrote, but it was still too dark for me. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/75 "2026-08-26T16:15:04Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Yeah how was Langoliers not even in the list? Well, like I said upthread, there are so many adaptations of King works, most mediocre to downright bad, I had to draw the line somewhere. So I chose the top 10 most highly rated movies, a few well-rated miniseries, and a ‘write-in’ vote to deal with the rest. The write-in vote is what generally middle-rated (48% Rotten Tomatoes) adaptations like ‘The Langoliers’ is made for. I never would have included ‘Maximum Overdrive’ in the main list, but it’s doing surprisingly well in the write-ins. That said, I do have a soft spot for ‘The Langoliers’, both the short story (novelette?) and the miniseries. Though I’m sure it’s laughable to physicists, the general concept that the physical world is something that exists outside of the linear flow of time, and has to be destroyed after time has passed on (like roadies breaking down a stage after the concert is finished) has stuck with me. I sometimes think of the Fall season as the ‘after-time’, where things are winding down, and the Winter as the coming Langoliers. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/76 "2026-08-26T16:22:18Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Well, like I said upthread, there are so many adaptations of King works, Let’s face it - we’re dealing with a very large body of work. I like the way the poll was structured, simply because it’s open-ended, and that opens the topic up for discussion. When I sit and think about it, I can’t come up with any SK adaptations that I have actively disliked. Some were kind of ‘meh’ (and IMO Langoliers fits that description if only because of Bronson Pinchot), but I still enjoyed watching them. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/77 "2026-08-26T16:26:30Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > - It (the original 1990s miniseries) (Tim Curry blows the doors off the newer Pennywise) Strong disagree. The later version of _It_ has its flaws, especially part 2, but it is genuinely scary in a way the miniseries never was. Tim Curry never looks like anything other than some guy hamming it up in a clown suit. ETA: and now I see in the suggest topics that Tim Curry just died, so I feel a little bad bagging on his performance. He was great, just not what a scary movie needed. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/78 "2026-08-26T16:55:39Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Strong disagree. The later version of _It_ has its flaws, especially part 2, but it is genuinely scary in a way the miniseries never was. Tim Curry never looks like anything other than some guy hamming it up in a clown suit. Different squids for different kids, that’s fine. But I thought Curry _was_ scary as Pennywise. Yes, he hammed it up, but he was acting like a clown. Maybe _you_ didn’t jump when he came running up to the front of that black-and-white photo, but I did! The thing that bugged me about the new Pennywise was that he wasn’t the kind of clown he was supposed to be. He’s supposed to be a classic American kiddie clown (like Bozo), not a Pierrot-style clown. I think if you allow for the state of special effects in 1990 (especially in TV miniseries) vs. a full, big-budget 2010s movie, the old miniseries (including most of the actors) holds up pretty well. The scene in the Chinese restaurant still creeps me out. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/79 "2026-08-26T17:02:31Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > I can’t come up with any SK adaptations that I have actively disliked. Some were kind of ‘meh’ (and IMO Langoliers fits that description if only because of Bronson Pinchot), but I still enjoyed watching them. Dreamcatcher was pretty bad. Like so bad an all-star cast of Thomas Jane, Morgan Freeman, Donnie Wahlberg, Jason Lee, Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, and Tom Sizemore couldn’t save it. The worst part had to be Damian Lewis’s British accent in the final act…and Lewis IS British! ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524/80 "2026-08-26T17:05:14Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Dreamcatcher was pretty bad. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, but I remember liking it 🤷 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stephen-king-tv-movie-adaptation-poll/1032524.md?page=5)