Every October, like most fans of the greatest horror movies, I scroll through the best streaming services hunting for the next great spooky-season watch. I love Halloween movies that have nothing to do with the holiday just as much as I love the classics —Halloween, The Exorcist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, all the usual suspects. But, if Pet Sematary (the 1989 version, of course) taught me anything, it’s that fall horror should leave a mark. The best ones don’t just scare you, but hang around.

That’s why these five films, underrated, often overlooked, and deeply unsettling, belong in the same conversation. They might not be your go-to seasonal rewatches yet, but they should be. Here's why.

The Babadook (2014)

The Babadook is a critically acclaimed film — Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert gave it a 3.5 out of 4-star review, and we gave it a glowing review as well. Since the 2014 release, its titular character has become a queer icon, an arthouse favorite, and, yes, the movie that scared your therapist. At the time, it felt like a reset button for horror. It proved you didn’t need gore or haunted houses when the scariest place was already your own mind.

The premise sounds straightforward: a grieving mother and her anxious son are stalked by a disturbing children’s book and the creature it conjures. However, the longer it plays, the clearer it becomes that what Mr. Babadook really is isn’t just a monster, but is a stand-in for depression, post-partum, and unresolved grief. It’s the thing you try to bury that never stays buried.

There are multiple ways for you to enjoy The Babadook this season, so be sure to check your favorite streaming service. But, if you want to watch it for free, it's one of the best horror movies streaming on Tubi.

Pet Sematary (1989)

The 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary, a book-to-screen adaptation of a Stephen King novel of the same name, still hits like a shovel to the chest. Yes, the acting is stilted in places. Yes, Zelda still scars people for life. But it’s that bleak, unrelenting tone that makes it essential Halloween viewing.

There’s no real mystery to solve here. Louis Creed buries his dead son in cursed ground. The kid comes back wrong. Things go downhill from there. Unlike your average zombie plot, Pet Sematary isn’t about survival; it’s about inevitability. You know from the jump this is going to end badly, and it still somehow manages to go worse than expected.

It’s a horror movie that doesn’t flinch or let you hope, and that’s its strength. October watchlists should be about confronting fear, not escaping it, and Pet Sematary gives you nowhere to hide. You can watch Mary Lambert’s terrifying original flick, and the pretty uneven 2019 remake, with a Paramount+ subscription.

The Reflecting Skin (1990)

If Terrence Malick ever directed a vampire movie, you’d end up with something like The Reflecting Skin. It's one of those forgotten '90s films that’s too weird for mainstream and too disturbing for cult comfort, which makes it perfect for Trick-or-Treat Time.

Set in 1950s rural America, the film follows a young boy whose reality is crumbling. His father sets himself on fire. His brother returns from war with a haunted stare, and the widow next door may or may not be a vampire. None of it feels supernatural in the way horror usually does, but it all feels wrong.

Unlike Pet Sematary and The Babadook, this one is told from a child’s point of view, and the horrors are filtered through that fractured lens. Death isn’t clean or heroic, but is instead a confusing, shameful, and buried under layers of denial. If you want your Scare Season bleak and beautiful, this is your ticket. Just don’t expect closure—or catharsis.

The Reflecting Skin is another great horror movie you can catch for free with a Tubi subscription.

Ravenous (1999)

Sometimes Halloween calls for a horror movie with a bit of bite… literally. Ravenous is part cannibal movie, part war satire, part fever dream, and all criminally underseen. It came out in 1999, was barely marketed, and tanked at the box office. Classic.

Set in a remote 19th-century military outpost, the film plays like a gothic Western with a growing appetite for human flesh. Guy Pearce plays a soldier with a coward’s past. Robert Carlyle steals the movie as a guest who brings more than just bad weather. The Wendigo myth, often misused in horror, is finally given the treatment it deserves.

What makes Ravenous Halloween-worthy isn’t just the gore (though it’s there, and it’s gross in all the right ways). It’s the tone. The film walks this razor-thin line between absurd and deeply unsettling. It knows cannibalism is horrifying — but also darkly funny, in that "what if survival turned you into a monster?" kind of way.

Like Pet Sematary, it’s a story about crossing lines you can’t uncross. Where King’s story is somber, Ravenous laughs in your face while draining your blood. Perfect All Hallows’ Eve energy.

Stir Of Echoes (1999)

1999 was loaded with genre-defining movies —The Matrix, Fight Club, Office Space, American Beauty, and The Sixth Sense. You could throw a rock that year and hit a classic. But while The Sixth Sense grabbed all the headlines, another horror gem quietly slipped through the cracks. Stir of Echoes didn’t get the attention it deserved, but it absolutely earns a spot in your October lineup.

Kevin Bacon, in one of his best performances, plays a regular guy who, after being hypnotized at a party, starts seeing ghosts. At first, it's your standard “dead girl with a secret” setup. Then the film quickly delves into deeper, darker territory — class resentment, neighborhood rot, and the things people agree not to see.

Where The Sixth Sense is about empathy and healing, Stir of Echoes is about being forced to care. Bacon’s character doesn’t want a gift. He just wants peace. But once the door to the other side opens, it doesn’t close.

What ties it to Pet Sematary is that creeping realization that the horror isn’t just external, but inside the home. It's in the people you thought you knew. That unease is what makes it such a solid Halloween watch. It's scary in a way that feels just a little too plausible, and you can revisit it (you guessed it) with a Tubi subscription.

Why You Should Make Room On The Shelf For These Picks

Everyone has their comfort picks for spooky season, and the classics are all fine picks. But the creepy crawly season isn’t just about screaming at shadows. It’s about the quiet dread that builds, the choices that haunt, and the slow rot beneath the surface.

These five films aren’t just scary, but unnerving. They hang around in your mind long after the movie ends, which is precisely what a good Halloween staple should do. So, this season, why don't you press play and sleep later?

As a dog lover, I typically prefer movies in which the dog does not die, and I especially love it when dogs save the day in movies and TV shows. However, for every lovable pop culture pet, some have forced me to question the inherent innocence of domesticated animals. The following is a look back on some bad pets from movies and TV shows, which range from simply unruly to just downright evil.

Lucifer (Cinderella)

Even the kindhearted and optimistic title hero of Disney's classic animated movie, 1950's Cinderella, struggled to name a single positive quality about the aptly named Lucifer. This cat was as nasty as his owner, Cinderella's wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine.

Ben (Willard)

The lonely title character of 1971's Willard (played by Bruce Davison) is one of cinema's more sympathetic horror movie villains, but I would not say the same about the leader of his pack of killer rats, Ben. The rodent, who led his own self-titled 1972 sequel, is at first loyal to Willard, killing anyone he asks, until he begins to feel that his fellow rats have grown confused over who their true king is.

Mr. Tinkles (Cats & Dogs)

Cats & Dogs is a send-up of spy movies set in a world in which the rivalry between canines and felines is a more serious matter. The main antagonist is a fluffy, white Persian cat named Mr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes), whose master plan for world domination involves releasing a chemical that will make the human race allergic to all dogs. Good kitties don't try to take over the world.

Fluffy (Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone)

In the first Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the titular young wizard (played by Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) fearfully come face-to-face with a giant, three-headed, dog-like creature named Fluffy. Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) claims that his Cerberus means well, but it also takes its job of guarding the Sorcerer's Stone very seriously.

Mrs. Whiskerson (Friends)

In a classic episode of Friends from Season 5, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) spends $1000 on Mrs. Whiskerson, a hairless feline that Joey (Matt LeBlanc) repeatedly insists is “NOT A CAT!” When her new pet proves not to be as sweet as she hoped, leaving her covered in scratches, and creeps her out with hisses that sound like her name, Rachel tries to give her up, and the only one who agrees to take her is Gunther (James Michael Tyler), who assumes the animal is a snake.

The Lions (Roar)

One of cinema's most infamously disastrous movie productions is that of Roar, which is set on an African wildlife preserve where big cats run amok... on and offscreen. As the trailer for the 1981 thriller starring Melanie Griffith reveals, the live animal attacks did not just stop at the script, as a whopping 70 cast and crew members were injured on set.

Sylvester (Looney Tunes)

Rivalry is a recurring theme in Warner Bros' iconic Looney Tunes cartoons, and one of the most iconic quarrels is between Sylvester and Tweety. The ruthless Tuxedo cat is constantly trying to come up with ways to eat that meek bird.

The Sled Dog (The Thing)

There are all kinds of reasons why John Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi thriller, The Thing, is considered one of the best horror movies of all time, including the astonishing performance by a canine actor named Jed. The film's heroes, a research crew stationed in the Arctic, take in a stray sled dog, inexplicably under attack by two Norwegians, unaware that it is really a shapeshifting alien in disguise.

Mike Tyson’s Tiger (The Hangover)

In the hilarious instant comedy classic, 2009's The Hangover, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis), wake up with no memory of their friend Doug's (Justin Bartha) disastrous Vegas bachelor party and find a few interesting items in their hotel room, including a tiger that they learn belongs to Mike Tyson. The big cat would have to be sedated in order for the Wolf Pack to safely transport him to the boxing legend's home.

Cujo (Cujo)

Despite the deadly circumstances that he is responsible for, I almost feel bad about including the titular dog from Lewis Teague's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's Cujo. Mechanic Joe Camber's St. Bernard is a perfectly friendly pet until he suffers a bat bite and becomes stricken with rabies, leading him to murder his owner and force Donna (Dee Wallace) and Tad Trenton (Danny Pintauro) to barricade themselves in their car on Camber's property for days.

Ella (Monkey Shines)

In director George A. Romero's Monkey Shines, quadriplegic Allan (Jason Beghe) is given a furry assistant named Ella. The capuchin grows so fond of her human that she is willing to kill anyone he does not like or anyone who seems closer to him than she. Her grave tendencies even seem to awaken something sinister in Allan as well.

Bolton Ramsay's Dogs (Game Of Thrones)

Not all of the most fearsome foes in Westeros are human. For example, the vicious hounds belonging to Bolton Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) are responsible for many of the most gruesome deaths on Game of Thrones, including that of their despicable owner himself.

The Bumpus Hounds (A Christmas Story)

One thing standing in the way of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) and his family enjoying an ideal holiday celebration is the pack of innumerable, unruly dogs owned by their neighbors, the Bumpuses. Considering how the 1983 holiday movie favorite, A Christmas Story, is told largely from a juvenile point of view, I imagine there would not be nearly as many hounds as what appear on screen in real, but I have no doubt that at least two or three of them would be capable of ruining the family's delicious turkey dinner.

Farfel (Seinfeld)

In the Season 3 Seinfeld episode, "The Dog," Gavin Polone (Joseph Maher), a man seated next to Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) on an airplane, falls ill and asks the comedian to look after his pet, Farfel. The pooch remains unseen throughout, but the episode makes it abundantly clear how horribly misbehaved he is, turning self-described animal lover Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) into the same person who agrees to kidnap and abandon her neighbor's irritating dog years later.

Mrs. Bickerman’s Crocodiles (Lake Placid)

The fun 1999 creature feature Lake Placid stars Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, and Oliver Platt as a trio tasked with keeping their community safe from an abnormally large crocodile. It is eventually revealed that Betty White's character, Mrs. Bickerman, has been obliging in the creature's appetites, as well as those of its offspring, in the years since it ate her husband.

The White Dog (White Dog)

In White Dog, which originally premiered in 1982 before receiving a home video release in the United States in 2008, a woman (Kristy McNichol) finds and decides to adopt a white German Shepherd. Soon after, she makes the horrifying discovery that the canine has been trained by its former owner, a white supremacist, to violently attack people of color without provocation.

Church (Pet Sematary)

In the 1989 adaptation of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the Creeds' family cat, Winston "Church" Churchill, was a friendly pet until the day he was fatally run over by a car. By his neighbor's advice, Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) buries the cat in a Native American burial ground, and the next day, he returns, but without his soul, making him into a putrid, murderous menace.

The Hellhounds (The Omen)

In 1976's The Omen, most animals that come in contact with Damien Thorne act out in fear of the child, except for a few black dogs who are the literal pets of Satan himself, who sends them to Earth to protect his spawn.

New Brian (Family Guy)

In the Season 7 Family Guy episode "The Man with Two Brians," the Griffins fear that Brian (Seth MacFarlane) may be getting too old and decide to adopt a second talking dog whom they name New Brian. Despite making the family's original pet feel outcast, the new dog seems to be a wonderful addition, until Stewie (MacFarlane) learns of his unspeakably dark true nature.

The Hunter Dogs (Bambi)

"Man" may be the main antagonist of Disney's 1942 adaptation of Bambi, but they also come with furry accomplices. One of the animated classic's most terrifying sequences sees the titular deer chased through the forest by hounds belonging to nearby forest hunters.

Ramon (Alligator)

We first meet the eponymous scaly beast from 1980's Alligator as a baby, who is named Ramon by the little girl who adopts him soon before her cruel father secretly flushes him down the toilet. He spends the next 12 years in the sewers, where, thanks to experimental growth hormones, the reptile emerges at a monstrous size and wreaks havoc on Chicago.

Zoltan (Dracula's Dog)

The world has been introduced to Dracula's bride, Dracula's daughter, and even Blacula, but what about his pet? That would be Zoltan, a vampiric Doberman Pinscher as seen in 1978's Dracula's Dog.

The Pitbull (Green Room)

In Jeremy Saulnier's terrifying 2016 thriller, Green Room, the members of The Ain't Rights find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and must barricade themselves in the back of a bar against skinheads and their pitbull, who is trained to kill on command.

Baroness Von Hellman's Dalmatians (Cruella)

After seeing 2021's Cruella, I suppose I can understand why the title character (played by Emma Stone) goes on to have no value for the life of a Dalmatian after seeing three of them, belonging to Baroness Von Hellman (Emma Thompson), push her mother off a cliff. I mean, it does not excuse her wretched plan to make a coat out of their spotted fur in 101 Dalmatians, but it clarifies her perspective a bit.

The Black Cat (Tales From The Darkside: The Movie)

In a wild segment from the horror anthology film, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, not even skilled contract killer Halston (David Johansen) is a match for a fearsome black feline, whose owner, Drogan (William Hickey), is convinced is responsible for several deaths that have occurred in his home.

Scud (Toy Story)

In Pixar's 1995 favorite Toy Story, the lost Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) not only have to survive Sid, but also his bull terrier, Scud, who destroys children's playthings on a regular basis. You could argue he is just acting in his nature to chew on whatever toy is thrown at him, but in the sequel, we meet Buster, who treats Andy's toys with love and respect.

Blanche (Hausu)

In the classic Japanese horror movie, 1977's House (or Hausu), a group of teenage girls must contend with many terrifying obstacles in a haunted house, including a seemingly innocent kitty named Blanche. She eventually shows her true colors when she begins shooting lasers out of her eyes and transforms herself into a blood-puking wall painting.

The Black Mamba (Venom)

Not to be confused with a Tom Hardy-led Marvel movie or a 2005 slasher of the same name, director Piers Haggard's 1981 creature feature based on Alan Scholefield's novel Venom stars Klaus Kinski as a criminal whose plans to kidnap the grandson of wealthy hotel chain owner go awry when he and his girlfriend (played by Susan George) encoounter the child's pet, a vicious Black Mamba snake.

Roger (When Evil Lurks)

Responsible for the most brutal scene in 2023's Spanish-language thriller, When Evil Lurks, and one of the most brutal horror movie deaths in recent memory, is Roger, who fatally mauls his owners' young daughter, Vicky. However, it should be noted that the family pooch is also a victim of a viral epidemic of demonic possession, so it was never really him committing the traumatic act.

Tiberius (Drake & Josh)

In a funny bottle episode of Drake & Josh, the stepbrothers are asked to look after Mrs. Hayfer's Rottweiler, Tiberius, while she is away, but end up spending an entire night barricading themselves in her bathroom out of fear of his vicious attack.

Prince (The People Under The Stairs)

In Wes Craven's underrated 1991 flick, The People Under the Stairs, Brandon Quinton Adams' Fool finds himself trapped inside his landlords' house of horrors, which is guarded by their menacing Rottweiler, Prince.

Lucky (Devil Dog: The Hound Of Hell)

In the 1978 made-for-TV movie, Devil Dog: The Hound Of Hell, a family adopts a German Shepherd they name Lucky, unaware his previous owners were Satanists who unwillingly involved him in a ritual that did a real number on his behavior.

If you pay attention to A24 movies, you know they are no stranger to making some of the best horror films. The company tends to make flicks that cut deeper than just jump scares, and their latest project, Bring Her Back—the next supernatural thriller from Talk to Me directors Danny and Michael Philippou—looks to continue that legacy. The newly released teaser for the 2025 movie release seems to prove that too, as it is packed with seriously unsettling footage giving major Stephen King vibes. Honestly, I think this will be this generation’s Pet Sematary.

Now, before we get into why I think this film gives off that energy, take a look at the teaser trailer:

As you can see above, the haunting trailer features creepy imagery, cryptic dialogue, and a sense of doom. But the theme is clear at its core: Someone is being brought back, and it’s not going to end well.

The Pet Sematary Parallels Bring Her Back Has

The official logline for Bring Her Back, as reported by Variety, teases a story about a brother and sister uncovering a horrifying ritual in their foster mother’s home. However, if the teaser is anything to go by, this isn’t just about discovering something sinister—it’s about trying to undo the unthinkable.

There’s something primal about horror films that deal with grief and the desperation to bring back the ones we’ve lost. Talk to Me tapped into this beautifully with its depiction of teenagers communing with spirits for a high, but Bring Her Back looks to go one step further—from contact to resurrection.

Beyond the overarching theme of resurrection, Bring Her Back drops some not-so-subtle nods to Pet Sematary as well:

• The Cat Imagery: The teaser opens with a cat eating from an A24-branded bowl—possibly just a cheeky Easter egg, but given Pet Sematary’s infamous undead feline Church, it’s hard not to make the connection. In King’s story, Church (one of the best cinematic cats) is the first sign that the dead don’t return the same. Could the cat in Bring Her Back serve a similar function? A harbinger of something far worse?
• The Ritual Element: While Pet Sematary features an ancient burial ground with dark powers, Bring Her Back appears to involve a more structured, possibly occult-based resurrection ritual. A prayer circle seen in the teaser suggests that these characters aren’t just mourning the dead—they’re trying to retrieve them.
• The Unraveling Horror: The trailer builds from grief to outright terror, featuring disturbing glimpses of a decayed figure seemingly coming back to life and Sally Hawkins bloodied hands clawing at glass. Much like Pet Sematary’s Timmy Baterman or Gage Creed’s horrifying return, it looks like Bring Her Back will lean into the nightmare of resurrecting someone who no longer belongs in this world.

Basically, based on all this, I think it's safe to say that Bring Her Back could be this generation's Pet Sematary.

Why Bring Her Back Will Be A Cautionary Tale for a New Generation

With their upcoming horror movie, the Philippou brothers seem poised to deliver another emotionally charged terror story—this time with a fresh twist on the dangers of resurrection.

Their breakout hit, Talk to Me, cleverly reworked the possession trope by tying it to Gen Z’s casual approach to drug use, using the embalmed hand as a metaphor for addiction and the consequences of playing recklessly with forces beyond control. Talk to Me was one of the scariest movies in a long time, but it was also about the dangers of chasing a high without considering the cost.

Bring Her Back could take that same approach, but this time by joining the ranks of horror flicks that meaningfully deal with grief–exploring what happens when people become addicted to the idea of reversing death itself.

Instead of an ancient burial ground like in Pet Sematary, the Bring Her Back teaser shows an occult ritual, perhaps offering a structured, almost transactional way to bring someone back. And if Talk to Me showed how addiction spreads like wildfire through peer pressure, could Bring Her Back explore a similar idea—where one act of resurrection leads to even darker consequences?

The Philippou brothers proved with Talk to Me that they could take a well-worn horror trope and make it feel fresh, modern, and terrifying. With Bring Her Back, they might do the same for the resurrection horror subgenre. So, yeah, I think they’re about to give Pet Sematary a run for its money.

Bring Her Back hits theaters on May 30, and frankly, the release date can’t come soon enough.

One of the coolest Easter Eggs you can find in a movie based on a book is a cameo by the person who wrote the source material. However, sometimes it is even more fun when a renowned author makes an appearance in a movie that they had no creative involvement with. Take a look at our favorite examples of both kinds.

S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders)

S.E. Hinton (born Susan Eloise) made a striking debut as a writer in 1967, and at only 18 years old, with her groundbreaking coming-of-age novel, The Outsiders. She went on to appear in the 1987 adaptation (one of the best Francis Ford Coppola movies) as a nurse.

Cheryl Strayed (Wild)

Podcaster Cheryl Strayed chronicled her life-changing woodland hike in 1995 in her 2012 memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, which was adapted into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon two years later. Not only does the author appear at the beginning of the film as wa oman who drops the onscreen Strayed off at a motel but her real-life daughter, Bobbi Strayed Lindstrom, also plays her younger self.

Lee Child (Jack Reacher)

In the first screen adaptation of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels from 2012, the author plays a cop who gives the titular heroic drifter (played by Tom Cruise) a skeptical look. The English writer would later appear in 2016's Jack Reacher: Never Look Back as a TSA agent and was seen in Amazon Prime's Reacher Season 1 finale walking past Alan Ritchson as he walks into a diner.

Hunter S. Thompson (Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas)

Johnny Depp starred in two adaptations of Hunter S. Thompson's memoirs: 1998's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Rum Diary from 2011. While his death in 2005 prevented him from appearing in the latter, the influential gonzo journalist does have a brief cameo in the former as an expressionless patron at a rowdy party.

Kathryn Stockett (The Help)

Kathryn Stockett's 2009 debut novel The Help is a bestseller that was made into an Academy Award-winning film told from the perspective of Black maids working for middle-class white families in 1960s Mississippi. In addition to cast members Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone, the author herself would make a brief appearance as a housewife attending a meeting.

Ken Kesey (Even Cowgirls Get The Blues)

Tom Robbins had a pivotal role in Gus Van Sant's Uma Thurman-led adaptation of his novel, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, as its narrator. The most surprising appearance by a writer in the 1993 road dramedy was countercultural novelist and essayist Ken Kesey as the central character's father.

Greg Behrendt (He’s Just Not That Into You)

Comedian Greg Behrendt was working as a script doctor for HBO's Sex and the City when he came up with the idea for He's Just Not That Into You, which he co-authored with Liz Tuccillo. The bestselling self-help book was adapted into a dramatized ensemble rom-com in which Behrendt appears as the minister at a wedding.

Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club)

Amy Tan's influential 1989 novel, The Joy Luck Club, consists of various vignettes each from the perspective of a different woman in a Chinese family. The author can be spotted during the party scene at the beginning of the 1993 adaptation, which is also one of Ming-Na Wen's best movies.

Mar­shall McLuhan (Annie Hall)

In one memorable scene from Best Picture Oscar winner Annie Hall, Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) has an argument with a movie theater patron about his expertise in the work of media theorist Marshall McLuhan. To get him to pipe down, Alvy asks the real McLuhan to step in and bring the stranger down a size, at which point Alvy address the camera and says, "Boy, if life were only like this."

John Le Carre (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)

Some of the best spy movies (and TV shows) in recent memory have been inspired by the work of John Le Carre, such as his 1974 novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The suspense master makes a brief appearance in the 2011 film adaptation as a party guest.

Stephen King (Pet Semetary)

There have been numerous memorable Stephen King appearances in movies and TV shows based on his storied bibliography. One of the most famous comes from the 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary, in which he goes pretty far against type to play a priest presiding over the funeral for Missy Dandridge (Susan Blommaert).

Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting)

In one of the best movies of the 1990s, director Danny Boyle's 1996 dramedy Trainspotting, Renton (Ewan McGregor) seeks "one more hit" before going clean from a dealer named Mikey Forrester, who has nothing to offer him but a couple of suppositories. The grinning Forrester is actually played by Irvine Welsh, the Scottish author who wrote the original novel.

Sapphire (Precious: Based On The Novel "Push" By Sapphire)

To avoid confusion with another 2009 movie called Push, the adaptation of Sapphire's 1996 novel Push was named after its central character but also acknowledges the source material with the full title, Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire. The author (née Ramona Lofton) can also be spotted in the heavy, Academy Award-winning drama about an abused teen (played by Gabourey Sidibe) playing a daycare center employee near the end of the film.

Kurt Vonnegut (Back To School)

Some of Rodney Dangerfield's best one-liners can be found in his 1986 comedy Back to School, which is also known for its brief but hilarious cameo by Kurt Vonnegut. The satirical novelist shows up to see the wealthy Thornton Melon (Dangerfield) right after his son, Jason (Keith Gordon), confronts him about how he is going to write a midterm paper about the author, which Melon still ends up failing.

Gore Vidal (Gattaca)

In addition to his influential and thought-provoking exploits as a writer, Gore Vidal also worked as an actor from time to time. One of his most memorable roles comes from one of the best '90s sci-fi movies, 1997's Gattaca, in which he plays Director Josef.

Stephenie Meyer (Twilight)

It could be safe to assume that Stephanie Meyer is portraying herself in the 2008 premiere installment of the Twilight movies, in which she can be seen briefly as a writer sitting at the bar in the Carver Cafe typing away at her laptop. The author would also appear in the vampire movies' penultimate entry, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 as a guest at the wedding of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson).

Salman Rushdie (Bridget Jones’s Diary)

In the classic rom-com, 2001's Bridget Jones's Diary, the title character (Renée Zellweger) is at a book launch party where she spots novelist Salman Rushdie speaking with a group of other authors. She tries to subtly implement herself into the conversation when the writer courteously asks for her opinion, to which she awkwardly asks where the restroom is.

Charles Bukowski (Barfly)

Director Barbet Schroeder's 1987 dramedy Barfly follows the L.A. exploits of a heavy drinker named Henry Chinaski, played by Mickey Rourke. The screenplay was written by Charles Bukowski, who based the story on his own life experiences and the author also makes an appearance in the film as, indeed, a barfly.

Colleen Hoover (It Ends With Us)

One of the most talked about 2024 movies adapted from a novel was the romantic drama It Ends With Us, starring Blake Lively. The source material comes from author Colleen Hoover who revealed in an interview with E! that she makes a brief cameo in the film as a party guest but was sure to add that she found the 12-hour shoot to be quite taxing.

Stan Lee (Mallrats)

Highly influential, beloved comic book writer Stan Lee was, just about, the king of cameos, having appeared in countless Marvel movies until his passing in 2018. However, before starring in brief roles in films based on his work, he appeared as himself in a movie that celebrates superhero culture through satirical conversation, Kevin Smith's 1995 comedy Mallrats, in which he offers Brodie (Jason Lee) some much-needed romantic advice.

Maya Angelou (Poetic Justice)

How fitting that a movie called Poetic Justice features a cameo appearance by one of the most influential poets of the 20th Century. Maya Angelou – known for writing "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," among many other famous works – plays Aunt June in director John Singleton's 1993 romantic drama starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur.

Jean Shepherd (A Christmas Story)

One of the all-time greatest Christmas movies, 1983's A Christmas Story, was inspired by Jean Shepherd's semi-autobiographical novel In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. Not only did the humorist and radio personality also narrate director Bob Clark's timeless comedy but he even makes a brief cameo during the scene at the mall as a man waiting in line with his child to see Santa Claus.

John Irving (The World According To Garp)

Starring Robin Williams, 1982's The World According to Garp is a dramedy about a writer grappling with his wife's infidelity and the fame of his feminist activist mother. The Academy Award-nominated film is based on the novel by John Irving, who also makes a cameo in the film as a referee for a scene taking place at a wrestling match.

Peter Benchley (Jaws)

One can only imagine what it must have felt like to be the author of the book that inspired the highest-grossing movie in history (at the time), which was also later deemed the first Hollywood blockbuster. Of course, not only did Peter Benchley write the source material for director Steven Spielberg's 1975 horror movie classic, Jaws, but he is also in it, appearing as a TV field reporter visiting the Amity Island beach early on.

Veronica Roth (Divergent)

Veronica Roth, author of the coming-of-age dystopian young adult novel series that inspired the Divergent movies, makes an appearance in the first installment from 2014 that is a bit cooler than most movie cameos that authors can claim. She can be spotted during the zipline scene as an unnamed member of the Dauntless faction.

Michael Crichton (The Andromeda Strain)

The first adaptation of a Michael Crichton novel would also mark the first and last time he appeared in an onscreen acting role. The Jurassic Park author and ER creator has an uncredited cameo in 1971's sci-fi pandemic drama The Andromeda Strain as "Bearded Surgeon."

Emily Giffin (Something Borrowed)

The 2011 rom-com Something Borrowed is inspired by the 2004 novel of the same name by Emily Giffin, who appears as a woman eavesdropping on a conversation between Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Marcus (Steve Howey) on park benches. In a TikTok video, the author revealed that the book her character is reading is the 2005 sequel to Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and that her cameo had to be shortened in a post because she addressed the camera in every take.

James Dickey (Deliverance)

The best-known work of author James Dickey is Deliverance, which was adapted into an acclaimed film two years later. The author would appear at the end of the harrowing thriller about four men terrorized by savage locals on a canoe trip as Sherriff Bullard, who warns Jon Voight's character to leave and never come back.

Fannie Flagg (Fried Green Tomatoes)

Fannie Flagg received an Academy Award nomination for co-writing the screenplay for the 1991 adaptation of her 1987 novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which was shortened to just Fried Green Tomatoes. The author, comedian, and frequent Match Game panelist also appears in the acclaimed dramedy as a self-help guru helping women "get that spark back" into their marriages.

William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist)

One of the most iconic examples of a horror movie based on a true story is 1973's The Exorcist, which used William Peter Blatty's novel inspired by an alleged possession as its basis. The author (who later directed 1990's underrated sequel, The Exorcist III) also briefly appears in the classic thriller as a man speaking Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran) on the set of Chris MacNeil's (Ellen Burstyn) movie.

Truman Capote (Murder By Death)

The 1976 comedic whodunnit Murder By Death boasts one of the best ensemble casts in a movie, which even includes Truman Capote. The author of such iconic works as In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany's plays eccentric aristocrat Lionel Twain, who gathers a group of detectives and their guests for a party at his luxurious estate, which goes terribly.

Graham Greene (Day For Night)

In the 1973 French romantic dramedy Day for Night, writer Graham Greene makes a brief appearance as an insurance agent. According to a DVD special feature, director and star, François Truffaut was not told until after the fact that the role was played by the author, which disappointed him because he was a great admirer of his work.

If you look at all the best pets in Hollywood history, it doesn’t all that long to come up with a handful (or a few handfuls) of iconic cats from yesterday and today. However, while all the great movie dogs get a ton of attention, their feline counterparts don’t always get as much love. In fact, they’re often portrayed as the villain or the butt of a “nine lives” joke.

That said, let’s change the narrative by highlighting 32 amazing cats in Hollywood history, even if some of them are more than a little evil.

Jonesy (Alien)

Though there are some outrageous theories out there about this memorable movie cat being in cahoots with the Xenomorph, let’s not disparage the name of Alien’s Jonesy. This adorable and fearless orange tabby cat pulled off what most of the Nostromo crew failed to do in Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror classic: survive.

Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)

Voiced by the late Phil Hartman in the 1998 English dub of this iconic Studio Ghibli movie, Jiji was at the heart and center of Hayo Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. The sassy counterpart of the 13-year-old titular witch finding her way in the world, Jiji was there to keep the young girl on track while also providing some great moments along the way.

Sassy (Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey)

Cats rule and dogs drool, or at least that’s what Sassy, voiced by Sally Field, would lead you to believe in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. As her name implies, this furry heroine didn’t take crap from either of her canine companions, though she did come through for them on more than one occasion.

Garfield (The Garfield Cartoon, Movies, And Comics)

When it comes to iconic cats, few hold a lasagna-scented candle to Garfield. Yeah, he’s a grump and pretty much hates everything besides lasagna, his bed, and Grandma in Garfield’s Thanksgiving, but it’s all part of his charm.

Cat (Breakfast At Tiffany's)

Would Breakfast at Tiffany’s work without Holly Golightly's (Audrey Hepburn) cat? Yeah, more likely than not. However, this pesky, hungry, and adorable orange cat makes the 1961 romantic comedy so much more enjoyable.

Milo (The Adventures Of Milo And Otis)

Though The Adventures of Milo and Otis has been marred by controversy in the decades since its release, there’s no denying that Milo, the cat at the center of the film, is unforgettable. Again, probably for the wrong reasons, but so it goes.

Tonto (Harry And Tonto)

Harry and Tonto resulted in Art Carney winning the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 47th Academy Awards thanks to his portrayal of a man going on a road trip with his pet cat. That cat, Tonto, would end up being one of the most iconic movie pets of all time, thanks in part to looking fresh hitchhiking across the American landscape.

Jinx The Cat (Meet The Parents)

Was Jinx the cat a force of evil in Meet the Parents? Yeah, there’s no denying that. However, there’s also no denying the fact that Jack Byrnes’ (Robert De Niro) most-trusted family member is pretty much the most impressive cat in big-screen history. Like, this cat does its business in the toilet for crying out loud.

Ulysses (Inside Llewyn Davis)

No matter how many times we watch Inside Llewyn Davis, we cannot get enough of Ulysses, the cat Oscar Isaac’s down-on-his-luck folk singer brings along with him on his perilous odyssey. Pretty much the second lead of the film, this precocious little cat is always getting into mischief, as all cats should.

Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)

Though the cat that played Thackery Bink reportedly wasn’t the best co-star on the set of Hocus Pocus, let’s speak ill of this bewitched black cat. A boy trapped in a feline body, this beloved movie was always quick with a joke or nudge in the right direction.

Goose (Captain Marvel)

Okay, Goose isn’t technically a cat but a flerken, but you try telling that to everyone who fell in love with this intergalactic being in 2019’s Captain Marvel. If she can melt Nick Fury’s heart (even if her scratch led to him adopting his signature eyepatch) and pretty much everyone else in the movie, she’s more than deserving of a spot.

Mr. Bigglesworth (The Austin Powers Movies)

It’s not all that hard to feel bad for Mr. Bigglesworth, Dr. Evil’s cat from the Austin Powers movies. This guy started out as a long-haired Persian with a beautiful coat and ended up becoming some hairless hench-cat of a crazed madman. Despite his appearance, we’d still let him make biscuits.

Mrs. Norris (The Harry Potter Movies)

Though Mrs. Norris was a rather unpleasant cat that was often doing the bidding of Argus Finch in the Harry Potter movies, there’s still a place for her in the hall of cats. This evil feline was a stickler for the rules and looked cute despite being a pain in the butt.

Oliver (Oliver & Company)

An animated feline version of Oliver Twist? Say no more! The adorable kitten at the center of Oliver & Company managed to steal the show and our hearts, which was no easy task as he shared so much time on screen with a stray dog voiced by Billy Joel.

Puss In Boots (The Shrek And Puss In Boots Movies)

There’s so much to think about with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and much of that is to do with Antonio Banderas’ titular swashbuckling cat. Ever since the character was introduced back in Shrek 2, he’s found a way to entertain audiences with his infectious charm and enchanting nature. Plus, cats with beards should be more common.

DC (That Darn Cat)

That Darn Cat! is a classic Disney film that’s just as much fun watching in 2024 as it was in 1965, and a lot of that is because of DC the Cat. This wise Siamese cat becomes the center of a bank robbery investigation and finds a permanent place in our hearts for his heroics along the way.

Keanu (Keanu)

You know when an entire movie plot centers around someone trying to get their kitten back it’s going to be a good time. And that’s exactly what happens in this 2016 comedy starring Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. Plus, the cat is voiced by Keanu Reeves, which adds so much.

Don Corleone's Cat (The Godfather)

Though the unnamed cat in Don Corleone’s lap is only featured in one scene in The Godfather, the pet helps make that opening sequence one of the most iconic in all of cinema. Sometimes less is more, and that’s very much the case here.

Marlowe's Cat (The Long Goodbye)

Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye features what could be one of the best opening scenes in Hollywood history, and it all revolves around Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) finding his cat some food late at night, and that pretty much sets the tone of the friendship and the feline’s character.

Blofeld's Cat (From Russia With Love)

There have been countless villainous James Bond characters over the years, and that includes Blofeld’s cat, who appeared multiple times in the 007 movie timeline. With appearances in From Russia with Love to Spectre, this faithful feline has been there for the evil mastermind who’s constantly had a bone to pick with a certain MI6 agent.

Church (Pet Sematary)

Though not the best Stephen King adaptation, Pet Sematary does feature one of the prolific author’s most iconic characters: Church the Cat. Brought back to life after a tragic accident, the cat also known as Winston Churchhill is a force of pure evil in this 1989 horror classic and comes up with some diabolical ways to hurt (and kill) people.

The Entire Cat Cast (The Aristocats)

Everybody wants to be a cat, at least that’s what the feline cast in Disney’s The Aristocats wants you to believe. And guess what, they’re not wrong. The cats at the center of this timeless animated classic do it all, including stealing our hearts.

Jake (The Cat From Outer Space)

Jake, also known as Zunar-J-5/9 Doric 4-7, isn’t really a cat, but we’ll have to let it slide because pretty much everyone he meets in The Cat from Outer Space thinks he’s just a normal feline. This 1978 Disney flick sees the mysterious lifeform get in all kinds of trouble, looking cute the whole time.

Pyewacket (Bell, Book And Candle)

Not just a normal everyday Siamese cat, Pyewacket is a powerful (and adorable) supernatural entity in Bell, Book and Candle, the 1958 adaptation of the play of the same name. One of the best cases of “more than meets the eye,” Pyewacket is one of those iconic and memorable cats we just couldn’t stop thinking about, even if we wanted.

Buttercup (The Hunger Games Movies)

Though everyone is obsessed with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), and for good reason, we couldn’t not include Buttercup from The Hunger Games movies on this list. Sure, he’s not the most handsome of cats and doesn’t appear all that much, but there’s a certain charm that makes him unforgettable.

Tao (The Incredible Journey)

Based on the novel of the same name, The Incredible Journey follows three pets – Luath the labrador retriever, Bodger the bull terrier, and Tao the Siamese cat – as they go to great lengths to make their way back home. And while there are a lot of similarities with Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, essentially a star-studded remake, this 1963 Disney movie doesn’t need celebrity voices to make you fall in love with its pets. This is especially true for Tao, who comes through big on more than one occasion. Hunting, scouting, and putting his life on the line to save his canine friends are just part of his incredible feats.

The Alley Cats (Batman Returns)

Do the alley cats in Batman Returns have some mysterious powers? It seems to be that way, as they seemingly bring Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) back from the dead and transform her into Catwoman, one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. The anti-hero/villain who steals Bruce Wayne’s (Michael Keaton) heart while also pulling off some insane heists along the way, pretty much gets her powers (and nine lives) from this pack of mysterious strays.

Kovacs' Cat (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Though the cat belonging to Deputy Vilmos Kovacs (Jeff Goldblum) in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel suffers a rather sudden and unfortunate fate at the hands of J.G. Jopling (Willem Dafoe), he makes for an unforgettable big-screen feline in his limited screentime. We’re not saying the cat makes this one of Anderson’s best movies, but he certainly doesn’t hurt.

Mike Tyson's Tiger (The Hangover)

Cats come in all shapes and sizes, and that’s the case for Mike Tyson’s tiger in The Hangover. This massive apex predator makes for the perfect pet for the larger-than-life boxing legend and also leads to some of the funniest bits in the 2009 comedy. We just wish there was more of the tiger (and Iron Mike) to go around.

The Turkish Cats (Kedi)

Though technically a documentary and not a feature film, Kedi does feature some unforgettable cats. Set in Istanbul, the documentary follows the lives of thousands of street cats that live in the iconic city. Danger, cuteness, and a whole lot of heart can be found in this charming film.

Azrael the Cat (Doctor Sleep)

A cat that knows when people are about to cross over into the Great Beyond? Say no more. That’s the case for Azrael the Cat in Doctor Sleep, a mysterious and powerful feline that sits with dying patients, offering them slight comfort before they go to sleep for the final time.

Ser Pounce (Game Of Thrones)

The fate of Ser Pounce was left up in the air after Cersei went all crazy near the end of Game of Thrones, and we’re not sure he survived the attack on King’s Landing, but at least Tommen’s pet cat looked adorable while he was still around.

This past week was huge for Stephen King-related anniversaries. On the book side of things, Misery turned 37, The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger turned 42, Blaze turned 17, and The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah has now been in existence for 20 years. As for adaptations, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining was given a wide release on this day, June 13, in 1980, and director Tod Williams’ Cell hit VOD eight years ago. But there is no time to dwell on those celebrations, as there are many other stories to discuss from the world of Stephen King this week.

For this new edition of The King Beat, I have a special slate of headlines for you, including Heather Langenkamp’s surprise connection to Pet Sematary, a special request for the stars of The Long Walk, and a brand new 2024 movie recommendation from Stephen King. Without further ado, let’s dig in!

Despite Not Being In The Movie, Legendary Final Girl Heather Langenkamp Was On The Pet Sematary Set For The Movie’s Most Horrific Scenes

With her role in writer/director Mike Flanagan’s upcoming film The Life Of Chuck, Heather Langenkamp will be making her very first appearance in a Stephen King adaptation – which is a bit surprising given her legacy in the horror genre (the actress being best known for playing Nancy Thompson in the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise). Just because she doesn’t have much King experience on her filmography, however, doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have a certain intimate familiarity with the history: as it happens, in the late 1980s, she was on set to witness some of the most gory action in director Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary, one of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time.

This wonderful story came across my desk this week thanks to CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable, who interviewed Heather Langenkamp this past Monday and dedicated a portion of their conversation to talking about Stephen King. Discussing her affiliation with the author’s work, she explained that she got to spend a lot of time on the set of Pet Sematary thanks to her relationship with special makeup effects artist David LeRoy Anderson – her husband since 1989. Said Langenkamp,

Reflecting on her time watching the making of Pet Sematary, she specifically recalled what it was like to see the work of young Miko Hughes, who plays ill-fated toddler Gage Creed in the film. Heather Langenkamp got to personally witness the young actor perform one of the movie’s most gruesome scenes – the death of Fred Gwynne’s Jud Crandall:

(Note: in Pet Sematary, Gage actually slices Jud Crandall’s Achilles tendon with a scalpel and bites his Adam’s apple – but don’t hold this slip up against her!)

Because of the content of the work, it’s understandable that there were some concerns about Miko Hughes’ mental health on the set of Pet Sematary, but Heather Langenkamp also recalls that there was a lot of sensitivity working with him and making sure that he was properly protected from the gruesome nature of the work. She continued,

What makes this story particularly fun is that Heather Langenkamp’s time with Miko Hughes didn’t end when production on Pet Sematary wrapped. While the two actors didn’t get to work together on screen in the making of the Stephen King adaptation, they reunited years later when Wes Craven cast Hughes to play Langenkamp’s son in 1994’s meta sequel New Nightmare. Per the actress, she was amazed to see him become an impressive professional:

Should you now find yourself in the mood to appreciate the talents of young Miko Hughes, Pet Sematary is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, and having an active Netflix account presently provides the ability to instantly watch New Nightmare.

I Have A Specific Request For The Stars Of Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk As The Movie Gets Closer To Becoming A Reality

After years of false starts, it appears that we may finally be getting an adaptation of The Long Walk. Back in November, director Francis Lawrence and screenwriter JT Mollner were hired to develop the project as a feature for Lionsgate, and it was revealed this week by Deadline that the film has brought aboard Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson to star. Sadly, the new trade report doesn’t make any mention of when production may start, but when cameras do start rolling, I have a special request: please have all of the actors on the film wear pedometers so that we know how many steps they end up taking over the course of principal photography.

This may sound silly, but I am personally fascinated by the logistics of bringing The Long Walk to life. In the book (first published in 1989 under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachman), 100 teenage boys sign up for a dystopian last-man-standing competition that sees them continuously walking at a pace of four miles per hour along U.S. Route 1 for days on end without breaks. The story doesn’t feature any subplots or flashbacks, which means that just about every scene in the film is going to feature the main stars in motion – and with multiple takes of every setup factored in, that should mean a whole lot of steps… and I want to know just how many.

Needless to say, The Long Walk is a project that I am going to keep a very close eye on as it continues to make its way to production and add to its cast – and hopefully Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson and all of the actors involved will be properly prepared to do some extreme cardio.

Stephen King Got Surprised In The Best Way By The New Shark Thriller Under Paris

Summer 2024 has some exciting upcoming horror films on the way, but genre fans are going to have to exhibit some patience, as Michael Sarnoski's A Quiet Place: Part One won’t be arriving until the end of the month, and both Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs and Ti West’s MaXXXine aren’t set to arrive in theaters until July. That being said, if you have a hankering to sit down and watch a scary movie right now, Stephen King has a new recommendation: for those of you who enjoy a good shark-centric feature, the author suggests that you put your Netflix account to use and check out Xavier Gens’ new movie Under Paris.

It was just a few weeks ago that King endorsed another 2024 creature feature – the French spider-filled thriller Infested – but if you already watched that particular title, the author has another movie for you to queue up. On Wednesday, King took to Twitter to explain that Under Paris is a film that took him by surprise, as he was expecting campy fun but ultimately got served a completely different experience. He wrote,

In the film, a scientist (Bérénice Bejo) finds herself confronting trauma from her past when she learns that an enlarged mako shark has taken up residence in the Seine and is threatening to turn an upcoming triathlon event into a bloodbath. The movie also stars Nassim Lyes, Léa Léviant and Sandra Parfait.

Under Paris got a global release on Netflix last Wednesday, June 5, and it has received a mix reaction overall – the movie sporting a 64 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes matched with a 35 percent audience score. I’ve personally been a bit iffy about checking it out, but the Stephen King stamp of approval means that I’ll probably be watching it myself this coming weekend.

Recommendation Of The Week: “Rattlesnakes”

Time for another You Like It Darker recommendation! I’ve been using this space in The King Beat in the past month to highlight the best of the best entries from Stephen King’s new collection, and this week it’s time to put “Rattlesnakes” in the spotlight.

One of the most anticipated novellas in the 2024 omnibus, “Rattlesnakes” stands out because it is a sequel to the beloved 1981 novel Cujo. Set in 2020 during the first summer of the COVID-19 pandemic, the story catches up with Vic Trenton decades after the horrific experience that saw his wife and son trapped in a broken down car and tormented by a giant, rabies-infected St. Bernard. Now a widower and staying at a friend’s house in Florida, Vic lives a solitary life, but he finds his solitude disrupted in horrifying fashion when he becomes entangled with a neighbor who has her own tragic past involving a pair of twin sons who were killed after accidentally stumbling into a rattlesnake pit. It’s a top notch ghost story full of powerful emotion.

That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat, but I’ll be back next Thursday with a new column here on CinemaBlend. Meanwhile, you can learn about all future King projects with my Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV feature and learn how to be the best King fan you can be with my guide to building the ultimate Stephen King collection.

Across 100+ years, horror audiences have witnessed some of the most terrifying and disturbing acts committed to film, but it’s not just what the characters are doing that makes for memorable moments. What they’re saying can have just as much of an impact, and the best horror movies of all time are filled with some of cinema history’s most memorable quotes. 

To be sure, the following list of memorable horror movie quotes isn’t solely a round-up of the genre’s most famous or overused utterances and declarations. Rather, it’s a more general assortment of wicked, off-kilter, and/or darkly amusing pieces of dialogue that I (and presumably others) have been repeating in the many years since the respective films were released. So some of them will be quite popular, such as the following promise from the Hell Priest himself.

We have such sights to show you. (Hellraiser)

Doug Bradley’s iconic horror antagonist Pinhead remains a disturbing force in horror cinema, with sadism as his guiding force. Thus, he has the power to make those seven words as disturbing a promise as there could ever be. As far as everyday usage goes, it’s best to bring it into completely ironic situations, such as looking for dinner options inside a mostly empty refrigerator. Or, you know, welcoming someone into your own pocket of hell. 

Gimme back my hand. Gimme back my hand! (Evil Dead II)

Essentially everything Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams says in both the Evil Dead film franchise and TV series can be considered Best Quote material, but I’m particularly taken with this moment in which Ash makes this desperate plea to the evil possessing the extremity he’s begging for. It’s both sad and delightfully absurd all at once, which is apropos for Sam Raimi’s cabin-set sequel.

You open the beaches on the 4th of July, it's like ringing the dinner bell for Christ's sakes. (Jaws)

Roy Scheider’s Chief Brody will always be best remembered for wanting a bigger boat — thanks in no minor part to an old Taco Bell campaign — but his ominous warning to Mayor Vaughn is one of my favorite lines in Jaws. Is it partly because I like thinking about the film’s killer threat hearing a dinner bell in its head upon seeing families splashing around, possibly while licking its lips? Probably.

The third Elm Street film introduced Freddy Krueger’s penchant for calling his victims “bitch,” and he arguably never topped this kill-scene punchline that preceded the electrocution death of the self-harming Jennifer. It definitely helps that Freddy’s head was sticking out of the top of a TV at the time, with the antenna sticking up from his scalp. 

To a new world of gods and monsters. (Bride of Frankenstein)

Possibly Bride of Frankenstein’s most influential line of dialogue (at least in terms of setting up the DCU’s first chapter), the line above doesn’t come from anyone in the Frankenstein family, nor the monsters, nor the real-world poets. Rather, it’s Ernest Thesiger’s Dr. Pretorius who delivers the damningly apropos toast to Colin Clive’s doctor. It’s never a bad idea for a wedding toast. 

God's not supposed to be a hack horror writer. (In the Mouth of Madness)

John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness is a mind-twister in lots of ways, and this line delivered by Sam Neill’s John Trent informs the cyclical storytelling in a self-deprecating way. But even beyond the meta-textual appeal, it’s also just a good line in and of itself. I don’t think there are any religions where God is described as a hack horror writer.

Don't kill me, Mike. I'm basically a good kid, so just don’t kill me. (The Lost Boys)

Sometimes I wish all teens in all movies were as charismatic and fun to watch as Corey Haim’s Sam in The Lost Boys. He’s such a great surrogate for the audience, especially when being lovingly paranoid about being targeted by his newly vampiric brother Michael. No use trying to bullshit his brother by saying he’s a great kid.

I'm the Devil. Now kindly undo these straps. (The Exorcist)

Linda Blair’s demonically charged Regan delivers a slew of A+ lines throughout The Exorcist, and I’ve always loved the matter-of-fact way she asks to be free. It’s the same tone in which I hear, “I’m Bart Simpson, who the hell are you?” Just slightly more ornery.

I never wanted to be your mother. (Hereditary)

Toni Collette’s Annie no doubt delivers her biggest gut-punch lines during Hereditary’s harrowing dinner scene, but all of her rage in that moment is largely gone during her later far-too-frank conversation with son Peter, during which she drops the worst line any parent can ever tell their kid. And the only way to take the power out of that line is to repeat it in ways that have no contextual similarities. 

Are you out of your fucking mind? (The Shining)

The Shining has been quoted endlessly since its 1980 release, for good reason. But one of the lines that still hits the hardest with each rewatch is Jack Torrence’s reaction when Wendy runs into the bar and attempts to warn him about the “crazy woman” who attacked Danny. The dude was still in the midst of drinking phantom booze while chatting with a ghost, and still had the gall to act that self-righteous. It may be my favorite line reading of Jack Nicholson’s from any film.

He got hungry. (Halloween)

As awful as Michael Myers is as a character in general, what with all the murdering, one of the most disturbing details about the mentally disturbed killer is that whole dog-eating thing. And Loomis’ three words indicating as much will always get a laugh out of me while watching John Carpenter’s O.G. Halloween. 

Where we're going, we don't need eyes to see. (Event Horizon)

While not perfect, Event Horizon remains one of the snazziest space horror movies out there, and few genre antagonists can get under my skin as easily as Sam Neill’s Dr. Billy Weir in the third act. Obviously because he’d gouged out his own eyes, and was able to form coherent sentences instead of merely screaming in place due to all the missing eyeballs pain.

I never drink…wine. (Dracula)

No matter how many years it’s been since Tod Browning’s Dracula first brought Bram Stoker’s vampire count to life (so to speak), this semi-vaudevillian line never gets old. “Take my wife…’s blood. Please.” 

Don't you see that killing me is not going to bring back your apples? (The Wicker Man)

The fact that this appeal to logic amidst mob mentality is laid out so sincerely is a big part of why it still disturbs me to this day. Edward Woodward’s Sgt. Neil Howie shouldn’t really have to try all that hard to convince Summerisle’s residents that human sacrifices as a botany tactic are malarkey. But some people just never learn. 

I can see your dirty pillows. Everyone will. (Carrie)

Piper Laurie will forever remain one of horror cinema’s most problematic mother figures thanks to her Oscar-nominated performance as Carrie’s puritanical matriarch Margaret White. The fact that she calls her daughter’s breasts “dirty pillows” bothered me in unexplainable ways as a kid. Now, I admittedly kind of adore that gross-ass phrasing. 

They're gazebos! They're bullshit! (IT)

For a movie so steeped in childhood trauma and the nightmares a dancing clown can provide, the first part of Andy Muschietti’s IT features quite a few big laughs, sometimes mixed with unsettling freakiness. Such was the case when Jack Dylan Graazer’s Eddie Kaspbrak took a stand against his mother regarding his asthma medicine, but didn’t quite nail the pronunciation of “placebo.” 

You've gotta be fucking kidding. (The Thing)

So often in horror movies, characters don’t make the kinds of rational decisions that people would make in everyday life. But The Thing features more than a few moments where its survivors are completely relatable in their dumbfounded reactions to the madness happening around them, exemplified best by David Clennon’s Palmer dryly expressing disbelief over the ever-evolving and always goopy alien threat.

A man doesn't always know why he does things, Louis. (Pet Sematary)

Fred Gwynne’s Pet Sematary character Jud Crandall is perhaps most synonymous with the line “Sometimes, dead is better,” which is a nice and practical viewpoint within that film’s dour universe. But I’ve always leaned more into Jud’s oversimplified anti-excuse above, which speaks directly to the parental urges that lead Louis to bring his son Gage back from the dead, without really speaking to them at all. “Sometimes people do dumb shit, Louis” was probably the first-draft version.

That's my mother you're pissing on. (Dead Alive)

Peter Jackson’s batshit 1993 splatterfest Dead Alive is filled with depraved and darkly hilarious scenes, characters, and dialogue that are wholly unique to the New Zealand filmmaker’s talents. And of all the singular lines strewn throughout the film, I particularly love Timothy Balme’s Lionel Cosgrove remarking in slight disgust that his mum is being tinkled on. Nothing in Citizen Kane about moms being peed on, just saying.

My family's always been in meat. (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre)

It can be easy to forget just how much of director Tobe Hooper’s sense of humor shines through in each of his classic films, and even though the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre isn’t anywhere near as bonkers as its 1986 sequel, there are still some big laughs to gnaw on while watching Sally survive Leatherface and the Sawyer family. None perhaps are as on the (half-eaten) nose as The Hitchhiker’s foreshadowing admission noted above, which at first seems like just an innocent reference to slaughterhouse duties, but soon takes on entirely different meanings. 

This is only a small assortment of the vast array of memorable and quotable lines from scary cinema. While thinking about your own favorites, be sure to check out all the upcoming horror movies that will hopefully provide some amazing lines that we haven’t heard yet.

This past week, you may have seen Stephen King’s reaction to “barely masked gloating” about The Marvels’ box office struggle, and read Tom Hiddleston’s impressions of the upcoming film The Life Of Chuck, but those aren’t the only cool developments in the world of Stephen King that we’ve seen in the last few days, and The King Beat is here to catch you up with some cool things you may have missed.

In this edition of the column, we have writer/director Mike Flanagan’s thoughts on the best last lines in cinema history (including two Stephen King adaptations), King’s thoughts on the uncut/TV version of Needful Things, a celebration of Pet Sematary’s 40th anniversary, and more. Let’s dig in!

Stand By Me And The Shawshank Redemption Make Mike Flanagan’s List Of The All-Time Best Closing Lines

Are you a Mike Flanagan fan interested in understanding his cinematic sensibilities? If so, this week delivers some great news. The Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep filmmaker has created a profile on Letterboxd, which provides anyone curious about the writer/director with an insight into his tastes. In addition to naming his favorite films – All That Jazz, Lawrence Of Arabia, The Shawshank Redemption and Jaws – he has also put together a few cool lists. One of the coolest is his 16-title collection of what he considers “The Best Closing Lines Of All Time,” and unsurprisingly, two Stephen King adaptations made the cut.

Included among his terrific choices (including Casablanca’s "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," and Army Of Darkness’ "Hail to the king, baby") are Rob Reiner’s coming-of-age classic Stand By Me and Frank Darabont’s aforementioned The Shawshank Redemption. The former, of course, ends with an incredible sentiment to which anyone can relate:

For the latter, Mike Flanagan picked out just the final two words of Red’s final monologue in the film – and they very much sum up everything that the film is about:

In addition to watching movies, Mike Flanagan is also obviously very busy making them. The Life Of Chuck, his latest Stephen King movie, went into production last month, and he is also ever-working to make his dream adaptation of The Dark Tower. You can keep up to date with both projects with our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV feature.

Stephen King Gives His Thumbs Up To The Superior Extended Cut Of Needful Things

In the history of Stephen King movies, there are a few alternate cuts that specifically stand out. One is the black-and-white version of Frank Darabont’s The Mist – which finds its 1950s monster movie vibes enhanced by the greyscale aesthetic. Another is the director’s cut of Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep – which adds a wonderful chapter structure, an extra sequence with Ewan McGregor’s Dan and Henry Thomas’ Jack, and much more. If I had to pick an alternate cut that most improves on the theatrical release, however, it would have to be the extended edit of Fraser C. Heston’s Needful Things, and Stephen King let his personal feelings about the superior version be known this past week.

Seemingly apropos of nothing specific, King took to his personal Twitter account this week for a special recommendation for fans of his adaptations. While throwing some shade at the version of Needful Things that played in theaters back in 1993, the author wrote,

Originally written as Stephen King’s final Castle Rock novel, Needful Things is a delightful read because of its deliberate pacing and escalation. Via the titular shop, which opens in the middle of town, the sinister Leland Gaunt plants seeds of chaos all around town, and the thrill of the story is in watching how each little “prank” he sets in motion serves as a piece in a Rube Goldberg machine of horror. While I am someone who will generally defend the original version of the 1993 film, it fails to fully capture that special energy of the source material… but that’s not the case with the extended cut.

While the runtime of the version of Needful Things that hit theaters is 121 minutes, more than an hour of footage was cut back in for when the film aired on TBS in 1996, and it is both a better and a more faithful adaptation. It still doesn’t include major elements like the return of Ace Merill from “The Body,” but it successfully captures the necessary slow burn of the book.

One thing that Stephen King got wrong in his Tweet is the fact that the extended cut is not exclusively available on DVD. It used to be the case that it was only available in SD on a Region B Blu-ray, but his past July, Kino Lorber released new Needful Things 4K UHD, and the Blu-ray disc included in the package features an HD Up-Res Master of the TV version of the movie. It’s definitely a must-add if you’re building the Ultimate Stephen King collection.

Pet Sematary Celebrates 40 Years Of Disturbing The Hell Out Of Constant Readers

As the legend goes, Stephen King didn’t originally want to publish the novel Pet Sematary. The book goes to exceptionally dark places, with the protagonist finding himself spiraling into madness following the death of his infant son, and when the story wouldn’t leave his mind even after he finished writing it, he decided that it was too grim to let out into the world.

The contract that he signed with Doubleday at the start of his career, however, ended up changing the work’s place in pop culture history. While the author had all but ended his relationship with the publisher following disputes about The Stand, he gave them one last novel to publish in order to get money he was owed and terminate business. That book was Pet Sematary, and Doubleday published it November 14, 1983 – 40 years ago this week.

After four decades, it remains the scariest book that Stephen King has written – and that includes the terrors between the covers of books like Cujo, Misery and Revival. Regardless of whether or not you have children, the author makes you feel the monstrous pain that builds up in Louis Creed until he does the unthinkable and tries to bring his son back from the dead. And this, of course, comes after King has us get to know the Creed family and all of their deeply human qualities and faults, from Ellie’s fear that her cat Church may someday die, to Rachel’s traumatic past with her sickly sister Zelda.

None of the film adaptations made thus far have fully captured the full terror of the book – though Mary Lambert’s 1989 film (with a screenplay written by Stephen King himself) is certainly much better than the 2019 Pet Sematary remake. I’m still holding out hope that we will eventually get to see Guillermo del Toro execute his vision for the material, if not especially because he has said that he would kill to make it.

Recommendation Of The Week: The Running Man

In addition to Pet Sematary, Paul Michael Glaser’s The Running Man also celebrated an anniversary this week, as it was first released in theaters 36 years ago on November 13, 1987. The movie, which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, is arguably the least 'Stephen King' Stephen King film, but if you’re only familiar with the adaptation, you should check out its amazing source material.

One of the works written by Richard Bachman (Stephen King’s famous pseudonym), The Running Man is like the Schwarzenegger feature in that it centers on a hero named Ben Richards who participates in a sadistic game show in a dystopian future, but the book is otherwise completely different – featuring the protagonist willing to sacrifice his life so that his wife can have medicine for their sick baby daughter. The rules of the eponymous television program are totally different, as Ben is sent out into the world to be hunted in public, and while working to escape, he discovers a massive conspiracy that has shaped the modern world.

Like just about all of the Bachman books, it’s a short novel/novella written with an even rougher edge than what you’ll typically find in Stephen King’s bibliography, and the ending is a jaw-dropper – particularly due to historical events that occurred a decade-and-a-half after The Running Man’s original publication. It’s something that a more faithful remake, like the one being developed by writer/director Edgar Wright, would likely have to change.

That does it for this week’s King Beat, but I’ll be back next Thursday (Thanksgiving!) with a new edition, and you can meanwhile check out my Adapting Stephen King column, chronicling the history of King adaptations in film and television.

I love the works of Stephen King and the movies and TV programs that have been inspired by his writing… but I am also a rational person who understands that not every adaptation is great. In fact, some of them are just downright terrible.

We have done rankings of the best Stephen King movies and best Stephen King TV shows/miniseries. This, however, is the opposite of those, and runs down the list of the worst Stephen King adaptations in no particular order. 

Under The Dome

Under The Dome is a sprawling novel that examines how a small town might behave in a mysterious crisis, but everything that is captivating and compelling about the book is thrown out the window by the TV show. The CBS series decided to treat the fascinating work of post-9/11 fiction as a gateway to ripping off the mystery box structure of Lost, and while it develops some energy in its first season, the final two are train wrecks.

Children Of The Corn

Beyond the fact that it has spawned a seemingly endless number of sequels, the most notable thing about Children Of The Corn is that it exists in history as the first bad Stephen King movie. It starts well with a horrifying sequence where the children of Gatlin, Nebraska murder all of their elders, but it gets lifeless after that and evokes none of the terror of King’s short story.

Graveyard Shift

Graveyard Shift gets points for including a wacky turn from Brad Dourif as a freaky exterminator and the gnarly rat/bat monster at the very end… but it also loses points because the former doesn’t end up being killed by the latter. The film drifts far from the source material and delivers little more than hollow characters meeting grim deaths. It’s Kingsploitation.

Sometimes They Come Back

The short story on which Sometimes They Come Back features a killer ending with the protagonist using satanic rituals to vanquish undead bullies tormenting him… but the TV movie adaptation lacks all of the edge of its source material and is a mostly dull experience.

The Tommyknockers

It’s hard to totally blame the miniseries adaptation of The Tommyknockers for being bad. After all, the book on which it’s based is one of Stephen King’s worst. Still, that doesn’t excuse its bizarre and dumb deviations from the novel, including both major cuts and bad alterations to the motives of the aliens.

Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher has the handicap of being based on a less-than-stellar Stephen King work… but it doesn’t get to escape this list because it’s still an awful film based on a King book. Like the source material, it starts off well, featuring a group of friends who find a fun outdoor weekend ruined by vicious aliens, but it nosedives as soon as the military shows up and the story starts digging into the extraterrestrial’s invasion.

The Mangler

Like Stephen King, both Tobe Hooper and Robert Englund are undisputed horror genre legends… but the one and only film that brings all three together is a mess. The terrific King short story is at the heart of The Mangler, but the subplot involving Englund’s leg-braced, one-eyed owner of the Blue Ribbon Laundry is a far too schlocky add on, and Ted Levine delivers a dull turn as the film’s protagonist.

Maximum Overdrive

There is a campy quality that can be appreciated in Stephen King’s one and only attempt at directing, but there is far too much that doesn’t work for Maximum Overdrive to get a full pass. There is plenty of ridiculous death and silly carnage, but it’s missing the strong qualities like character development and story that are typically the foundations of King’s work.

Carrie (2002)

The 2002 remake of Carrie gets some credit for attempting a cinematic equivalent of the original book’s epistolary structure, but it has a wrongheaded sympathy for its titular protagonist – partially motivated by the consideration of the TV movie as a backdoor pilot – and it struggles to get out from under the shadow of director Brian De Palma’s classic.

Thinner

While director Tom Holland’s The Langoliers is a movie that can be defended because of its faithfulness to the source material and wild approach to time travel, the filmmaker’s follow-up King adaptation doesn’t get the same treatment. The book has a wryness to its cynicism that makes the material palatable, but Thinner’s adaptation is dry and mean, and its gross stereotypes about the Romani culture hasn’t let it age well.

Trucks

If you thought Maximum Overdrive was bad, just wait until you get a load of Trucks! Based on the same short story as Stephen King’s directorial debut (“Trucks”), the TV contains exactly one entertaining moment – a scene where a toy truck crushes a man’s head in – and it’s not even in the version that originally aired on USA Network because it was too gory for broadcast. There is nothing likable about this lifeless adaptation, and it has a claim for “Worst Stephen King Movie Of All Time.”

Apt Pupil

Anyone would be challenged to make a palatable movie based on the novella “Apt Pupil,” which is as dark as anything Stephen King has ever written, and Bryan Singer certainly didn’t crack the code with his 1998 film. It’s a deeply unpleasant work that also scratches at the surface of the source material and waters it to down to the point of being ineffectual.

The Mist (2017)

Is The Mist TV series meant to be a remake of the Stephen King novella, or a spinoff to Frank Darabont’s film adaptation? That’s never totally clear, and it hampers the work. Following multiple characters traveling to multiple locations, it’s never able to recreate the human-centric paranoia that is so brilliant in the source material, and it fails to do anything interesting with the eponymous supernatural fog and the monsters that dwell within it.

Secret Window

It’s not impossible to make a good movie with a twist involving a protagonist with dissociative identity disorder (Fight Club is pretty damn good, after all), but Secret Window is a mostly rote take on that trope that isn’t elevated much at all by tricky cinematography and a sinister turn from John Turturro.

Riding The Bullet

If you’re looking for some hitchhiking-related Stephen King horror, allow me to steer you toward the anthology TV movie Quicksilver Highway and its adaptation of “Chattery Teeth.” Riding The Bullet is a movie that is all over the place tonally as its protagonist travels to be at his dying mother’s bedside, as it tries to be disgusting and gory in one minute, and serious and solemn in the next. None of it works.

"The Road Virus Heads North" in Nightmares And Dreamscapes

The majority of the episodes in the anthology series Nightmares And Dreamscapes are solid adaptations of Stephen King short stories, but “The Road Virus Heads North” is a standout exception. Its biggest issue is that the plot centers around a “scary painting” that isn’t scary in the slightest, and that lack of terror is ultimately parlayed into violence and death with zero tension or investment.

Desperation

Ron Perlman is a force to be reckoned with as the mad, possessed Collie Entragian in Desperation, and he is surrounded by a talented cast, but the TV movie fails to generate real scares past its first act and once all of the characters come together. The contemplations on the nature of god from the book come across as preachy and heavy-handed.

Children Of The Corn (2009)

Donald P. Borchers’s remake of Children Of The Corn has the distinction of being a much more faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s short story compared to the first feature-length attempt, but “more faithful” doesn’t always mean better. The bickering protagonists are obnoxious and impossible to root for even in the most dire circumstances, and they can’t die fast enough amid the tedium that plays out in the movie’s second and third acts.

Dolan's Cadillac

The short story “Dolan’s Cadillac” is Stephen King’s riff on Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” in that it centers on a revenge tale where the antagonist ends up being entombed – but that narrative does not work at all stretched out to feature length for director Jeff Beesley’s 2010 feature. Like some of the worst King movies, it is deeply unpleasant, and nothing is helped by Wes Bentley being miscast and failing to capture the main character’s descent into madness.

Haven

Haven loses points right off the bat for barely having anything to do with the book on which it’s based (The Colorado Kid), but mostly the TV series is a generic monster-of-the-week show with lame season-long arcs. There are a few engaging episodes, but for the most part, the 78 episodes are tepid sci-fi mysteries solved by the three main protagonists (who are locked in an intolerable love triangle).

Carrie (2013)

Factoring in how the 2002 TV remake of Carrie failed to escape the shadow of the original despite a big change in story structure, the 2013 film does even less to try and distance itself from the classic, and it suffers mightily for it. Chloë Grace Moretz is badly miscast in the lead role, and there is simply too much that is overly familiar in this adaptation.

A Good Marriage

A Good Marriage is a film built on a good story foundation – centering on a wife who learns that her husband is leading a double life as a serial killer – but it’s an adaptation that without a pulse. It’s based on the story of Dennis Rader a.k.a. the BTK killer, and while it works hard not to be exploitative by keeping the story centered on the spouse instead of the murderer, we don’t see enough of her inner turmoil as she decides whether she should call the police and risk destroying her family.

Mercy

If you’re looking for a good adaptation of Stephen King’s short story “Gramma,” watch the episode with that name written by Harlan Ellison for the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone and stay far away from Mercy. The additions made to make the material fit feature length do nothing to add to the personal, intimate terror of the original work, and an inability to create effective atmosphere leaves its horror wholly dependent on lame jump scares.

Big Driver

Big Driver was made as a rape revenge TV movie for the Lifetime network, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from that description. It’s not exploitative, but it is extremely basic and overly familiar, and despite the fact that it is just being faithful to the source material, there are scenes that feel like commercials for TomTom GPS devices.

Cell

Stephen King is responsible for writing a number of great adaptations of his own books, but Cell is his biggest blunder. Just about the entire second half of the book is altered for the worse for the film, the characters don’t possess the depth they need, and much like the original Children Of The Corn, there isn’t anything scary that plays out after the horrifying opening sequence.

The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower is a special kind of bad Stephen King movie in that it’s one of the few that feels like an insult to Stephen King’s Constant Readers. The author’s brilliant, seven-book series is an epic that blends genres and follows complicated, wonderful characters… and the adaptation is a sub-90 minute (without credits) mess that simplifies everything about the source material and doesn’t even bother including a number of main protagonists.

Pet Sematary (2019)

Watching Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer's Pet Sematary, you get the sense that the filmmakers were petrified of being compared to the original 1989 film and felt compelled to make their movie wildly different. This was a huge mistake. Not only is the story less interesting with the death of Ellie Creed instead of Gage Creed, but the movie never delivers the spiraling madness that is featured in the horrifying novel.

The Stand (2020)

For a while, it seemed like the streaming age was Hollywood’s gateway to finally creating a truly great adaptation of The Stand… but that’s not what we got in the 2020 miniseries. It’s a mess structurally – twisting King’s expansive novel into a poorly paced non-linear narrative – and cuts some of the best stuff from the source material, including the journeys of Donald Merwin Elbert a.k.a. The Trashcan Man and Tom Cullen.

Mr. Harrigan's Phone

The novella “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” is a spooky tale about modern technology and the afterlife, but director John Lee Hancock’s adaptation puts a stronger emphasis on a coming of age tale with a horror bent – and neither totally work. There isn’t much said in the journey of the protagonist, and there is a lacking chemistry between stars Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is a unique adaptation in that it adapts the work of Stephen King like no other adaptation has – but the end result is only mediocre in its best moments. The story of Timmy Baterman is a compelling one as a chapter in Pet Sematary, but not enough is creatively done to expand upon it, and the film doesn’t do anything particularly interesting to add to the book’s lore.

Hearts In Atlantis

The book on which Hearts In Atlantis is based is a sweet, bleak collection of connected stories with direct links to Stephen King’s phenomenal Dark Tower saga, and little that’s interesting about it is maintained in director Scott Hicks’ adaptation. The performances by Anton Yelchin and Anthony Hopkins are sweet, but the film is a mostly rote coming of age tale.

Bag Of Bones

Bag Of Bones is one of Stephen King’s most beautifully written novels, as the author takes a dip into the world of gothic romance, but everything about the adaptation feels flat – from the tepid depiction of the evil millionaire Max Devore to the May/December flirtation between protagonist Mike Noonan and doomed widow Mattie Devore.

We can always hope that all future Stephen King adaptations will be better than these 32, and you can keep track of all the projects that are currently in development with our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide.

Over the years, there have been countless movie animals that have stolen the show (and our hearts), so much so they become more beloved than the rest of the cast. There’s just something about these dogs, cats, primates, and animals that don’t fit into an easy category that make some of the best Pixar movies even better and bring another element to all-time great sci-fi movies. 

Below is a list of 32 of those movie animals that have become part of cinematic history, bet it as the main attraction in a family-friendly comedy or as a supporting character that eventually takes precedence over everyone else.

Paddington (Paddington)

What’s not to adore about the titular, marmalade-loving bear from Paul King’s Paddington movies? Voiced by Ben Whishaw, the beloved character from the classic children’s books of the same name steals the show (and all the snacks) at every turn. This isn’t to say the Brown family isn’t great, but we just can’t get enough of Paddington Bear, even when he went to prison.

Babe (Babe)

“That’ll do pig, that’ll do,” the closing line spoken by James Cromwell’s Arthur Hoggett in Babe pretty much sums up our admiration for the fan-favorite pig voiced by the late Christine Cavanaugh. There are some great characters in Chris Noonan’s 1995 comedy about a pig who becomes a sheep-dog, but there’s no topping this adorable and fearless standout.

Beethoven (Beethoven)

As easy as it is to relate to George Newton in Beethoven, the titular St. Bernard is the best thing about Brian Levant’s 1992 comedy. Sure, he eats all the bacon and destroys Charles Grodin’s character’s clothes, but the family dog also saves a drowning child, prevents a shady business deal from going down, and turns George from a neurotic mess into a more centered person.

Marley (Marley & Me)

Though one of the most rambunctious dogs in film history, Marley from the 2008 family drama, Marley & Me, is a pooch that will forever live in the hearts of everyone who’s seen the movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. And no, it’s not just because this film breaks our hearts into a millions pieces.

Hooch (Turner & Hooch)

As far as police dogs are concerned, there’s no better option than Hooch, the titular mastiff from the 1989 buddy cop movie, Turner & Hooch. Yeah, Tom Hanks is great as Scott Turner, but c’mon, this pooch literally saves the day.

Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)

You know who's one character that makes Hocus Pocus a much better movie than its 2022 sequel? Thackery Binx. Sure, there are other reasons why the 1993 Halloween movie is so good, but the top of the list should and always will start with that little black cat who’s been a thorn in the Sanderson sisters’ sides for centuries.

Hachi (Hachi: A Dog's Tale)

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale is a movie that will take out your heart, break it into a million little pieces, and then give it back to you to put back together again. The tale of Hachi, a deeply devoted Akita, waiting day after day and year after year for his deceased owner to come back to the train station is incredibly powerful, even more so when you realize it’s based on a true story.

Jonesy (Alien)

Okay, Jonesy doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time in Alien (even less so in Aliens), but there’s no way you can say Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror flick is any worse because of Ellen Ripley’s cat? Plus, he’s one of two survivors.

Arthur (Beginners)

Beginners is a movie about grief and how it affects not only humans but also the animals left behind when someone close to us dies. This is best illustrated in the 2010 drama by Arthur, the Jack Russell Terrier who lives with Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) after his owner, and Oliver’s dad, Hal (Christopher Plummer) passes away. It eventually becomes a situation where Arthur does more to support Oliver in his pain than the other way around.

Verdell (As Good As It Gets)

Though he’s cut out of the movie’s poster, Verdell, the Griffon Bruxellois in As Good as it Gets is one of the main characters in the 1997 Oscar winner and brings out the best of everyone else on screen. Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt both won Academy Awards for their roles, but the pup that warms their hearts (and our own) is simply the best.

Goose (Captain Marvel)

Okay, Captain Marvel’s Goose is technically a Flerken, an alien creature with super strength and some ferocious tentacles, but since she takes the form of a cat in the 2019 Marvel movie, she makes the cut, or slash if we’re talking about Nick Fury’s eye. 

Dexter (Night At The Museum)

Love him or hate him, Dexter, the stuffed capuchin monkey who comes to life in Night at the Museum helps make Shawn Levy’s 2006 fantasy comedy so great. The constant back and forth with Ben Stiller’s Larry Daley, and pretty much everything about the primate is pure gold.

Keanu (Keanu)

Is there a cuter character in Keanu than the titular cat? Is there a cuter movie animal than the kitten formerly known as Iglesias whose cat-napping results in Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key’s characters going on a life-or-death mission to save him? We think not.

Chance (Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey)

Though Shadow and Sassy are great characters who both make Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey a beloved family adventure film, we all know the real star of the show is Chance. Even without Michael J. Fox’s voiceover work, this young and immature American Bulldog, constantly steals the show.

Remy (Ratatouille)

The ghost of Auguste Gusteau is cool, Alfredo Linguini goes through a radical change, and Anton Ego has an incredible arc, but we all know Remy the rat (Patton Oswalt) is the real star of Pixar’s Ratatouille. Come on, he's a rat who can see smells and makes unique food combinations better than anyone.

Lucky (Dr. Dolittle)

Eddie Murphy’s titular character in Dr. Dolittle is great and all, but the human characters all take a backseat to the various talking animals in the 1998 family comedy. At the top of that list is Lucky, the sarcastic and hilarious dog voiced by the late Norm Macdonald who becomes a core part of the doctor’s family.

Max (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

Who does all the leg work in How the Grinch Stole Christmas and doesn’t have the benefit of his heart growing three times its normal size? Yeah, Max, the Grinch’s (Jim Carrey) pet dog who stands by his owner through thick and thin in his quest to steal the big holiday.

Dunston (Dunston Checks In)

The late Paul Reubens shows up in an unforgettable way, Eric Lloyd gives a great performance as Kyle Grant, and Jason Alexander is awesome in it, but the real star of Dunston Checks In is the titular orangutan. Whether he’s hiding in a laundry chute or wearing costumes in the five-star Majestic Hotel lobby, Dunston checks all the boxes.

 Snoopy (The Peanuts Movie)

While it’s true that Charlie Brown is at the center of The Peanuts Movie, let’s be real for a second and come to agreement that Snoopy is the best thing about the 2015 feature film based on the iconic comic strip. Like, Snoopy writes a book about taking on the famed Red Baron.

Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)

The seminal Studio Ghibli movie, Kiki’s Delivery Service mostly centers on a young witch as she attempts to find her place in the world, but this animated gem wouldn’t be half as good if it were not for her pet cat, Jiji. Whether it’s the original Japanese version or the English dub with Phil Hartman providing the voice, the character is absolutely amazing.

Clyde (Every Which Way But Loose)

Every Which Way but Loose isn’t going to be on a list of Clint Eastwood’s best movies, but the 1978 action comedy does see the legendary Western actor share the screen with an orangutan named Clyde. In fact, Clyde is the best character in the whole dang movie, even if he drinks beer, flips the bird, and kisses everyone in sight.

Old Yeller (Old Yeller)

One of the best dog movies on Disney+, Old Yeller is an undeniable classic and the one film that will make Stone Cold Steve Austin cry. Nothing against the human characters in this fun yet tragic story, but the titular yellow lab is the best thing about this Disney throwback.

Little Monkey (George Of The Jungle)

Okay, George of the Jungle features a ton of great animal characters and humans who can also hold their own, most notably Brendan Fraser’s titular hero. But if you’re looking for a side character who steals the show and melts your heart, look no further than the little monkey who George helps early on in the movie. 

Blue (Jurassic World)

There are a lot of dinosaurs featured in the various Jurassic Park movies, but few have an emotional connection with the audience as strong as Blue, the raptor that Owen Grady’s (Chris Pratt) has trained since birth. And while Grady, and other humans, in Jurassic World are great, this smart apex predator with her blue markings is in a league of her own.

Air Buddy (Air Bud)

Let’s be real, is there another character in Air Bud who is as beloved as Air Buddy himself? Come on, this golden retriever can shoot hoops and bring out the best in people. Well, unless you’re a clown with a rolled-up newspaper.

Willy (Free Willy)

Jason James Richter, August Schellenberg, and Lori Petty’s characters are all great in Free Willy, but the titular orca is the champ of this 1993 children’s movie. The sass, the tricks, the iconic shot during the epic escape make this an easy pick.

Church (Pet Sematary)

Yeah, the reanimated Church is the stuff of nightmares in Pet Sematary, but even in his slightly decomposed and undead state, the Creed family cat is an adorable biscuit-making feline worth mentioning.

The Mouse (Mousehunt)

The crafty and death-defying rodent in Mouse Hunt pretty much wins the “best character” award by default, as he’s pretty much the only living thing in the Smuntz estate who’s not greedy, petty, or all of the above. Plus, he brings two brothers together and forever changes their destiny.

The Snake (Anaconda)

Luis Llosa’s Anaconda is one heck of a ride from start to finish, and features some incredible performances by Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Jon Voight. But let’s be honest with this one, we’re all rooting for the giant snake in this 1997 creature feature.

Artax (The NeverEnding Story)

Is there a character that made more ‘80s kids cry than Artax when Atreyu’s horse gets stuck in the swamp in The NeverEnding Story? Sure, there are some great creatures and human characters in the 1984 fantasy film, but none hold a candle to this majestic white horse.

Bing Bong (Inside Out)

Is Bing Bong an elephant or some made-up creature from the depths of a young girl’s imagination? It doesn’t really matter, because this beloved side character from Inside Out is honestly the best and most sincere aspect of the 2015 Pixar film.

Blood (A Boy And His Dog)

A Boy and His Dog is an all-time great dystopian comedy starring a young Don Johnson as a teenager attempting to survive an inhospitable landscape with his best friend, a pup named Blood. But this isn’t just any normal dog, as Blood can speak telepathically, has the ability to read, and has a rather misanthropic outlook on life. He isn’t all good, but still a hero compared to the other survivors of a nuclear war.

Each of these movie animals found a way in our hearts for one reason or another, becoming beloved and iconic characters in the process. 

If you are a constant reader of Stephen King, you likely have your own pick for his most spine-tingling tale and scariest movie moments. But if you ask the master of horror himself, he singles out Pet Sematary as his most terrifying creation. What's intriguing is that this deeply personal and almost unpublished book holds a special place of dread in the author's heart. So, sit back, and let's delve into the depths of what may be Stephen King's most intimate and darkest narrative—Pet Sematary.

Pet Sematary Is Based On A  Dark & Personal True Story

In 1978 the Salem's Lot writer and his family settled in the quaint town of Orrington after he had secured a position as a writer-in-residence at the University of Maine. Their rental home was a charming house by the river, featuring an unexpected amenity—a pet cemetery nestled in the backyard, complete with a crooked homemade sign that read, in children's scratchy scrawl: Pet Sematary. 

A fortuitous moment occurred when the horror writer's daughter's beloved cat Smucky died, and it found its final resting place in this peculiar cemetery. In 2019 King recounted to Entertainment Weekly that on the night of Smucky's interment, an unsettling incident unfolded. He explained:

This foundation in reality, provided an unsettling and authentic backdrop for the unfolding story, ultimately contributing to the author's personal unease with the tale.

A Book Too Scary To Publish

Stephen set out to write the book right after he heard his daughter tragically yelling at God for taking her pet. Though he says he had “the greatest time” writing the book, after it was finished, he had his doubts. He continued: 

The book's manuscript lay dormant in a drawer for years until Stephen King faced a contractual dispute with his former publisher, Doubleday, in the late '70s—a crucial phase in his burgeoning career. He and his wife, Tabitha, had previously signed an agreement called the Author Investment Plan with Doubleday, promising an annual stipend of $50,000—a substantial sum for budding authors.

However, after a rift with Doubleday, ultimately leading to their separation, the Carrie creator was obligated to deliver another book to fulfill his contractual commitments. It was at this point that his lawyer and agent, Arthur B. Green, intervened with a solution, as King recounted:

And the rest is, as they say, history. The book became a fan favorite, eventually leading to the 1989 film adaptation–which is still to this day one of the best horror movies to address grief. 

A Reflection of Real-Life Fears

What truly sets Pet Sematary apart, and what still haunts Stephen King to this day, is its deeply personal and visceral connection to his own fears. The novel delves into the unthinkable—a child's death and resurrection—a premise that he found and still finds so distressing. He told the EW: 

While the horror maestro may reign as the King of Macabre, his self-assessment of his work can be quite subjective. Despite his reservations about Pet Sematary, it stands as a beloved fan favorite and my personal pick for his most disturbing book. This enduring popularity likely explains the ongoing stream of remakes and prequels, even though Mary Lambert's 1989 adaptation, in my opinion, remains one of the best horror movies ever made.

Pet Sematary Bloodlines is now available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription. Make sure to check out our 2023 movie release schedule to see what other upcoming horror movies are headed your way. 

In the real world, there are people who face true horror every day when they face and struggle to cope with the unimaginable loss of a loved one. I believe that many of the best horror movies are the ones that attempt to capture this kind of experience, funneled through themes of a more heightened or supernatural means. The following are some of my picks for the most acclaimed and frightening thrillers that deeply and tastefully incorporate the topic of grief into their stories.

The A Quiet Place Movies (2018-2024)

Director: John Krasinski, Michael Sarnoski

Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Lupita Nyong’o

What they are about: The presence of vicious extraterrestrials that hunt their prey with sound forces the human race into silence.

Why they are great horror movies about grief: Each installment of this acclaimed, apocalyptic horror movie franchise – including the Abbott Family’s struggles in A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II and the New York-set prequel spin-off, A Quiet Place: Day One – boasts strong themes of loss and the struggle to cope in a place where you feel you have no voice.

How to watch the A Quiet Place Movies

Lake Mungo (2008)

Director: Joel Anderson

Starring: Rosie Traynor, David Pledger

What it’s about: A family speaks to a documentary crew about the strange occurrences in their home that have led them to believe their deceased teenage daughter is trying to reach them.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: The underrated Australian found footage horror movie favorite Lake Mungo is a rare example of a thriller in which the characters hope they are being haunted after experiencing an untimely tragedy.

How to watch Lake Mungo

• Stream Lake Mungo on Amazon Prime
• Stream Lake Mungo on Tubi
• Buy Lake Mungo on DVD on Amazon

No One Will Save You (2023)

Director: Brian Duffield

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever

What it’s about: A lone young woman experiences a close encounter with beings from another planet.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: The ominous title of Hulu’s inventive alien invasion film, No One Will Save You (which is dialogue-free and brilliantly relies on its sound design to create tension), not only refers to the protagonists’s quarrel with otherworldly creatures but also her solitary, ostracized existence following a harrowing incident.

How to watch No One Will Save You

• Stream No One Will Save You on Hulu

Anything For Jackson (2020)

Director: Justin G. Dyck

Starring: Sheila McCarthy, Julian Richings

What it’s about: Audrey and Henry discover a way to bring back their grandson by kidnapping a young woman and inserting his soul into her unborn child.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: The lengths a person would go to reunite with a deceased loved one are explored in Anything for Jackson – a chilling twist on demonic possession movies that is also available with a Shudder subscription.

How to watch Anything for Jackson

• Stream Anything for Jackson on AMC+
• Rent or buy Anything for Jackson on Amazon
• Buy Anything for Jackson on Blu-ray on Amazon

Antichrist (2009)

Director: Lars Von Trier

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg

What it’s about: After their infant son’s death, a couple tries to repair their relationship at an isolated woodland retreat.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Another thriller with satanic themes that follows the devastating effects of losing a child is Antichrist – a bizarre and shocking movie that was, according to NPR, inspired by Lars Von Trier’s own experience being hospitalized for anxiety.

How to watch Antichrist

• Stream Antichrist on Kanopy
• Buy Antichrist on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Final Girls (2015)

Director: Joshua John Miller

Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman

What it’s about: A young woman is (sort of) reunited with her late actor mother when she and her friends are transported into the world of the ‘80s slasher movie, Camp Bloodbath, and meets her mom’s character.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: The only horror-comedy movie on this list is The Final Girls, which, according to Creative Screenwriting, Joshua John Miller based on the experience of watching his own late father, Jason Miller, in the 1973 classic, The Exorcist.

How to watch The Final Girls

• Rent or buy The Final Girls on Amazon
• Buy The Final Girls on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Babadook (2014)

Director: Jennifer Kent

Starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman

What it’s about: A widowed mother suspects she and her son are being preyed upon by a ghastly storybook character.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: What makes the eponymous entity from The Babadook one of modern horror’s greatest villains is how it could be interpreted as a manifestation of the main character’s pain and resentment, which she must learn to live with by the end of the film.

How to watch The Babadook

• Stream The Babadook on Netflix
• Stream The Babadook on Pluto TV
• Rent or buy The Babadook on Amazon
• Buy The Babadook on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Changeling (1980)

Director: Peter Medak

Starring: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere

What it’s about: A music professor rents a Seattle mansion that is also occupied by the spirit of a boy needing his help to reveal the mystery behind his death.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Arguably, the most horrifying scene from the haunted house classic The Changeling is its first, in which John Russell witnesses his wife and daughter’s death – a tragedy he attempts to cope with by helping the ghost haunting his house.

How to watch The Changeling

• Stream The Changeling Tubi
• Rent or buy The Changeling on Amazon
• Buy The Changeling on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Descent (2005)

Director: Neil Marshall

Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza

What it’s about: On a cave-diving expedition, a group of friends become trapped in unexplored territory with vicious nocturnal creatures.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Also beginning with the death of the main character’s spouse and child, The Descent is considered one of the best horror movies of the 2000s for the way the underground maze symbolizes grief's seemingly inescapable nature – made more apparent in Neil Marshall’s unrated director’s cut, featuring a more unsettling, heartbreaking, and widely preferred alternate ending.

How to watch The Descent

• Stream The Descent on Amazon Prime
• Stream The Descent on Tubi
• Buy The Descent on Blu-ray on Amazon

Don't Look Now (1973)

Director: Nicolas Roeg

Starring: Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland

What it’s about: Following their young daughter’s fatal drowning, a married couple takes time away in Venice, but the painful memory only continues to haunt them through logic-defying circumstances.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Grief can lead to (or even be a form of) obsession and both are central themes of one of the best horror movies of the 1970s, Don’t Look Now – a mind-bending, Hitchcockian nightmare based on Daphne Du Maurier’s story.

How to watch Don’t Look Now

• Stream Don't Look Now on Pluto TV
• Rent or buy Don’t Look Now on Amazon
• Buy Don’t Look Now on Blu-ray on Amazon

A Ghost Story (2017)

Director: David Lowery

Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara

What it’s about: The spirit of a deceased composer, literally dressed in a white sheet, continues to haunt his wife in the years after his death

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: The conceit of the acclaimed A24 movie A Ghost Story sounds a bit comical from a visual standpoint but this interpretation of the afterlife achieves a transcendent, deeply thought-provoking exploration of the need to preserve one’s legacy beyond life and the healing power of time.

How to watch A Ghost Story

• Stream A Ghost Story on Max
• Rent or buy A Ghost Story on Amazon
• Buy A Ghost Story on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Invitation (2016)

Director: Karyn Kusama

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michiel Huisman

What it’s about: Years after he and his former wife lose their son, a man attends a dinner party hosted by his ex and her new lover where he becomes overwhelmed with the feeling that something is wrong.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: The insurmountable challenge to accept one’s grief is explored in one of the greatest horror movies from a female director, The Invitation – a scintillating masterpiece of slow-burn horror praised for its brazen depiction of desperation’s potentially dangerous influence.

How to watch The Invitation

• Stream The Invitation on Amazon Prime
• Stream The Invitation on Tubi
• Buy The Invitation on Blu-ray on Amazon

Hereditary (2018)

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne

What it’s about: Following a horrific tragedy, a woman and her family’s struggle to cope escalates to increasingly damaging levels.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Sometimes, the struggle to process grief stems from a strained relationship with a deceased loved one, which Hereditary initially addresses before evolving into a hopeless downward spiral that is considered one of the best A24 horror movies ever.

How to watch Hereditary

• Rent or buy Hereditary on Amazon
• Buy Hereditary on Blu-ray on Amazon

Midsommar (2019)

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor

What it’s about: Longing for comfort from her longtime boyfriend, a grief-stricken young woman follows him and his friends to Sweden for a seemingly idyllic cultural festival.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Ari Aster further cemented himself as a modern trauma auteur with his sophomore effort, which wastes absolutely no time establishing the source of our protagonist’s grief, only to show her finally achieve solace in a most unsettling way in the bittersweet (emphasis on “bitter”) Midsommar ending.

How to watch Midsommar

• Stream Midsommar on Max
• Rent or buy Midsommar on Amazon
• Buy Midsommar on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Night House (2021)

Director: David Bruckner

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall

What it’s about: A widowed teacher’s own uncertainties about the afterlife make it difficult to cope with her husband’s suicide, until she begins to suspect his spirit lingers in their lakeside home.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg chose The Night House as the best horror movie of 2021 for its profound symbolization of the darkness people struggle to overcome in the wake of tragedy, as expressed in its chilling final reveal which Hall requested to have changed from the original script.

How to watch The Night House

• Rent or buy The Night House on Amazon
• Buy The Night House on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Orphanage (2007)

Director: J.A. Bayona

Starring: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo

What it’s about: A woman searches for her missing son, whom she believes was abducted from the home for orphaned children where she grew up.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: From producer Guillermo del Toro, the Spanish-language thriller The Orphanage sees our protagonist’s desperate search go as far as calling – something parents of missing children have been known to do in real life – which results in some dark discoveries.

How to watch The Orphanage

• Rent The Orphanage on Amazon
• Buy The Orphanage on Blu-ray on Amazon

Pet Sematary (1989)

Director: Mary Lambert

Starring: Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Fred Gwynne

What it’s about: A doctor loses his young son not long after learning a burial ground that can resurrect the dead lies near his new home.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Stephen King’s 1983 novel Pet Sematary, which was first adapted for film in 1989, sees the grieving protagonist make a decision that may seem unimaginable to some, but sympathetic to others who may wonder if they would do the same despite its dire consequence.

How to watch Pet Sematary

• Stream Pet Sematary on Paramount+
• Stream Pet Sematary on Pluto TV
• Rent or buy Pet Sematary on Amazon
• Buy Pet Sematary on Blu-ray on Amazon

Run Rabbit Run (2023)

Director: Daina Reid

Starring: Sarah Snook, Lily LaTorre

What it’s about: Single mother Sarah tries to understand why her daughter, Mia, suddenly prefers to be called “Alice.”

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: Writer Hannah Kent told HorrorBuzz that Run Rabbit Run, one of the best horror movies on Netflix, is about the uncomfortable topics that some parents are forced to confront and how they can be linked to painful memories or mistakes.

How to watch Run Rabbit Run

• Stream Run Rabbit Run on Netflix

We Are Still Here (2015)

Director: Ted Geoghegan

Starring: Andrew Sensenig, Barbara Crampton

What it’s about: When a married couple senses a spiritual presence in their new home, they immediately suspect it is their son, who recently died in a car crash.

Why it is a great horror movie about grief: While the spiritual presence in We Are Still Here is not the one its main couple hopes for, their hope to reunite with their son gives the indie ghost story an unexpected level of depth and heart.

How to watch We Are Still Here

• Stream We Are Still Here on Amazon Prime
• Stream We Are Still Here on Tubi
• Buy We Are Still Here on Blu-ray on Amazon

For me, the best kind of scary movies are the ones that address real, uncomfortable topics amid the escapist fantasy elements. As such, I consider these horror films that address grief to be among the strongest.

September has been a big month for Stephen King fans, partially thanks to the release of his latest weighty novel, Holly, and partially thanks to the premiere of Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, the prequel to the 2019 novel adaptation. Granted, Bloodlines is an offshoot that doesn’t have any substantial source material, with screenwriters Jeff Buhler and Lindsey Anderson Beer (who also directed) heavily expanding an anecdote shared in the 1983 novel. But that doesn’t mean King himself is ignoring it, as the bestselling author previously shared praise for the film on social media. But as it sometimes goes with adaptations, the horror master’s take stands counter to how critics are feeling about the new prequel.

What Stephen King Has Said About Pet Sematary: Bloodlines

With a cast bolstered by Mrs. Fletcher’s Jackson White, Jackie Brown’s Pam Grier, and King adaptation vets Henry Thomas and Samantha Mathis, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines earned some kind words from King for the acting and the character work, with the storyline also getting a nod of approval, if not the most enthusiastic one. Here’s how he put it:

Obviously the screenplay wasn’t able to stick completely to the original text in this case, since that would probably make the movie shorter than the average theatrical preview. But it doesn’t sound like Stephen King minded the alterations too much, or else he might not have mentioned the plot at all. But anyone eager to watch will likely want to hang their hopes onto David Duchovny in his role as Bill, among other characters.

What Critics Are Saying About Pet Sematary: Bloodlines

With Stephen King essentially the only person offering a take on the new movie that has actual skin the game in some capacity, it's maybe not so surprising that his opinion is kinder to the finished product than others' thoughts. Variety's review (among several others) addressed the question of why this movie even exists if it isn't adding necessary details and context to the story that fans have been freaked out by for decades.

• The best adaptations of King’s work get under the skin as they force you to reckon with such ideas, staying with you in much the same way his books do. Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is not one of those adaptations. On a scale from Thinner to The Shining, it falls in the bottom half alongside the likes of last year’s Firestarter remake. (That the original even spawned a sequel, remake and now a prequel is a bit puzzling in and of itself, as it hardly ranks among the better movies based on King’s work.) “Who asked for this?” is the question such projects invoke, and Lindsey Anderson Beer’s film never comes up with a satisfying answer.

Yikes to all that, particularly the shots taken at both Thinner and the Firestarter remake. (Not saying those shots are totally unwarranted or anything, but still.) And that's a pretty good representation of the consensus, with SlashFilm also sharing the notion that the film is the opposite of Stephen King's novel when it comes to being an effective scare.

• A prequel to Pet Sematary, arguably Stephen King's scariest novel, is a great idea ... in theory. But Lindsey Anderson Beer's gnarly new movie leaves a lot to be desired; it's a rushed, clumsy, unscary affair that wastes a good premise. It feels edited to hell, as if there was something better, and longer, that got hacked and slashed down to the bloody mess now headed to Paramount+ in time for Halloween season. While there are occasional flashes of gory fun to be had, Bloodlines ultimately fails to crawl out of its moldy grave, leaving us with an undead film. 

The review from Showbiz Junkies is slightly less harsh, saying it's fine enough for viewers who are already educated and amped up about this fictional world. But that, in the end, it's not exactly the most vital piece of horror entertainment.

• Pet Sematary: Bloodlines has a decent number of jump scares, and undead Timmy is satisfyingly gruesome. But while the setup’s intriguing, the execution doesn’t quite live up to expectations. It’s impossible to match Stephen King’s writing, and this prequel proves it’s time to let King’s Pet Sematary‘s Ludlow rest in peace.

Currently sitting with a 33% rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines did pull a few positive scores from critics, even if those reviews were largely in agreement with some of the points made in the negative takes. Let's cap things off the way they started, with some kind words going to the prequel, with Black Girl Nerds' review shining a light on the film's setting and sound design. 

• Bloodlines owes a lot of its eeriness to the setting, the kind of rural atmosphere that makes you feel like you need a shower. It’s not Texas Chainsaw Massacre level, but characters are almost always sweating. Rarely do the bees and flies stop buzzing, so to say the crystal-clear sound design was effective would be an understatement. Nothing is more unsettling than the sound of Timmy’s bones cracking with every movement. Thankfully, the scares aren’t as obnoxious and Blumhouse-y as the trailer depicts. 

For what it's worth, Lindsey Anderson Beer generally received a lot of balanced criticisms that pointed to her clearly being a fan of King's work, and that she did what she could with what was available. But what was available apparently wasn't worthy of digging up from its grave.

But no need to listen to anyone else's opinions when Pet Semetary: Bloodlines is available to stream right now with a Paramount+ subscription. And head to our upcoming horror movies schedule to see what other frights and thrills are on the way.

Stephen King fans have had quite a lot to chew on this past week. With Holly arriving in stores earlier this month, Constant Readers everywhere are now digging into the new novel, but we’ve also seen stories about his approach to writing mysteries and learned his thoughts about the new movie Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. There’s been a good amount to read – but there’s still plenty of material out there to fill up this week’s edition of The King Beat.

In this column, we have a fun bit of trivia from the making of the aforementioned Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, Stephen King’s thoughts about the new Netflix drama series Painkiller, an anniversary for one of the author’s best books, and, as always, a new reading recommendation tied to the week. Let’s dive in! 

Henry Thomas And Samantha Mathis Were Cast In Pet Sematary: Bloodlines Because Of Their Past Stephen King Adaptation Experience

The fact that so many Stephen King adaptations have been made means that a great number of Hollywood’s biggest names have starred in at least one (it’s a pretty good shortcut in the game “Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon”) – but there are some actors who made a niche for themselves in the King world. Stars like Kathy Bates, John Cusack, William Sadler and Thomas Jane have done some of their best work in films based on the author’s stories. It’s a fascinating pool of both A-listers and beloved character actors, and writer/director Lindsey Anderson Beer made a specific point of dipping into it when casting the upcoming Pet Sematary: Bloodlines.

I interviewed Beer this week in advance of her movie’s arrival on Paramount+ next month, and I made a point of asking about two key names in the film’s cast. Henry Thomas and Samantha Mathis play the parents of Jackson White’s Jud Crandall in the film, and fans will note that both performers have extensive King experience: Thomas is in Desperation, Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep; Mathis is in the 2004 remake of Salem’s Lot and the television show Under The Dome; and both appear in separate episodes of the anthology series Nightmares & Dreamscapes. I asked if their veteran status played a role in them being cast, and the filmmaker responded in the affirmative:

Similar to how this summer’s The Last Voyage Of The Demeter is an adaptation of a section of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is an adaptation of a chapter in Stephen King’s Pet Sematary – specifically the story that Jud Crandall shares about his past experience with Ludlow, Maine’s notorious Micmac burial ground. The setting from the book is updated to 1969, and the story follows Jud as he discovers the terrible truth about the dead coming back to life: sometimes dead is better. Jud’s parents are cursed with the knowledge of Ludlow’s dark secret, and Lindsey Anderson Beer wants the audience to subconsciously understand that weight thanks to Henry Thomas and Samantha Mathis’ prior King work.

The first trailer for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines arrived this week (along with a stamp of approval from Stephen King himself), and Paramount+ subscribers will be able to check out the film when it gets added to the streaming service’s library on October 6.

Stephen King Praises Netflix’s Painkiller, Relating To The Miniseries Due To His Own Substance Abuse Issue

Since coming to terms with his substance abuse issues in the late 1980s, Stephen King has been open about his struggles with sobriety, and one of the hardest challenges he’s had to face was in the early 2000s. The author was horribly injured when he was hit by an out-of-control van while out for a walk in June 1999, and while he survived the accident, the pain he suffered from his injuries was unbearable. Per his doctors, the solution for this was the prescription of a new, highly publicized opioid – and his memory of trying to kick the habit that those pills created was recently resurrected for King while watching the Netflix limited drama series Painkiller.

Created by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster and starring Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, and Uzo Aduba, Painkiller arrived on Netflix a little less than a month ago, and Stephen King shared this week that he has caught up the six-episode drama. Posting on his personal Twitter account, he expressed how he personally understood the experiences of some of the characters on the show, writing,

Before his accident, Stephen King had been sober for 11 years, but that took a backseat to the agony he was experiencing after his accident. According to Bev Vincent’s Stephen King: A Complete Exploration Of His Work, Life, And Influences, he suffered a collapsed lung, a cracked knee, a twice-fractured hip, a chipped spine, four broken ribs, a lacerated scalp, torn flesh at his collarbone, and a broken leg that was described as being akin to “marbles in a sock.” The problem, however, is that even when he recovered from those injuries, he was still feeling “pain.”

King previously recounted his struggles with OxyContin in a 2006 interview with Australia’s The Age, telling the reporter that it took him a sleepless, feet-twitching two weeks to recover from his addiction:

It was a dark and perilous time for Stephen King – and his story is far too relatable due to the dangerous practices of Purdue Pharma and the promotion of slow-release opioids. It’s sadly one of the defining developments of the modern era.
 

Audiences who are interested in watching Painkiller can do so with a Netflix subscription.

Cujo Turns 42: The Horrifying Tale Of The Rabid Saint Bernard Was First Released This Week In 1981

In last week’s King Beat, I lamented this column not existing in August and missing out on the opportunity to celebrate a special anniversary for Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me – and this week, I’m in a similar circumstance regarding Cujo: director Lewis Teague’s brilliant adaptation of the novel celebrated its 40th birthday this summer, first hitting theaters on August 12, 1983. I’m a month late to that particular party – but thankfully, I’m not too late to celebrate the original novel turning 42 (which officially happened this past Friday).

If one is aiming to understand how Stephen King became so quickly recognized as the “King of Horror” in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cujo is a book that answers a lot of questions. It begins by doing what the author does best – letting us get to know the Trenton family amid a familial crisis involving an affair – but when the story hits full boil, it roars. The levels of heat and claustrophobia that emanate from the pages as Donna and her young son get trapped by the titular, rabid Saint Bernard are enough to make you start sweating while you read, and the anxiety it induces doesn’t disappear when you finish the tome and put it away on the shelf.

This lasting effect is primarily because Cujo ends with one of the darkest conclusions in the King canon – right alongside the spiraling madness of Pet Sematary and the devastation of Revival. I won’t spoil what happens here for those of you who have only ever seen the movie (which alters things considerably), and I will instead recommend simply purchasing a copy of the book and enjoying a scary treat this spooky season.

Recommendation Of The Week: “The Life Of Chuck”

If you’re a horror fan, the trailer for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines wasn’t the only debut footage to deliver a thrill this past week. At long last, Netflix finally released the first look at The Fall Of The House Of Usher – the most recent limited series created by writer/director Mike Flanagan. The source material for the show isn’t Stephen King (it’s based on a short story by Edgar Allan Poe), but it does inspire thought about the King projects that Flanagan currently has in the works, which brings us to “The Life Of Chuck.”

Obviously The Dark Tower is the most high-profile King adaptation that the filmmaker is currently developing, but it was revealed back in May that he is trying to make a movie based on the second story included in the 2021 omnibus If It Bleeds. It’s an odd tale that plays out in three separate acts that are in reverse chronological order, and it begins with a protagonist living in the titular Chuck’s internal world as the eponymous character dies at the age of 39 from a brain tumor. It’s a quick, trippy and emotional read that had a profound impact on Mike Flanagan, as the filmmaker recounts in a recent episode of The Kingcast.

While its ETA is presently unclear, Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck and it’s already set to star Tom Hiddleston and Mark Hamill (who has a supporting role in The Fall Of The House Of Usher), and you can start getting excited for it now by picking up a copy of If It Bleeds from your local bookstore/online retailer.

I’ll be back with the latest edition of The King Beat next Thursday, so be sure to come back here to CinemaBlend. In the meantime, you can learn about all of the big and small screen projects in the works with our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide and learn about King’s full history with Hollywood via my Adapting Stephen King column.

Stephen King fans have seen the author's work adapted dozens and dozens of times, but Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is a standout in its approach to its source material. Instead of being based on the entire book from which it gets the first part of its title, the film is basically an adaptation of a single chapter (not unlike what we saw this summer with The Voyage Of The Demeter and its origins in Dracula). It's unconventional, but it has earned the approval of King, who has seen it and praised both the characters and the performance of David Duchovny.

As he has been known to do regularly, Stephen King shared his thought about Pet Sematary: Bloodlines on his personal Twitter account – noting that the adaptation does stray from what he originally wrote:

The timing of the post is not exactly coincidental, as the first trailer for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines – a Paramount+ original – arrived online earlier today. You can watch it below:

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is set in 1969 and stars Jackson White as young Jud Crandall, the character memorably played by Fred Gwynne and John Lithgow in the 1989 and 2019 adaptations of Pet Sematary, respectively. He and the woman he will eventually marry, Norma (Natalie Alyn Lind), are ready to leave their hometown of Ludlow, Maine to take on an assignment for the Peace Corps. Their plans, however, are interrupted by Timmy Baterman (Jack Mulhern) – a childhood friend of Jud's who didn't return from the Vietnam War alive, but is seen walking around thanks to his father (David Duchovny) taking a trip to the notorious local Micmac burial ground.

This story is featured in the original 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary, with Jud recounting the tale to his grieving neighbor Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff), though it notably isn't included in the 2019 remake. That being said, if you want to watch John Lithgow tell the story of Jud's young adulthood, all you have to do is purchase a copy of the Pet Sematary 4K UHD and check out the short film The Tale Of Timmy Baterman in the special features.

As seen just a few months ago with director Rob Savage's The Boogeyman, films that take inspiration from shorter Stephen King source material need to get creative in order to expand their stories to feature length. Knowing this, it's hardly surprising that Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is changing up a few things from what's in the book. Despite the "liberties" it takes, however, the movie now has King's stamp of approval (though one also can't ignore that his praise isn't exactly histrionic).

Written and directed by Lindsey Anderson Beer, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines stars Forrest Goodluck, Henry Thomas, Samantha Mathis, Isabella Star LaBlanc and Pam Grier in addition to Jackson White, Natalie Alyn Lind, Jack Mulhern and David Duchovny. The movie is arriving just in time for Halloween, as anyone with a Paramount+ subscription will be able to watch it on October 6.

To learn about more adaptations that are currently in the works, check out our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide, and for a full breakdown of King's relationship with Hollywood, you can read installments of my Adapting Stephen King column.

It’s baffling to think back to a time when the majority of Stephen King adaptations were TV movies produced by broadcast networks, since those are the places where new projects aren’t happening these days. Case in point: Paramount+ revealed new details and first looks for its upcoming prequel Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, which is a straight-to-streaming sequel to Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s 2019 theatrical feature (which isn’t quite a retread of Mary Lambert’s 1989 film). And while the analytical side of my brain is highly skeptical any time a sequel like this comes to life (eep) without being based directly on King’s source material, I find it impossible not to root for any project that co-stars David Duchovny, Pam Grier and Henry Thomas.

The shot above of the mystical, animal-filled cemetery is one of the new looks at the Pet Sematary origin story, which puts to rest questions about its prequel nature that arose during production. Check out the poster below, which notes the film's streaming premiere date of October 6, and combines the signature grave circles with a cool-looking silhouette of all the grave markers. But like, is that a bear head on there? Are we supposed to believe that someone kept a bear as a pet, or is that more like an unfinished bear headpiece meant to represent the native population that lived there years prior?

Pam Grier technically gets a "with" credit as part of the Pet Sematary: Bloodlines cast, indicating she may not be a major part of the story from beginning to end. But even if all she does is pop into the story to blow an evil animal’s head off, along with an anecdote about how she got her facial scars, then it’s a win for this prequel that its predecessor was not able to boast. 

And then we have X-Files vet and all-around mood-driver David Duchovny, who has somehow never headed up a Stephen King project before. (Even though the actor and author did compete against one another during a 1995 episode of Celebrity Jeopardy!, with Lynn Redgrave as the third contestant.) As Bill, Duchovny is paired with Grier as a “with” credit, and the fact that he’s seeing what appears to be an undead person (Jack Mulhern’s Timmy) in the reflection doesn’t bode well for his future. 

Someone who does have experience with Stephen King adaptations is Henry Thomas, who has been part of Mike Flanagan’s features Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, as well as starring in the TV movie Stephen King’s Desperation and the “End of the Whole Mess” installment of the anthology Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. Within the world of Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, he’ll be playing a character named Dan who, at least in the picture below, looks like he’d be in good company with Jeffrey Dahmer.  

Isabella Star LaBlanc (Long Slow Inhale) can be seen below as Donna alongside Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant) as Manny, and they're in the thick of some lovely and lush greenery, with sunflowers and hazardous-looking plants all around. They don't appear to be looking at anything they're highly excited to see, so I can't wait to see what else is hiding amongst the plantlife. 

And then we have Mrs. Fletcher and Ambulance's Jackson White as the most familiar character in the bunch, as he'll be portraying Judd Crandall, who was portrayed by John Lithgow in the 2019 film. (And by Fred Gwynne in the '87 adaptation.) Not a whole lot to get excited by in this pic specifically — remember round side mirrors? — but there was only downhill to go after Pam Grier anyway. 

Finally, we go from humans to a more feral beast that almost automatically calls to mind Cujo, just on the nature of it being a fucked-up dog in a Stephen King-inspired narrative. To be fair, the mutt looks kind of happy, but probably because it just submerged itself in the tears of its victims. Or a nearby lake. Whatever the case may be, is this Patient X when it comes to the pet cemetery's affect on the world?

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines was co-written by Jeff Buhler and Lindsey Anderson Beer, and serves as Beer's directorial debut. It will be available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription on Friday, October 6, but there are plenty of upcoming horror releases to bury your heads in while waiting.

Given that Pet Sematary is regarded as one of the most notorious Stephen King books – the story he didn’t want to see published because it was too horrifying – it was unsurprising when talks of a remake started just after the 20th anniversary of director Mary Lambert’s 1989 adaptation. The project had to take a ride through development hell, and it took almost a decade to get made, but its legacy is as one of the big films that got a boost from the 2017 King renaissance.

Initially, Paramount Pictures and producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Steven Schneider put the movie in experienced hands – hiring 1408 screenwriter Matthew Greenberg to write the screenplay. By 2013, the project finally started to gain some traction, as 28 Weeks Later director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was attached to take the helm… but that particular vision never reached the production stage and was eventually shelved.

Then 2017 happened, and Andy Muschietti’s IT Chapter One became a record-setting blockbuster hit that earned over $700 million worldwide.

Wanting to take advantage of Stephen King’s pop culture heat in the wake of the critically acclaimed horror film, Paramount made developing a Pet Sematary remake a priority. By Halloween 2017 (just after IT Chapter One’s eighth weekend in domestic release) the studio made a deal with Starry Eyes directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer to execute their own adaptation – Matt Greenberg ultimately getting a "screen story by" credit and Jeff Buhler writing the script – and eight months later the production was up and running in Quebec, Canada.

Rewatching Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary, one can understand the creative logic of developing a remake – particularly in regards to the story’s ending with Gage’s resurrection. Unfortunately, making a better adaptation of the book evidently wasn’t the goal of the 2019 movie. Some big swings are taken that veer things off track in deeply unfortunate ways, and I get into the “what” and “how” in this week’s Adapting Stephen King.

How Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary Differs From Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary

There is a standout reason why the 1989 adaptation of Pet Sematary is recognized as one of the more faithful adaptations of Stephen King’s books: King himself wrote the screenplay. As recognized in my column about the film, the author does incorporate some changes into his cinematic draft of the story – like the absence of Jud’s wife, Norma Crandall, and the death of Missy Dandridge – but all of the most important pieces from the book are left in place (including the most shocking and horrific moments).

Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary executes some matching cuts from the source material (for example, Norma isn’t in the remake either), but it also isn’t a movie that makes big efforts to adapt parts of the book that were left out last time around. One exception to this is Jud (John Lithgow) mentioning the presence of a Wendigo – a supernatural creature that soiled the land of the burial ground – but that’s a minor detail in the grand scheme.

Instead of returning to the source material and readapting Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, the philosophy behind the movie is more aligned with, “the super faithful adaptation of the book already exists, so let’s radically change things to come up with something that is radically different.”

It's not a philosophy that I appreciate.

How Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary Differs From The Book

On the more positive side of this conversation, one of the more interesting changes that the Pet Sematary remake unfurls is a shift in the bond between Jud Crandall and the Creed family. In the book, Jud is closest with Louis (Jason Clarke), with the protagonist coming to see his new neighbor as a paternal figure, but the 2019 movie shifts the focus of his affection to Ellie (Jeté Laurence) – the two of them first connecting when he finds her exploring the Pet Sematary behind the new house.

It’s specifically because of this relationship that Jud decides to tell Louis about the burial ground (he says he can’t stand to see her heartbroken after the death of her cat, Church), and it could be argued that it’s more logical than the simple compulsion to tell that he expresses in King’s versions.

The rest of the alterations are ones that I appreciate far less, and it feels appropriate to start with what can reasonably be referred to as the Big Change. In the novel and the 1989 adaptation, it’s famously the death of two-year-old Gage Creed (Lucas Lavoie/Hugo Lavoie) that instigates Louis’ descent into madness, but the remake opts to put Ellie in the way of the speeding Orinco oil truck. It’s an alternative choice so massive that it ends up generating a domino effect, resulting in a third act that bears little resemblance to the story on the page.

The broadest of broad strokes are kept – like the spirit of Victor Pascow (Obssa Ahmed) urging Rachel (Amy Seimetz) to travel back home from her parent’s house to try and stop Louis from resurrecting Ellie, and Jud being attacked and murdered – but the actual end of the film is a disregard of the source material, with Louis being murdered by a resurrected Rachel and then getting resurrected himself before the family sets eyes on doing the same thing to Gage.

In the process of trying to stand apart from its predecessor, 2019’s Pet Sematary ignores some of the best scenes and elements in the book. For example, there is no indicated hatred between Louis and his in-laws, which results in the movie wholly skipping over the confrontation between the protagonist and Rachel’s father at his child’s funeral. It’s a crushing moment in Stephen King’s novel when Louis gets a glimpse at Gage’s lifeless arm when the coffin is knocked over, and a key ingredient in his mental breakdown – but the conflict is absent in Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s work.

Technically, it doesn’t totally matter, because another major thing that the remake skips over is Louis’ aforementioned mental breakdown. The character is unquestionably rocked by grief, and he is driven to make some terrible choices as a result of it, but the depiction gets nowhere near the giggling, spiraling descent into madness that is described in disturbing and haunting detail in the book. It’s a part of the text that didn’t get enough emphasis in the 1989 movie, and while Jason Clarke is an actor who certainly has the talent to pull off that kind of emotional escalation, the material doesn’t provide him with the opportunity.

Is It Worthy Of The King?

Even as a fan with an unconditional love for Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary, I greatly anticipated the release of Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s remake. With Hollywood having a case of Stephen King fever, I hoped that it would be a film that got all of the resources it would need to create a faithful adaptation of the novel that wouldn’t flinch from the material. I was excited about the possibility of seeing a resurrected Gage Creed that could be brought to life (haha) in all his nightmarish terror with visual effects and advanced puppeteering technology in addition to a talented child actor. I was looking forward to seeing Louis Creed’s sanity snap under the weight of unyielding grief and guilt.

The movie ended up delivering nothing that I was looking for.

As a general rule, I like to see remakes that don’t feel obligated to tell the exact same story as their predecessor, but that’s primarily because the vast majority of remakes are in constant search of a reason for existing beyond being a studio cash grab. That, however, was not the case here. While I’d argue that there is no topping Fred Gwynne’s version of Jud Crandall, much could be enhanced from the 1989 movie with modern horror sensibilities and filmmaking techniques, but the remake opts to shy away from what makes Pet Sematary exceptional and notorious.

While the death of any child is obviously terrible, spooky/creepy/undead preteens are ubiquitous in the horror genre, and swapping Ellie into Gage’s role has the stink of being a cop out on behalf of the filmmakers to make production easier. The obscenity that is an evil possessing the body of an innocent two-year-old boy is the heart of what makes Stephen King’s book so intensely scary and memorable, and it’s terrible that this adaptation has the gall to cut it out.

Nostalgia and the demonstrated guts/creative integrity will forever endear me to Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary, but I am still waiting to see a perfect adaptation of Stephen King’s book, because the 2019 remake most definitely isn’t it. I’ll keep my fingers crossed hoping that it won’t be another 20 years before a new take on the book is given the green light – if not especially because I want to see the take on the material that writer/director Guillermo del Toro says he would kill to make.

How To Watch Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary

At the very least, the two adaptations of Pet Sematary do make for interesting side-by-side watching, and that’s a screening schedule that is very easy to arrange thanks to the films’ wide availability on home video. The 2019 movie is not presently available on any of the major subscription streaming services, but it is available to both rent and purchase digitally from online retailers including Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, Apple, and Redbox. If you’re looking for the highest quality physical media version of the remake to add to your Ultimate Stephen King Collection, the 4K edition is widely available. You can also purchase the Pet Sematary 4K set, which includes both of the book’s adaptations.

Moving deeper into the year 2019, next week’s Adapting Stephen King will be taking a close look at what was arguably one of the most anticipated horror sequels of all time: Andy Muschietti’s IT Chapter Two. How does it treat the adult storyline from the book, and how does it co-exist with the beloved IT Chapter One? My featuring digging into that subject matter will be available to read in the CinemaBlend Movies section on Wednesday. Until then, you can check out all of the previous installments of this column by clicking through the banners below.

If you’re looking for some of the best horror movies on Paramount+ to watch, I’ve got quite a list for you. One of my favorite genres has always been horror. Whether it’s because of great special effects, unforgettable scenes, or all those great scream queens, the best horror movies have always got me going. There are plenty of fun upcoming horror movies releasing in the next couple of years, but today I’m taking a look back at some of those all-time greats and new favorites available with a Paramount+ subscription.

From classics like Poltergeist to modern gems like Smile 2, there are plenty of reasons why Paramount+ is one of the best streaming services, especially for horror fans.

Poltergeist (1982)

The Director: Tobe Hooper

The Cast: Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Beatrice Straight

What It’s About: A family discovers their house is the epicenter for all sorts of paranormal activity. Though things start out innocent enough, the mood quickly turns and the family is forced to reach out to experts to make sense of the madness and bring it to an end.

What To Expect: If you’re trying to start your horror journey, Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist is a great place to start. This classic horror flick has so many iconic scenes, even more lore, and an eeriness that has to be experienced at least once.

• Stream Poltergeist on Paramount+

Paranormal Activity (2007)

The Director: Oren Peli

The Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat

What It’s About: A couple sets up a series of cameras around their home to capture proof of what they believe to be a supernatural presence. But that’s just the beginning…

What To Expect: Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity, one of the best found-footage horror movies ever made, is an utterly terrifying and unforgettable experience that’ll leave you so far on the edge of your seat that you’re likely to hit the floor with some of those big jump-scares.

• Stream Paranormal Activity on Paramount+

Sound Of Violence (2021)

The Director: Alex Noyer

The Cast: Jasmin Savoy Brown, Lili Simmons, James Jagger

What It’s About: Years after witnessing the brutal murder of her parents and losing her hearing, a woman regains her abilities and sets out to get revenge against those who took everything from her.

What To Expect: Sound of Violence combines elements of slasher films and revenge thrillers to create a unique and bloody experience.

• Stream Sound of Violence on Paramount+

What Lies Beneath (2000)

The Director: Robert Zemeckis

The Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Harrison Ford, Diana Scarwid

What It’s About: After seeing what appears to be a ghost in her home, a woman follows a trail of mystery and intrigue as she begins to discover some seriously dark secrets from the past.

What To Expect: Shot between the split production of Cast Away, Robert Zemeckis’ What Lies Beneath is a massively successful supernatural thriller about what happens when the skeletons in your closet come looking for revenge.

• Stream What Lies Beneath on Paramount+

You’re Killing Me (2023)

The Director: Beth Hanna, Jerren Lauder

The Cast: McKaley Miller, Anne Heche, Dermot Mulroney

What It’s About: After reaching out to a wealthy and well-connected classmate to have his dad write a letter of recommendation for an elite college, a high school student is invited to a massive party where she finds herself in an increasingly intense and troubling situation.

What To Expect: Uber-wealthy and downright creepy families, all sorts of twists, and a star-making performance from McKaley Miller make You’re Killing Me a fun, exciting, and extremely intense horror-thriller that’ll leave you guessing at every turn.

• Stream You’re Killing Me on Paramount+

Smile (2022)

The Director: Parker Finn

The Cast: Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey

What It’s About: A psychiatrist witnesses a patient commit suicide and begins to experience terrifying happenings after a curse is passed on to her.

What To Expect: Thanks in part to the movie’s story, the incredible Smile cast, and some terrifying guerilla marketing, the horror flick ended up becoming a massive hit at the box office before finding its streaming home on Paramount+ a little more than a month after its initial release.

• Stream Smile on Paramount+

Smile 2 (2024)

The Director: Parker Finn

The Cast: Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Ray Nicholson

What It’s About: Pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) becomes the next victim of the Smile Entity and attempts to make sense of the phenomenon while also fighting for her life.

What To Expect: Fans of Parker Finn’s Smile will feel right at home, as this sequel to the 2022 surprise hit has the same signature charm, intensity, and tremendously creepy smiles we’ve come to know and love.

• Stream Smile 2 on Paramount+

Pet Sematary (1989)

The Director: Mary Lambrert

The Cast: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Mike Hughes

What It’s About: Upon moving to a small town in Maine, a doctor learns of a cemetery that brings the dead back to life. When tragedy falls upon his family, the grieving father attempts to bring back a lost child.

What To Expect: One of the best Stephen King adaptations, Pet Sematary has a lot going for it. A great premise, some delightfully off-putting practical effects, and one of the most iconic performances by a child actor in a horror movie all make this a legendary flick.

• Stream Pet Sematary on Paramount+

Apartment 7A (2024)

The Director: Natalie Erika James

The Cast: Julia Garner, Kevin McNally, Diane Wiest

What It’s About: A young dancer rents an apartment from a devilish couple and becomes the center of a demonic conspiracy that sets up one of the most unforgettable horror films of all time.

What To Expect: Regardless if you are a fan of the horror classic or are planning to watch the new movie before finally checking out Rosemary’s Baby, you’ll find something to enjoy here.

• Stream Apartment 7A on Paramount+

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

The Director: Roman Polanski

The Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon

What It’s About: An expectant mother falls down a rabbit hole of nightmarish paranoia and pure, unrelenting dread as she begins to suspect that her neighbors want to use her child as part of a satanic cult

What To Expect: This slow-burn horror film has an unnerving and terrifying pace that adds even more tension to the story and Rosemary’s descent into madness.

• Stream Rosemary’s Baby on Paramount+

The Quiet Place Movies (2018 - 2024)

The Director: John Krasinski, Michael Sarnoski

The Cast: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Lupita Nyong’o

What They’re About: After an alien invasion, the last remnants of humanity are forced to take shelter and live a life of near-silence to avoid being preyed upon by vicious (and blind) monsters.

What To Expect: From the first two films following the Abbott Family in the years after the initial invasion to the prequel showing the early hours of the event, the franchise doesn’t hold back when it comes to absolutely horrifying scenes or emotional moments.

• Stream A Quiet Place on Paramount+
• Stream A Quiet Place Part II on Paramount+
• Stream A Quiet Place: Day One on Paramount+

The Gift (2015)

The Director: Joel Edgerton

The Cast: Joel Edgerton, Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall

What It’s About: A mysterious stranger shows up at a couple’s front door and claims to be an old friend from high school, but as the night carries on they begin to learn more about his past and true intentions.

What To Expect: Seriously, this is one of the best psychological thrillers of the past decade and will leave you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll.

• Stream The Gift on Paramount+

Talk To Me (2023)

The Director: Danny and Michael Phillipou

The Cast: Sophie Wilde, Zoe Terakes, Miranda Otto

What It’s About: A group of teens use an embalmed hand as a party game only to discover the consequences of their actions in the worst way possible.

What To Expect: One of the best horror movies of 2023, this fresh, inventive, and terrifying as-all-hell cinematic experience is just as fun as it is scary, which is a lot.

• Stream Talk to Me on Paramount+

World War Z (2013)

The Director: Marc Forster

The Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz

What It’s About: A former United Nations investigator travels around the world in hopes of finding a solution for a zombie apocalypse that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction.

What To Expect: Though World War Z is vastly different from Max Brooks’ novel of the same name, this 2013 horror-action spectacle is a wild, exhilarating, and harrowing ride. Its balance of massive set pieces and slowed-down horror is a winning combination.

• Stream World War Z on Paramount+

The Scream Movies (2022 - 2023) 

The Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett

The Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Courteney Cox

What They’re About: Two sisters with ties to the original Ghost Face murders are hunted by a masked killer, first in California, and then later on after moving to New York City.

What To Expect: With new protagonists, as well as some familiar legacy characters, the two most recent Scream movies breathed new life into the legendary slasher franchise while also paying homage to what came before.

• Stream Scream (2022) on Paramount+.
• Stream Scream VI on Paramount+.

With Paramount+’s collection of thrilling, chilling, and downright terrifying horror movies changing all the time, make sure to come back and see what other frights await you in the coming months.

Between the many series he's created and singular titles, R.L. Stine has written and published hundreds of books over the course of his career, and producing at that rate has required a bit of... cribbing. Some of his ideas come from utilizing classic monster legends, but he also has taken many pointers from his colleagues in the literary community. This very much includes Stephen King, as Stine has confessed to "stealing" the premise of Pet Sematary for use multiple times for his own novels.

With R.L. Stine's most renowned series, Goosebumps, turning 30 this year, Yahoo! recently spoke with the author about his life and work. While discussing his method for building stories (which begins with figuring out a final twist and working backwards), he confessed to not only taking inspiration from writers like Rod Serling, Agatha Christie and Stephen King, but straight-up reusing their ideas. Said Stine,

In Stephen King's 1983 novel Pet Sematary (which has been adapted twice for the big screen), a grieving father makes the horrific choice to bury his dead son in a supernatural graveyard that will see the child resurrected – choosing not to heed the warning of his friend and neighbor that "sometimes dead is better." It's worth noting that King took heavy inspiration from the classic story "The Monkey's Paw" for the novel, so one could argue that reduces the severity of the "plagiarism" here. 

R.L. Stine not only admitted stealing from Pet Sematary to the interviewer, but the author added that it's something that he has directly confessed to Stephen King personally. Apparently the two men only met once, but Stine took the opportunity to confess – and King chastised him for dominating a specific horror subgenre: 

Again, to excuse R.L. Stine on some level, it's worth noting that Stephen King has written at least two amusement park-centric stories that I can think of: the 2013 novel Joyland, and the short story "Riding The Bullet."  

Further discussing his conversation with Stephen King, R.L. Stine evidently also commented on a link that had been made between their works, saying that his books are in essence a gateway to those by King. Said the writer,

If one is looking for totally circumstantial evidence of this highlighted phenomena, I can say that I was personally a metaphorical student at that horror school. Goosebumps books were among my earliest exposure to the magic of the genre, and eventually my taste/reading skills matured to allow me to embrace the works of Stephen King.

One more common thread between R.L. Stine and Stephen King is that their books have made great fodder for Hollywood. In the case of the former, 2013's Goosebumps movie is streaming on FreeVee (with ads), and you can watch the Fear Street trilogy with a Netflix subscription.

As for King, there are far too many movies, miniseries and TV shows for me to list them all here, but you can enjoy my weekly deep dive into the history with my Adapting Stephen King column. And to keep track of all of the projects on the way we also have our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide.

One could make a strong argument that no single creator has made a greater contribution to pop culture in the last 50 years than Stephen King. It all began with Carrie, the book in 1974 and the movie in 1976, and the author since then has not only established himself as one of the most prolific professional writers alive, but a cross-medium legend. He puts out at least one new book (be it a novel, a collection of short stories, or non-fiction) annually, and it’s actually rare for a year to go by in the 21st century without seeing at least one adaptation premiere on either the big screen or on television.

Between Stephen King movies, books, and TV, his body of work also happens to be a wonderful playground for fans who see themselves as “collectors” – and if you’re one of those people, we’ve built this feature for you. I’ve personally spent years building my own perfect Stephen King collection, and knowing there is a wide world of Constant Readers out there I figured I’d lend a hand helping others do the same. From Carrie, to IT, to Holly, let’s dig in! 

Stephen King Books

It all starts with the books, so we’ll begin the collecting journey here. More advanced collectors (and those with the available disposable income) may be inclined to go the route of buying First Edition copies of each of the titles (most of which are hardcovers), but this is more of a starter guide that points towards the best commonly available editions of each one (which generally means that they are purchasable at a reasonable price).

Must-Own Stephen King Books

If you’re building a core Stephen King collection, it’s a must to start with the classics (Carrie, Firestarter, The Dead Zone), the series (The Dark Tower, The Bill Hodges Trilogy), and the epics (The Stand, IT). The novella collections are special, as are most of his short story omnibi.

• Carrie (1974) – Hardcover
• Salem's Lot (1975) – Hardcover
• The Shining (1977) – Hardcover
• Rage (1977)/The Long Walk (1979)/Roadwork (1981)/The Running Man (1982) – Hardcover (Out Of Print)
• Night Shift (1978) – Hardcover
• The Stand (1978) – Hardcover
• The Dead Zone (1979) – Hardcover
• Firestarter (1980) – Hardcover
• Danse Macabre (1981) – Hardcover
• Cujo (1981) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982) – Hardcover
• Different Seasons (1982) – Hardcover
• Christine (1983) – Hardcover
• Pet Sematary (1983) – Hardcover
• The Talisman (1984) – Hardcover
• Skeleton Crew (1985) – Hardcover
• IT (1986) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower II: The Drawing Of The Three (1987) – Hardcover
• Misery (1987) – Hardcover
• The Dark Half (1989) – Hardcover
• Four Past Midnight (1990) – Hardcover
• Needful Things (1991) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991) – Hardcover
• Gerald's Game (1992) – Hardcover
• Dolores Claiborne (1992) – Hardcover
• Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993) – Hardcover
• The Green Mile (1996) – Hardcover
• Desperation (1996) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997) – Hardcover
• The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999) – Hardcover
• On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft (2000) – Hardcover
• Black House (2001) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004) – Hardcover
• Lisey's Story (2006) – Hardcover
• Under The Dome (2009) – Hardcover
• Full Dark, No Stars (2010) – Hardcover
• 11.22.63 (2011) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower: The Wind Through The Keyhole (2012) – Hardcover
• Doctor Sleep (2013) – Hardcover
• Mr. Mercedes (2014) – Hardcover
• Revival (2014) – Hardcover
• Finders Keepers (2015) – Hardcover
• End Of Watch (2016) – Hardcover
• Gwendy's Button Box (2017) – Hardcover
• The Outsider (2018) – Hardcover
• If It Bleeds (2020) – Hardcover
• Later (2021) – Paperback
• Billy Summers (2021) – Hardcover
• Gwendy’s Final Task (2022) – Hardcover
• Fairy Tale (2022) – Hardcover
• Holly (2023) - Hardcover
• You Like It Darker (2024) - Hardcover

Worth Checking Out

Once you have the essentials, you can expand from there. A number of these are great books – they just don’t have quite the same legacy as the best known titles in the Stephen King library. Some of them are also… bad (we’re being honest today).

• Cycle Of The Werewolf (1983) – Paperback
• Thinner (1984) – Hardcover
• The Eyes Of The Dragon (1984) – Hardcover
• The Tommyknockers (1987) – Hardcover
• Insomnia (1994) – Hardcover
• Rose Madder (1995) – Hardcover
• The Regulators (1996) – Hardcover
• Bag Of Bones (1998) – Hardcover
• Hearts In Atlantis (1999) – Hardcover
• Dreamcatcher (2001) – Hardcover
• Everything's Eventual (2002) – Hardcover
• From A Buick 8 (2002) – Hardcover
• The Colorado Kid (2005) – Paperback
• Cell (2006) – Hardcover
• Blaze (2007) – Hardcover
• Duma Key (2008) – Hardcover
• Just After Sunset (2008) – Hardcover
• Joyland (2013) – Hardcover
• The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams (2015) – Hardcover
• Sleeping Beauties (2017) – Hardcover
• Elevation (2018) – Hardcover
• The Institute (2019) – Hardcover

Optional

You may not feel that you need a coffee table book with Stephen King discussing the creepiness and legacy of gargoyles, but if you’re a completist, you’ll want to have these titles in your collection.They do make for nice additions to any Stephen King library.

• Nightmares In The Sky (1988) – Hardcover
• I Shudder At Your Touch (1991) – Hardcover (Note: Features the story “The Revelations Of Becka Paulson, which isn’t published in any other hardcover)
• Storm Of The Century (1999) – Hardcover
• Secret Windows: Essays And Fiction On The Craft Of Writing (2000) – Hardcover
• Faithful (2004) – Hardcover
• Blockade Billy (2010) – Hardcover
• Hearts In Suspension (2016) – Hardcover
• Flight Or Fright (2018) – Hardcover

Stephen King Movie Adaptations

Stephen King’s relationship with Hollywood is just about as long as his history as a published novelist, with Brian Da Palma’s Carrie having been released just two years after the novel it’s based on was first published. The author has an awesome big screen legacy, and thus there are a large number of titles to populate a collection.

Must-Own Stephen King Movies

Not only have some great movies been made based on Stephen King books, but there are some downright iconic ones too – and it’s primarily those titles we are calling essential for any collection. Some titles are considered among the best horror movies of all time… and considered among the best movies of all time period:

• Carrie (1976) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• The Shining (1980) – 4K UHD
• Creepshow (1982) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• Cujo (1983) – 4K UHD
• The Dead Zone (1983) – Collector's Edition 4K UHD
• Christine (1983) – 4K UHD
• Children Of The Corn (1984) – Special Edition 4K UHD
• Firestarter (1984) – Collector’s Edition Blu-ray
• Silver Bullet (1985) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• Stand By Me (1986) – 4K UHD
• Maximum Overdrive (1986) – Blu-ray
• Pet Sematary (1989) – 4K UHD
• Misery (1990) – 4K UHD
• Tales From The Darkside: The Movie (1990) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• Needful Things (1993) – 4K UHD
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – 4K UHD
• Dolores Claiborne (1995) – Blu-ray
• The Green Mile (1999) – 4K UHD
• The Mist (2007) – Collector's Edition 4K UHD
• IT (2017) – 4K UHD
• IT Chapter Two (2019) – 4K UHD
• Doctor Sleep (2019) – 4K UHD
• The Boogeyman (2023) – Blu-ray

Worth Checking Out

These Stephen King movies aren’t quite up to the high standard set by the brilliant adaptations above, and in some cases more liberties are taken with the source material, but there’s still plenty of good stuff, including a few solid anthology films.

• Cat's Eye (1985) – 4K UHD
• Creepshow 2 (1987) – Special Edition Blu-ray
• The Running Man (1987) – 4K UHD
• Sleepwalkers (1992) – Collector’s Edition Blu-ray
• The Dark Half (1993) – Blu-ray (Out Of Print)
• The Mangler (1995) – Blu-ray
• The Night Flier (1998) – DVD
• Apt Pupil (1998) – DVD
• Hearts In Atlantis (2001) – DVD
• 1408 (2007) – Blu-ray
• A Good Marriage (2014) – Blu-ray
• Pet Sematary (2019) – 4K UHD
• Firestarter (2022) – Blu-ray
• Pet Sematary: Bloodlines – 4K UHD

Optional

It’s tricky to recommend these Stephen King movies because they ride so low on the quality scale, but they exist for you to get if you’re a completist.

• Graveyard Shift (1990) – Blu-ray
• Thinner (1996) – Collector's Edition Blu-ray
• Carrie (2013) – Collector's Edition 4K UHD
• Dreamcatcher (2003) – Blu-ray
• Secret Window (2004) – Blu-ray
• Dolan's Cadillac (2009) – Blu-ray
• Riding The Bullet (2004) – DVD
• Mercy (2014) – DVD
• Cell (2016) – Blu-ray
• The Dark Tower (2017) – 4K UHD

Stephen King TV Adaptations

A huge part of what makes Stephen King’s books so great is their attention to detail – and while this typically means that the tomes wind up getting pretty damn heavy, it’s also an element of his style that has led to there being a great relationship between King and the TV world. These adaptations provide the runtime real estate that regularly let adaptations be remarkably faithful to their respective source material.

Must-Own Stephen King TV Adaptations

If you’re looking for the cream of the crop material when it comes to Stephen King’s history on the small screen, you’ll find it below. Admittedly the legacy isn’t quite as iconic as the theatrical material, but we’ve still seen some fantastic adaptations for the small screen.

• Salem's Lot (1979) – Blu-ray
• It (1990) – Blu-ray
• The Stand (1994) – Blu-ray
• The Langoliers (1995) – DVD
• The Shining (1997) – Blu-ray
• Storm Of The Century (1999) – DVD (Based on original script by Stephen King)
• The Dead Zone (2002) – DVD (Complete Series)
• Kingdom Hospital (2004) – DVD
• Salem's Lot (2004) – DVD (Best version in Triple Terror Collection)
• Nightmares & Dreamscapes (2006) – DVD
• Haven (2010) – DVD (Complete Series) (Note: Each season was released on Blu-rays, but copies of Season 4, Season 5, and Season 5.1 can be difficult to find)
• Under The Dome (2013) – Blu-ray (Season 1) & Blu-ray (Season 2) & Blu-ray (Season 3)
• 11.22.63 (2016) – Blu-ray
• Mr. Mercedes (2017) – Blu-ray (Note: Region-Free Complete Series)
• Castle Rock (2018) – 4K UHD (Season 1) & Blu-ray (Season 2)
• The Outsider (2020) – Blu-ray (Season 1)
• The Stand (2020) – Blu-ray (Complete Limited Series)
• Chapelwaite (2021) Blu-ray (Note: This a Region Free release from Australia)

Worth Checking Out

Quality-wise, these TV adaptations range between “middle of the road” and “downright awful. Some of them definitely have their redeeming qualities, and will certainly be of interest to any Stephen King collector who is also a completist.

• Sometimes They Come Back (1991) – Blu-ray
• Golden Years (1991) – DVD (Based on original script by Stephen King)
• The Tommyknockers (1993) – DVD
• Quicksilver Highway (1997) – DVD
• Trucks (1997) – DVD
• Rose Red (2002) – DVD (Based on original script by Stephen King)
• Carrie (2002) – Blu-ray (Out Of Print)
• Desperation (2006) – DVD
• Children Of The Corn (2009) – Blu-ray
• Bag Of Bones (2011) – DVD
• Big Driver (2014) – DVD

Optional

If you’re looking to get absolutely every Stephen King adaptation, including the anthology shows that turned the author’s works into single episodes, this section is for you:

• The Twilight Zone (1985) – DVD (Season 1) (Note: Episode “Gramma” based on the Stephen King story of the same name)
• Tales From The Darkside (1984) – DVD (Season 1) (Note: Episode “Word Processor Of The Gods” based on the Stephen King story of the same name) & DVD (Season 4) (Note: Stephen King wrote the episode “Sorry, Right Number”)
• Monsters (1988) - DVD (Complete Series) (Note: Out Of Print, Season 3 Episode “The Moving Finger” based on the Stephen King story of the same name)
• The Outer Limits (1997) – DVD (Season 3) (Note: Out Of Print; Episode “The Revelations Of ‘Becka Paulson” based on Stephen King’s short story of the same name)
• The X-Files (1998) – Blu-ray (Season 5) (Note: Stephen King wrote the episode “Chinga”)
• Creepshow (2019) – Blu-ray (Season 1 - Episode “Gray Matter” based on the Stephen King story of the same name) & Blu-ray (Season 2 - which includes the "Creepshow Animated Special," based on the Stephen King story “Survivor Type”)

As noted up top, there are always more Stephen King books being written and adaptations being made, so any collection of the author’s works is a fluid collection – but we’ll keep this list updated with all of the latest releases as they become available. For the latest news about new developments in the world of King physical media, check out my weekly column The King Beat, which goes live here on CinemaBlend every Thursday.

Note: This feature purposefully does not include sequels that are not based on pre-existing Stephen King works or written by King himself (i.e. the Children of the Corn sequels, Pet Sematary 2, The Rage: Carrie 2, etc.).

Additionally, Gerald's Game, In The Tall Grass, 1922, and Mr. Harrigan's Phone are notably absent from this list because they are not currently available on home video, and can only be watched on Netflix. The same is true for the series Lisey’s Story, which is an Apple TV+ exclusive.

You may have seen more horror movies directed by women than you even realize. While many of the best horror movies are anchored by a great lead performance from a female actor – such as Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween or Neve Campbell in Scream – female horror movie directors have rarely received the credit they deserve over the years, with “horror auteur” more often attributed to men like John Carpenter or the late Wes Craven.

Luckily, as female filmmakers have become more prevalent and acclaimed in the industry, so have female horror auteurs, such as Coralie Fargeat, whose latest film, The Substance, is being called one of 2024’s best movies. In that regard, let’s begin our celebration of the most esteemed macabre masterpieces by the most talented horror movie Scream Queens from behind the camera by revisiting the French director’s feature debut.

Revenge (2018)

Director: Coralie Fargeat

Starring: Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens

What it’s about: A young woman sets out to violently retaliate against her married boyfriend and his hunting buddies after they leave her for dead in the Moroccan desert.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: The aptly titled Revenge (also available with a Shudder subscription) is easily one of the best revenge movies in recent memory for Coralie Fargeat’s brilliantly unique use of the wild thriller’s subtextual themes.

How to watch Revenge

• Stream Revenge on Amazon with AMC+ add-on
• Buy Revenge on Blu-ray on Amazon

American Psycho (2000)

Director: Mary Harron

Starring: Christian Bale, Chloë Sevigny

What it’s about: A successful yuppie begins to succumb to his homicidal tendencies in 1980s Manhattan.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Mary Harron brings a distinctly cheeky and endlessly fascinating flavor to her brutal adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel, American Psycho, which is an indictment on toxic masculinity way ahead of its time.

How to watch American Psycho

• Stream American Psycho on Netflix
• Rent or buy American Psycho on Amazon
• Buy American Psycho on Blu-ray on Amazon

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

Director: Halina Reijn

Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova

What it’s about: A group of twenty-somethings try to figure out who among them is a murderer when one of them mysteriously turns up dead.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: With her second directorial effort, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Halina Reijn turned out one of the best A24 horror movies for its bold Gen-Z satire and clever whodunnit reinventions.

How to watch Bodies Bodies Bodies

• Stream Bodies Bodies Bodies on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on
• Rent or buy Bodies Bodies Bodies on Amazon
• Buy Bodies Bodies Bodies on Blu-ray on Amazon

Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022)

Director: Michelle Garza Cervera

Starring: Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal

What it’s about: A woman’s dream of getting pregnant comes true, only to curdle into an inexplicable nightmare.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Michelle Garza Cervera (who also co-writes) mixes a real Mexican folklore legend with profound themes of parenthood and sexual identity to craft her intense Spanish-language thriller, Huesera: The Bone Woman.

How to watch Huesera: The Bone Woman

• Stream Huesera: The Bone Woman on AMC+
• Rent of buy Huesera: The Bone Woman on Amazon

The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)

Director: Amy Holden Jones

Starring: Michelle Michaels, Robin Stille

What it’s about: A group of high school girls stalked by a power-drill wielding, escaped maniac during a suburban sleepover.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Based on the title alone, The Slumber Party Massacre sounds like just another trashy B-movie, but is lauded today as one of the greatest ‘80s slasher movies for Amy Holden Jones’ commentary on female representation in the horror genre at the time.

How to watch The Slumber Party Massacre

• Stream The Slumber Party Massacre on Amazon Prime
• Buy The Slumber Party Massacre on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Babadook (2014)

Director: Jennifer Kent

Starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman

What it’s about: A widowed single mother suspects that a character from her son’s pop-up book is real and poses a dangerous threat to them.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Australian writer and director Jennifer Kent’s bleak, relentlessly unnerving feature-length debut, The Babadook, is one of the best horror movies to address grief, as metaphorically represented by its ominous, titular villain.

How to watch The Babadook

• Stream The Babadook on Netflix
• Rent or buy The Babadook on Amazon
• Buy The Babadook on Blu-ray on Amazon

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Director: Karyn Kusama

Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried

What it’s about: A meek high school student discovers that a satanic ritual turned her popular best friend into a man-eating succubus.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Another horror flick with overlooked nuanced commentary is director Karyn Kusama and Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody’s Jennifer’s Body – one of the best Megan Fox movies for its poignant analysis of teen sexualization and demonizing social politics in high school.

How to watch Jennifer’s Body

• Stream Jennifer’s Body on Hulu
• Stream Jennifer’s Body on Peacock
• Stream Jennifer’s Body on Paramount+
• Rent or buy Jennifer’s Body on Amazon
• Buy Jennifer’s Body on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Invitation (2015)

Director: Karyn Kusama

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Emayatzy Corinealdi

What it’s about: While attending a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new boyfriend, a man begins to have haunting suspicions of the gathering’s true purpose.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: A more disturbing and earnest thriller from director Karyn Kusama is The Invitation – a masterpiece of slow-burn horror that keeps the tension high all the way to its gut-punch ending.

How to watch The Invitation

• Stream The Invitation on Amazon Prime
• Stream The Invitation on Tubi
• Buy The Invitation on Blu-ray on Amazon

XX (2017)

Director: Jovanka Vuckovic, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin, Karyn Kusama

Starring: Natalie Brown, Melanie Lynskey

What it’s about: A couple grows concerned when their son refuses to eat, a woman tries to hide her husband’s corpse on the day of her daughter’s birthday, and other strange and scary tales.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Karyn Kusama also wrote and directed "Her Only Living Son" from XX – the horror anthology movie exclusively featuring segments helmed by women, including Jovanka Vucokovic’s "The Box), Roxanne Benjamin’s "Don't Fall", and Annie “St. Vincent” Clark’s "The Birthday Cake."

How to watch XX

• Stream XX on Tubi
• Rent or buy XX on Amazon
• Buy XX on Blu-ray on Amazon

Saint Maud (2020)

Director: Rose Glass

Starring: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle

What it’s about: A Welsh former nurse and devout Catholic believes God has chosen her to rescue a terminally ill dancer from damnation.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Rose Glass (who later made another great A24 movie with Love Lies Bleeding) brilliantly toys with your expectations of whether or not our titular hero is truly the saint she strives to be until the startling final moment of one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime, Saint Maud.

How to watch Saint Maud

• Stream Saint Maud on Amazon Prime
• Buy Saint Maud on Blu-ray on Amazon

Candyman (2021)

Director: Nia DaCosta

Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris

What it’s about: A Chicago-based artist becomes dangerously obsessed with an infamous urban legend.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Much like the 1992 Clive Barker adaptation of the same name that proceeds it, Candyman is a profound example of the powerful social commentary that horror is capable of, thanks in part to the entrancing visual style of director Nia DaCosta.

How to watch Candyman

• Stream Candyman on Freevee through Amazon
• Buy Candyman on Blu-ray on Amazon

Fresh (2022)

Director: Mimi Cave

Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan

What it’s about: A woman thinks she has finally found the man of her dreams, until his true intentions for her are revealed.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: One of the best horror movies on Hulu is Fresh – writer Lauryn Kahn’s brilliant modern dating commentary that Mimi Cave makes into a dazzling, intense, and even surprisingly tasteful visual feast once it evolves into a nightmare.

How to watch Fresh

• Stream Fresh on Hulu

Raw (2016)

Director: Julia Ducournau

Starring: Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf

What it’s about: A veterinary student’s strictly vegetarian diet is challenged when she begins to develop a strange, new appetite.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: If you enjoyed Fresh, but were hoping for something a little less reserved in its graphic nature, try Raw – French filmmaker Julia Ducournau’s feature-length debut, which proved she is a master of the surreal.

How to watch Raw

• Buy Raw on Blu-ray on Amazon

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

Director: Ana Lily Amirpour

Starring: Arash Marandi, Sheila Vand

What it’s about: A romance begins to blossom between an emotionally troubled young man and a mysterious woman hiding an unusual and deadly secret in a small, Iranian town.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Shot in black and white, Ana Lily Amirpour’s feature-length debut from 2014, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, is one of the most unique vampire movies ever made, for its amusing contrast between its quiet tone and grounded story elements with startling instances of classic horror elements.

How to watch A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

• Rent or buy A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night on Amazon
• Buy A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night on Blu-ray on Amazon

Near Dark (1987)

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright

What it’s about: A troubled man from a small town crosses paths with a beautiful woman who belongs to a traveling group of bloodsuckers.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: If you enjoyed A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night but were hoping for something a bit bloodier and more action-packed, try Near Dark – the wild, punk rock vampire tale that put Kathryn Bigelow on the map years before she became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar for The Hurt Locker.

How to watch Near Dark

• Buy Near Dark on DVD on Amazon

Pet Sematary (1989)

Director: Mary Lambert

Starring: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne

What it’s about: A doctor and family man is seduced by the death-defying power of a Native American burial ground close to his new home.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Following a career mostly in directing music videos, Mary Lambert made her feature debut with the 1989 adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, which is considered one of the best films based on the author’s work, for its strong take on themes of grief and even its campy moments.

How to watch Pet Sematary

• Rent or buy Pet Sematary on Amazon
• Buy Pet Sematary on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Fear Street Trilogy (2021)

Director: Leigh Janiak

Starring: Kiana Madeira, Sadie Sink

What it’s about: A group of teens race against time to uncover the dark secrets plaguing their town in order to break a deadly curse.

Why it is one of the best horror movies from a female director: Leigh Janiak’s triple feature loosely inspired by Goosebumps author R.L. Stine’s young adult series, Fear Street, makes up some of the best horror movies on Netflix, by spanning different time periods and styles of classic horror filmmaking in a thoroughly entertaining fashion.

How to watch the Fear Street trilogy

• Stream the Fear Street trilogy on Netflix

With how many strong thrillers focus heavily on female characters (whether it is from the perspective of a heroic Scream Queen or a female horror villain), women have a special – if not better – understanding of the genre than even some of the greatest male horror filmmakers ever. So it really should come as no surprise that women were at the helm of so many classic favorites and recent hidden gems.

I distinctly remember my first experience with a Stephen King movie. I was in middle school and hanging out at the house of a friend, and playing on their living room television was 1989’s Pet Sematary. While I was not a fan of scary cinema up to that point, I found myself both horrified and fascinated watching the undead Gage Creed execute his violent rampage against family and neighbors. Of course, I had no idea at the time that my love of King would blossom as an adult (I’ve seen every single adaptation and have read over 90 percent of his bibliography), and there is a significant amount of synchronicity now between what I consider my favorite films and the best Stephen King movies of all time.

So what do I think are the best Stephen King movies of all time? It’s a complicated question made more complicated by frequent rewatches and the influence of recency bias… but I have done my best to answer the query with my Top 20 list here for CinemaBlend. Read on for my personal picks, and if there’s anything you have never seen, perhaps make a mental note of it for the next time you’re looking for something to watch (If you’re curious about the projects that are currently in the works, my upcoming Stephen King Movies & TV is updated as news of new films and shows breaks.).

20. The Night Flier (1997)

Tagline: “Evil has a flight plan”

When people think of “Stephen King” and “vampire story,” the first title to come to mind is Salem’s Lot, but I consider it one of my duties as a Constant Reader to evangelize for “The Night Flier” and its adaptation from director Mark Pavia. Centering on a tabloid journalist (Miguel Ferrer) who will go to any length to get the story he’s hunting, it’s a pitch black tale with a cutthroat attitude, and it’s a darkness that’s fun to roll around in for 97 minutes. The changes from the source material, particularly the addition of Julie Entwisle's novice reporter Katherine Blair, work surprisingly well, and the ending has a wicked bite.

Cast: Miguel Ferrer, Julie Entwisle, Dan Monahan, and Michael H. Moss

19. Cat's Eye (1985)

Tagline: “Through the eye of the cat, a twisted tail of macabre suspense from the author of CARRIE, The SHINING and THE DEAD ZONE.”

Adapting Stephen King’s short stories as singular feature films doesn’t have the best legacy (there’s a reason The Night Flier is the only example of such a project on this list), but packaging a few stories together as part of an anthology is a horse of a different color. Director Lewis Teague’s Cat’s Eye, while not the best example, is still a great one. The third and final section of the movie, an original tale titled “General” is a “B” – centering on a cat’s battle with a troll that wants to harm a little girl (Drew Barrymore) – but “The Ledge” and “Quitters, Inc.” are both scary and funny successes respectively about a terribly dangerous bet and extreme measures taken to cease a nasty habit. It’s not my favorite King-scripted anthology (as you’ll discover as you continue reading), but it’s a treat.

Cast: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Alan King, Kenneth McMillan, Robert Hays, and Candy Clark

18. Needful Things (1991)

Tagline: “Buy now. Pay later.”

More than 30 years after its release, Needful Things remains one of the best books that Stephen King has written, and I’m of the opinion that the 1991 movie that it inspired is an underappreciated gem – especially the extended TV cut, which allows the adaptation to better match the impressive scope of the novel. Ed Harris' Sheriff Alan Pangborn is the heart of the story, a lawful man watching the town around him sink into chaos, but the true thrill is the ensemble. Max von Sydow is deliciously sinister as Leland Gaunt, Bonnie Bedelia exudes a perfect sweetness as Polly Chalmers, and Amanda Plummer's Nettie Cobb, J.T. Walsh's Danforth "Buster" Keeton III and Valri Bromfield's Wilma Jerzyck are all terrific as Gaunt’s unknowing puppets in the doomed town of Castle Rock, Maine.

Cast: Ed Harris, Max von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, J. T. Walsh, and Amanda Plummer

17. Pet Sematary (1989)

Tagline: “Sometimes dead is better”

We have not yet gotten a perfect adaptation of Pet Sematary – the most horrifying book in the Stephen King canon – but the 1989 film from director Mary Lambert is as close as we’ve seen. As noted, I have a particular emotional connection with the movie, but my appreciation goes beyond nostalgia. Writing the screenplay himself, King tightens up the material but doesn’t lose the powerful and emotional weight of the story, which centers on the unbearable pain that comes with the sudden loss of a child. Fred Gwynne delivers one of the best performances ever in a King adaptation playing Jud Crandall, and while some of the effects haven’t aged well, there are some sequences – like young Gage (Miko Hughes) assaulting Jud – that still pack a punch.

Cast: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynne, Denise Crosby, Brad Greenquist, Michael Lombard, Miko Hughes, and Blaze Berdahl

Stream Pet Sematary on Paramount+.

16. The Mist (2007)

Tagline: “Fear Changes Everything”

Allow me to start with a suggestion: if you’re going to watch writer/director Frank Darabont’s The Mist, try and find the black-and-white cut, which is vastly superior to its color counterpart. Why? For one, it hides the flawed, 2007-era visual effects, but also it better amplifies the vibe of a 1950s monster movie. While Darabont’s other two King adaptations (more on them in a bit) put a focus on drama, his third and most recent features some of the most horrifying material ever featured in a King film – including the military police officer being eaten from the inside out by extradimensional spiders and the devastating final scene.

Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Jeffrey DeMunn, Frances Sternhagen, and Sam Witwer

Stream The Mist on Paramount+.

15. The Life Of Chuck (2025)

Tagline: “The Mystery of a Lifetime”

I’ve always felt that the true magic of Stephen King is the depth of his characters and his remarkable appreciation of humanity. If that’s not something that you can pick up in any of his books, movies, or TV shows, it’s brilliantly and beautifully right on the surface of Mike Flanagan’s The Life Of Chuck – which is a sparkling exploration of how a single life contains infinite multitudes and complexity.

Like Flanagan’s other King adaptations (more on them later), the novella on which The Life Of Chuck is based does not exactly read as cinematic, but Flanagan makes zero deviations from the source material and even goes as far as to incorporate an omniscient narrator delivering the author’s prose. It’s simultaneously a spellbinding look at existence and a celebration of King’s unique, humanist perspective.

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill

14. Creepshow (1982)

Tagline: “The Most Fun You'll Ever Have BEING SCARED!”

Remember when I was saying that Cat’s Eye is a great Stephen King-centric anthology but not the best one? That’s because that distinct honor goes to director George A. Romero’s Creepshow. Aiming to capture the spirit of macabre EC Comics like Tales From The Crypt, the movie delivers a blend and major freak out moments. Anyone with any degree of entomophobia will freak out watching "They're Creeping Up on You!" and Leslie Nielsen’s turn as a psychotic cuckold in "Something to Tide You Over" is brilliant, but for me, nothing beats King’s turn as the titular character in "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" – where he finds himself the first victim of a potentially apocalyptic alien invasion.

Cast: Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver, Leslie Nielsen, Carrie Nye, E. G. Marshall, and Viveca Lindfors

13. Cujo (1983)

Tagline: “From Stephen King's novel comes a chilling tale of a quiet New England town and a horrible evil in the dead of Summer”

Through its first 40 minutes or so, director Lewis Teague’s Cujo plays like a drama centering on the conflict that develops when a wife and mother (Dee Wallace) cheats on her husband (Daniel Hugh-Kelly)… but that’s just the character-building appetizer that sets you up for the unrelenting and horrifying main course that is said mother and her young son being trapped in a broken down car by a rabid St. Bernard in the midst of a hot summer. Thanks to impressive filmmaking techniques and animal handling, it’s disturbing how real everything feels with the massive, out-of-control dog, and while there will always be a part of me that wishes its conclusion would deliver the gut punch shock that is in the novel, the adaptation works with its Hollywood ending.

Cast: Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh-Kelly, Danny Pintauro, Ed Lauter, and Christopher Stone

Stream Cujo on MGM+.

12. The Dead Zone (1984)

Tagline: “In his mind, he has the power to see the future. In his hands, he has the power to change it.”

“If you could go back in time and kill Hitler, would you do it?” That’s a question that is oft-repeated when it comes to time travel in cinema, but Stephen King created a whole new angle to the idea with The Dead Zone, and director David Cronenberg’s adaptation is faithful to the work and tremendous. Like the novel, there is an episodic structure in the storytelling as Christopher Walken’s Johnny Smith goes from hunting a serial killer to saving the life of a child he’s tutoring to stopping the rise of a politician who is fated to destroy the world, and it’s executed with terrific escalating stakes and memorable performances (Walken and Martin Sheen’s dangerous Greg Stillston being the standouts). It changes a number of key details from the source material, but it is still one of the best King adaptations ever.

Cast: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst, and Martin Sheen

11. Dolores Claiborne (1995)

Tagline: “Sometimes, an accident can be an unhappy woman's best friend”

Based on a book that is wholly told from the perspective of a woman giving a statement during a police interrogation, Dolores Claiborne is not a story that screams “this needs a big screen adaptation!” (unlike most of Stephen King’s work), but I think that ultimately speaks to the exceptional job done by director Taylor Hackford and screenwriter Tony Gilroy. The film juggles two murder mysteries and a non-linear narrative, and yet it still coalesces as one of the most gripping and emotional features in the history of King adaptations. Kathy Bates may be best known in association with King for her Oscar-winning performance in Misery (more on that in a bit), but she deserved a second nomination if not second trophy for her work in Dolores Claiborne.

Cast: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Strathairn, Judy Parfitt, John C. Reilly, Eric Bogosian, and Christopher Plummer

10. The Green Mile (1999)

Tagline: “Miracles happen in the most unexpected places.”

If a movie as spectacular as Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile is being ranked tenth on a list, you know you’re dealing with one hell of a legacy. Based on the serial novel of the same name that was published in six volumes from March to August 1996, the big screen adaptation is one of the most powerful supernatural dramas that have been made based on Stephen King’s work – both in its ability to inspire fantastical wonder and break your heart. I dare you not to start bawling while watching this film.

It’s full of memorable performances – from Tom Hanks’ even-keeled supervisor Paul Edgecombe, to Doug Hutchison's hateful turn as the petulant, sadistic Percy Wetmore. However, the late Michael Clarke Duncan delivers one of the greatest ever turns in a King film as gentle giant John Coffey, perfectly embodying the character from the book.

Cast: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham Greene, Doug Hutchison, Sam Rockwell, Barry Pepper, and Jeffrey DeMunn

9. Gerald's Game (2017)

Tagline: “Some games you play, some you survive.”

Mike Flanagan really had no choice but to make a brilliant film adapting Gerald’s Game. After all, it was a project that Stephen King long considered making himself as a possible redemption after 1986’s notorious Maximum Overdrive. Thankfully, Flanagan lived up to the challenge of the job, and made what I see as unequivocally one of the best King adaptations of all time.

It’s not what one would call an exceptionally cinematic story knowing the logline, as almost all of the action is restricted to a bedroom in an isolated house where a woman is left handcuffed to the bed… but that’s just part of the magic. Carla Gugino delivers a brilliant performance as protagonist Jessie Burlingame, as she makes every second captivating. The movie has some of the best scares in modern King history thanks to Jessie’s incredibly gory method of escape, and the terror of the Moonlight Man (Carel Struycken).

Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carel Struycken, Henry Thomas and Kate Siegel

Stream Gerald’s Game on Netflix.

8. Carrie (1976)

Tagline: “If you've got a taste for terror... take Carrie to the prom.”

This list may not exist if not for Brian De Palma’s Carrie. It only took a grand total of 20 months for Stephen King’s first published novel to go from arriving in bookstores to being adapted for the big screen and playing in theaters around the country. That short time span started a cinematic legacy that continues to grow every year.

Carrie remains one of the most iconic and influential horror movies ever made (it often feels like a reference pops up in every film or TV show that involves a prom), and no matter how many times one watches it, the performances by Sissy Spacek (as the titular Carrie White) and Piper Laurie (as her psychotic mother, Margaret) are riveting and staggering in their power.

Cast: Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, Betty Buckley, Nancy Allen, William Katt, John Travolta, P. J. Soles, and Piper Laurie

Stream Carrie on Max.

7. Christine (1983)

Tagline: “Body by Plymouth. Soul by Satan.”

By 1983, Stephen King was such a hot commodity in Hollywood that his books were getting adaptations even before they were published – which explains how the legendary John Carpenter delivered the classic Christine to theaters just eight months after the novel it’s based on first hit store shelves. That turnaround speed only makes the film’s accomplishments that much more impressive.

One of the things I most love about the movie is that it has a self-awareness about the inherent humor in the concept of a homicidal car, but it nonetheless unfolds with some surprisingly scary scenes and possesses deep themes to chew on about adolescence and the relationships that change one’s life during that time. It’s not just one of the all-time great Stephen King movies, but I’d argue that it’s one of the all-time great coming-of-age movies.

Cast: Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky, and Harry Dean Stanton

Stream Christine on Hulu.

6. IT Chapter One (2017)

Tagline: “You'll float too.”

When it was first published in 1986, Stephen King’s IT was a capstone novel that brought together all of the best elements of the author’s writing – but it was also a book so long that for years it frustrated filmmakers trying to develop an adaptation for cinemas. The 1990 miniseries made by director Tommy Lee Wallace is wonderful in its own way, but in 2017, Andy Muschietti successfully broke the code by cutting the source material in half.

I agree with the majority that IT Chapter Two doesn’t quite match the quality of its predecessor, but to be fair, that’s partially because the first movie establishes a terrifically high bar. One couldn’t ask for a better big screen Losers’ Club than Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, and Jack Dylan Grazer, and Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise will haunt nightmares for many decades to come.

Cast: Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Bill Skarsgård

Stream IT Chapter One on HBO Max.

5. Doctor Sleep (2019)

Tagline: “Dare to go back.”

When I first read Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep , I got the sense that it was a book written not to be adapted – specifically because the author wrote it very much as a sequel to his version of The Shining and not Stanley Kubrick’s. In a sense, it’s a novel designed to be as hard to adapt as possible... which makes Mike Flanagan’s 2019 film all the more miraculous.

Flanagan took on the task of not only mending a connection between the two disparate works, but following up one of the most beloved movies of all time. What he created is astonishing. It digs deep into powerful themes about alcoholism and coping with trauma, and it is also a grin-inducing horror story that has Rebecca Ferguson playing one of the all-time great Stephen King villains. It’s gorgeous and disturbing in equal measure, and I think it's remarkable that it even exists.

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, and Cliff Curtis

4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Tagline: “Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”

There was a very real possibility that Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption was going to be totally overlooked by general audiences. Despite all of the impressive talent involved, it was a bomb at the box office, and while it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, it walked away from the ceremony with zero trophies. Thankfully, the film ended up being a phenomenon on home video, and as a result, it is now properly recognized as the spectacular cinematic achievement that I and just about everyone else know it is.

There are few films in history that are able to be as compelling in exploration of hope as a commanding theme, as it gorgeously illustrates the power of the human spirit through Tim Robbins’ Andy Dufresne without ever feeling cloying or emotionally manipulative. It’s an honest and beautiful piece of cinematic art, and its power is reflected in its pop culture impact.

Cast: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore

3. Stand By Me (1986)

Tagline: “For some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of.”

It’s ironic that one of the most intimate and personal stories that Stephen King has ever written was turned into a movie that wasn’t initially marketed as being a King adaptation because of his reputation in the horror genre. Thankfully, time has rectified this lacking association, and now Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me, based on the novella “The Body” from the collection Different Seasons, is widely and properly recognized as one of the greatest King movies ever made.

From the expressed love of cherry-flavored Pez, to the trestle run, to the horrifying leeches in the pond, Stand By Me is a film wholly constructed of iconic cinema, as audiences the world over, myself included, have seen themselves reflected in the adventure. Few coming-of-age movies are as beautifully faithful to the universal experiences depicted here, which is an astonishing thing when you consider the story’s 1959 setting.

Cast: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland

Stream Stand By Me on Paramount+.

2. Misery (1990)

Tagline: “Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he's writing to stay alive.”

To date, only one actor from a Stephen King movie has ever won an Academy Award – and while that number is unfortunately low, the reality is that it was given to the right performance. Kathy Bates’ turn as psychotic nurse Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner’s Misery is one of the most astounding villain turns in cinema history, and it’s the rapidly beating heart of a true masterpiece.

Rob Reiner clearly made a special connection with Stephen King in the making of Stand By Me, and Misery is his second perfect adaptation of the writer’s work – even with the significant alterations that it makes to the source material. It’s the movie I point to as a masterclass in big screen tension, the camerawork ever heightening the claustrophobia experienced by wheelchair-bound writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) while trapped in Annie Wilkes’ house. It's also a fascinating work analyzing the ever-fraught relationship between an artist and their audience.

Cast: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Frances Sternhagen, Richard Farnsworth, and Lauren Bacall

1. The Shining (1980)

Tagline: “Iconic terror from the No 1 bestselling writer.”

I understand that ranking Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining as the greatest Stephen King movie is a somewhat controversial stance to make. The author has never been shy about his disappointment in the way that the 1980 adaptation handled his third novel, and when you put the two works side-by-side, it’s hard to argue against any of the points he makes. While sharing the same DNA, Kubrick’s take is noticeably a different beast than the King book – but it’s also one of the best films of all time, and that counts for quite a lot.

Where does one even start lauding the unique accomplishments of The Shining? The genius tracking shots through the halls of the Overlook Hotel? The palpitation-inducing performance by Jack Nicholson as ever-madder Jack Torrance? The genius production design overflowing with eye-popping and memorable patterns and shapes? The haunting score by Wendy Carlos? All of it coalesces as a journey of psychological horror that only gets more intense and majestic with every rewatch, and every minute in its runtime is perfection.

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd

Stream The Shining On HBO Max.

What is Stephen King's highest rated movie?

My list of the best Stephen King movies certainly isn’t definitive – partially because it’s wholly subjective – and if one looks to an aggregate of opinions, it differs from my own.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the Stephen King adaptation with the highest percentage of positive reviews logged on the site is Brian de Palma’s Carrie (which has a 94 percent approval rating. All of what you have read here may very well change in just a few months, as filmmakers have a seemingly endless fascination with the works of Stephen King, and it is extremely rare for any calendar year to go by without one new adaptation.

My Adapting Stephen King column provides Constant Readers with an in-depth look at the long history of the author’s books being brought to the big and small screens, and those looking for the freshest takes about everything going on in the King world should check out my column The King Beat, which goes live here on CinemaBlend every Thursday.

Had Stephen King had his druthers in 1979, Pet Sematary would not be a book recognized as part of his extensive canon, let alone a Constant Reader favorite. The author crafted the novel while he was a writer in residence at the University of Maine, and when it was completed and he gave the draft to his wife Tabitha King, they both came to the same opinion: it was too grim to publish. It was put in a drawer and stayed there… for about three years.

What wasn’t accounted for in the distribution decision was a different kind of resurrection: the return of issues with the publishing house Doubleday. The company had put out the writer’s first five books (Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, Night Shift, and The Stand) but there was immense conflict in the development of the post-pandemic epic, and were contract disputes that continued after Stephen King struck a new deal with Viking Press (which put out The Dead Zone, Firestarter, Cujo, Different Seasons, and Christine). In order to settle the relationship once and for all, and to get money he was long owed, King gave Doubleday the book in his drawer as one last novel to release – a novel they were excessively pleased to have, especially because of the reputation it had garnered from being left unpublished.

When the movie started to come together a few years later, it had its own set of special circumstances surrounding it. Stephen King had enough clout and control to not only write the screenplay for Pet Sematary himself, but he also had final approval regarding who would direct, and demanded that production take place on location in Maine. Initially George A. Romero was lined up to helm, as he bought the rights in 1984, but that plan fell apart – like with Creepshow 2 – when scheduling conflicts got in the way (according to The Hollywood Reporter, studio-demanded reshoots on 1988’s Monkey Shines kept him away from the gig).

This opened the door for Mary Lambert, who only had one feature directorial credit to her name at the time, but had a strong reputation in the world of music videos. Per her Blu-ray director’s commentary track, she attributes getting the job in large part to her personal friendship with the members of The Ramones – and when you consider that lyrics to “Blitzkrieg Bop” repeat throughout King’s book, one can understand why it felt like kismet.

Pet Sematary remains one of most chilling novels you will ever read, and the 1989 movie set records as the highest grossing horror film of all time – but how do the two interpretations of the story compare, and how does the big screen version hold up? That’s what’s being dug up in this week’s Adapting Stephen King.

What Pet Sematary Is About

Mortality is a fundamental aspect of life, but it’s still something that can only be comprehended when it’s confronted. A growing child can innately recognize pain and danger, but every parent eventually needs to teach them about death – and Stephen King’s Pet Sematary is about that conversation.

During King’s time at the University of Maine, living with his family in the town of Orrington, he experienced a series of events that motivated the creation of the novel. Just like in the story, the rental house was on a small road that regularly saw traffic from massive tankers, and there was a pet cemetery in the back of the property that children created in memory of their beloved animal friends. At one point the author had to stop his infant son, Owen, from wandering into traffic. Sadly, Smucky, the cat belonging to his daughter Naomi, ended up being not so lucky.

This sad loss led Stephen King and his wife Tabitha to have the talk with Naomi about death, and a day later he heard her in the garage jumping on bubble wrap and calling out, “Let God have His own cat. I want my cat. I want my cat.” These words were eventually put in the mouth of Ellie Creed, the eldest child in the family at the center of Pet Sematary.

In the book, the Creed clan moves from Chicago to the small town of Ludlow, Maine after Louis Creed, a doctor, gets a job in the health center at the state university. Though the speeding trucks randomly rambling by the house are disturbing, Louis, his wife Rachel, and their two kids Ellie and Gage settle in nicely – becoming close friends with their elderly neighbors, Jud and Norma Crandall.

Around Thanksgiving – while Rachel is away with Ellie and Gage at her parents’ house – Louis gets a call from Jud telling him that he has discovered the dead body of Ellie’s cat, Winston “Church” Churchill. Terrified of breaking the news to his daughter, Louis isn’t sure what to do… until his friend and father-figure tells him of an alternative. Behind the pet cemetery, over a treacherous deadfall, and through the forest there is an ancient burial ground once used by the Mi'kmaq Tribe to bring the dead back to life, and it’s in this earth that the protagonist buries his child’s fuzzy friend.

The next day, Church returns – but he is not the same. And it’s only just the beginning of tragedy that befalls the Creed family, as it’s soon after that two-year-old Gage suffers an analogous fate, and the lesson is learned that sometimes dead is better.

Pet Sematary is a work that saw Stephen King enter new emotional territory, as it’s notably his first book that delves into the experience of a family losing a child and it’s endless toll (Tad Trenton dies at the end of Cujo, but the emphasis there is on the “end” part). Constant Readers like to think of King akin to the Jon Lovitz parody on Saturday Night Live, effortlessly and endlessly typing out pages, but this is not one that flowed anything like that. As he told Douglas E. Winter in an interview for Stephen King: The Art Of Darkness,

Is it any wonder why he never wanted to deal with it again after it was done?

How Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary Differs From Stephen King’s Book

You may now be asking yourself, “If Stephen King wanted to put distance between himself and Pet Sematary, why did he write the screenplay for the movie?” Surely part of it was his desire to maintain creative control over adaptations of his work, but in a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly he equated the experience to facing a fear. Said King,

Taking the wheel, Stephen King wrote a big screen version of Pet Sematary that hones exceptionally close to the book –earning all the pre-release promotion with his name featured above the title. All of the most important beats are translated directly from the source material to the big screen, which is pretty remarkable when you consider the monstrous flashbacks featuring Rachel’s (Denise Crosby) psychotic and spinal meningitis-afflicted sister Zelda (Andrew Hubatsek), and the ending featuring a demonic toddler (Miko Hughes) attacking three different adults.

There are still deviations, and you may have caught one of them in the description above: in the film Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne) is a widower, but at the start of the book he has a wife. One of the early events in the story that creates a bond between Jud and Lewis (Dale Midkiff) is that he helps Norma when she has a heart attack on Halloween. She doesn’t wind up surviving the narrative, however, as she passes away a few months later, seemingly part of the toll taken from the unholy burial.

In the movie, there is a kind of parallel death, as Stephen King instead has it so that Missy Dandridge (Susan Blommaert) – who is an innocuous B-character in the book – is diagnosed with stomach cancer and commits suicide when she can no longer cope with the pain.

As you would expect from any adaptation, some sequences are compressed, and details are changed. For example, Lewis’ effort sneaking into the graveyard to exhume Gage’s corpse is more involved in the novel – and for the sake of politeness let’s just say that the kid doesn’t merely have a tiny scar on his forehead after being slammed by an 18-wheeler. In the reverse of that, the deaths of both Rachel and Jud in the movie are arguably more gruesome than what’s described (in the book, the former doesn’t get hung from a rope in the attic, and the latter doesn’t get his throat ripped out).

I’ll lastly add that I’ll never quite get why the movie includes The Ramones’ “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” as well as an original song in the soundtrack, but not “Blitzkrieg Bop.” After reading the book, you can never hear the lyric “hey-ho, let’s go” again without thinking of it as an anthem for a plummet into madness.

Is It Worthy Of The King?

Anything that holds a place as a “first” in someone’s mind is always going to make that thing have special significance in one’s heart – and that heavily impacts my relationship with Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary. It was not only the first Stephen King movie I ever saw, but it was also one of the first horror movies I watched when I was just starting to appreciate the genre, and I was hypnotized by its extremes. I was admittedly too young at the time to appreciate the full weight of the narrative, but that is also part of the magic in my connection with it: as I’ve grown older, and read the book, and rewatched it, I’ve also brought more of my own emotional awareness and maturity to the experience, and as a result I’ve grown to love it even more.

To speak to the extremes, some may scoff at what is obviously a doll leaping at Lewis from the attic in the final confrontation, but that’s downplaying the extreme ballsiness of Mary Lambert having the sequence primarily play out between Dale Midkiff and Miko Hughes – not to mention that attack on Jud Crandall. The deep slice into the man’s Achilles tendon always incites a gasp, and the fact that it’s rapidly followed by the slash across his lips and the Adam’s Apple bite make it just phenomenally brutal to watch.

Part of that brutality, of course, comes from how much love one can’t help but have for Jud watching the film. Fred Gwynne delivers what is my favorite performance in any Stephen King adaptation ever, with a deep and wonderful commitment to the Maine accent, and a beautiful paternal air (side note: did you know they dyed his naturally black hair white for the role?). When Pet Sematary is ultimately remade for the sixth time in 50 years, people may start to forget details of the original, but they will never forget Fred Gwynne’s Jud Crandall.

The only hitch with this – and I mean only – is that there should be a Pet Sematary where the greatest and most iconic thing about it is the emotional journey of Lewis Creed. The book is written in the third person, but you still get a full frontal assault of perspective when it comes to his grief-motivated tumble down into insanity. As much as I like Dale Midkiff’s version, his descent is shallower than you’d hope.

It won’t be until October of next year that this column gets to the 2019 remake from directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer – but for now I will say that while the perfect big screen version of Pet Sematary does not yet exist, the 1989 incarnation is the best we’ve seen so far.

How To Watch Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary

Even if you’re subscribed to every streaming service under the sun, you’re going to need to put down some cash if you now have a craving to watch Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary. The film is available via rental or purchase from all major digital video outlets, and if you’re building the Ultimate Stephen King Collection you’re definitely going to want to get the 4K edition released a few years ago, which has a stunning restoration of the movie as well as the aforementioned director’s commentary, and a number of great special features.

Quite unintentionally, next week’s Adapting Stephen King will once again feature a feral, ferocious feline – the adaptation being John Harrison’s Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, and the source material being the short story “The Cat From Hell.” You’ll find it here on CinemaBlend on Wednesday, and in the meantime click through using the banners below to explore all of my previous columns.

While there are perpetually dozens of Stephen King-related projects in the works, one of the fastest to come together in recent months is an upcoming follow-up to the 2019 adaptation of Pet Sematary. The film, set to be made as a Paramount+ original feature, was only first announced in the early months of 2021, but writer/director Lindsey Beer came aboard in May, and it’s been full steam ahead ever since. This very much includes the building of an ensemble cast, as the production has already announced a few interesting stars who will be appearing.

Plot details about the new Pet Sematary movie are being kept very hush-hush, but for reasons that will become clear very shortly it appears that it will function as a prequel to the original Stephen King story, and likely explore another story that sees protagonists learn the hard lesson that sometimes dead is better. Not a lot has been made officially known about the various characters who will be appearing in the film, but here’s a rundown of what we know so far.

Jackson White

Jackson White, best known for his role on the Kathryn Hahn series Mrs. Fletcher, was the first actor to become attached to the Pet Sematary follow-up – having signed on in June 2021 – and it was in learning the news that the prequel aspect of the project was seemingly confirmed. White, who is in his mid-20s, will be playing the role of Jud Crandall in the new movie, taking over the role that was played by septuagenarian John Lithgow in the 2019 original. Unless the story changes the rules of the Micmac Burial Ground (famous for bringing the dead back to life), it seems fair to assume that the plot will be set about a half-century before the narrative with which we are all familiar.

Forrest Goodluck

It was in 2015’s The Revenant starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio that Forrest Goodluck’s career first really launched, and while he has worked on some notable projects since then – including the Russo brothers’ crime thriller Cherry and the CW series The Republic Of Sarah Soon, however, he will be a part of his first Stephen King adaptation. Much like most of the rest of the actors to be mentioned in this feature, it is unclear at present who Goodluck will be playing in the new Pet Sematary movie.

Jack Mulhern

Back in the spring, Stephen King was publicly following the drama in the HBO series The Mare Of Easttown, Tweeting about his thoughts on the series and predictions about the ending, and soon one of the stars of that show will be in one of the newest King-related feature films. Jack Mulhern played the unlikable Dylan Hinchey on the hit mystery series, and will follow up his time working with Kate Winslet by being a part of the ensemble in Paramount+’s Pet Sematary follow-up. Again, it’s unclear what role he will be playing in the original story.

Natalie Alyn Lind

In the last six years, Natalie Alyn Lind’s career has pretty much exclusively been on various television shows. She had her breakout in 2013 playing Dana Caldwell on ABC’s The Goldbergs, and has since paired one-off appearances on Chicago Fire, iZombie, and Daybreak with recurring roles on series including Gotham, The Gifted, Tell Me A Story, and Big Sky. The second season of Big Sky will be airing in the fall, but after that you’ll be able to see Lind as part of the cast of the new Pet Sematary movie – changing things up from her primary medium and appearing in her first feature since 2014.

Isabella Star LeBlanc

You’ll notice that Lindey Beer’s Pet Sematary follow-up has been adding a number of young stars who have a fair amount of experience – but Isabella Star LaBlanc is a bit of a special case in the ensemble. While her co-stars have a few credits to their names already, LaBlanc, who boarded the project in July 2021, is a fresh face who will be making her first film as she makes the horror prequel. Given the high profile nature of the movie (it will almost surely have all of the eyeballs of Stephen King fans everywhere when it becomes available), it’s definitely an opportunity for a young actor to make a big impression, so we wish her the best of luck with the role – whatever it may be.

Pam Grier

Of the actors in the Pet Sematary prequel cast thus far, Pam Grier is unquestionably the biggest star – bringing to the production all of the clout that comes with being the star of Coffy, Foxy Brown, and Jackie Brown. Grier’s most recent feature film role was opposite Diane Keaton in the 2019 comedy Poms, but she has been keeping busy on the small screen. In addition to appearing in two episodes of the hit NBC series This Is Us, she also played a recurring role on the Dax Shepard/Lake Bell sitcom Bless This Mess on ABC. The actress’ casting was announced by Variety in July 2021, though the trade report doesn’t include any details about the role she will be playing.

Henry Thomas

While Henry Thomas will forever be remembered for his spectacular turn as the star of Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, he has also spent the last couple decades building a nice legacy in Stephen King adaptations. He stars in an episode of the anthology series Nightmares & Dreamscapes, has a small role in the TV movie Desperation, and plays Jack Torrance in Doctor Sleep, and now he is set to appear in the upcoming Pet Sematary prequel. And though I don't wish to sound like a broken record, we don't presently know what kind of role he will be playing.

Samantha Mathis

Her casting in the untitled Pet Sematary follow-up first announced by Deadline, Samantha Mathis marks the addition of yet another Stephen King veteran to the project. Like Henry Thomas, she too was featured in an episode of the short-lived Nightmares & Dreamscapes, but she also played female lead Susan Norton in the 2004 TV remake of Salem's Lot, and was in seven episodes of Under The Dome's first season. Who will she play in this new project? Your guess is as good as ours right now.

The untitled Pet Sematary follow-up doesn’t have an official release date set yet, but, as mentioned, it will not be going the theatrical route for distribution, and will instead be launching as a Paramount+ exclusive. Given the fact that it is filming in summer 2021, it seems extremely likely that we will see the film released in 2022 – quite possibly at the start of the year (2019’s Pet Sematary notably hit cinemas in April 2019). The movie will mark the directorial debut of Lindsey Beer, who is best known for having written and produced the Netflix film Sierra Burgess Is A Loser.

We’ll continue to update this feature as more stars come aboard, and hopefully those updates will also shed more light on who everybody in the ensemble will be playing. For now, you can take a look at all of the other Stephen King adaptations that are presently on the horizon by checking out our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide.

It was just back in late February that it was announced Paramount+ is developing a follow-up to the 2019 adaptation of Stephen King's Pet Sematary – but it's been a bit of a challenge to get a sense of exactly what the project is. When it was first reported on by the trades the streaming project was described as an "origins" movie that would ostensibly operate as a prequel... but then it was announced in May that writer/director Lindsay Beer had come aboard, and at that time it was said that the project was potentially not a prequel, but something else instead.

Now, however, it seems we are rolling back to the prequel discourse, as a major character has been recast, and it's a touch hard not to notice the age differential between the two actors.

According to Deadline, Lindsay Beer has made the call to cast Jackson White in the role of Jud Crandall in the developing Pet Sematary follow-up – which you may remember as the part played by John Lithgow in the 2019 remake. Given that Lithgow was 72 when he took on the role, and that White is in his mid-20s, it seems fair to now assume that the story that is being told in the upcoming film will be set decades before the tragic tale of the Creed family and their journey to learn the lesson "sometimes dead is better."

Jackson White will be the third actor to portray Jud Crandall, as John Lithgow was preceded in the role by Fred Gwynne – who played the character in the 1989 Mary Lambert-directed adaptation of Stephen King's novel. Crandall notably doesn't appear in the original Pet Sematary sequel, 1992's Pet Sematary II, and that's largely because the character famously doesn't make it out of King's story alive (the same holds true for Lithgow's version in the 2019 remake).

Nothing has been confirmed about the plot that will be playing out in Lindsay Beer's Pet Sematary movie, though one now can't help but think about the story Jud Crandall tells protagonist Louis Creed about how he himself originally discovered the evil resurrection powers of the Micmac Burial Ground. Could this new film be an expansion on that horror tale? Or does it have something brand new in the mix?

The feature film will be just the fourth made by Jackson White, who is the son of actor Katey Sagal and musician Jack White (no, not that Jack White). In the last few years his credits include recurring roles on The Middle, SEAL Team, and Mrs. Fletcher, and he most recently starred alongside Kelsey Grammer in Rachel Winter's recently released The Space Between.

Production on the mysterious new Pet Sematary film is scheduled to start in August, and it is being planned for release as a Paramount+ exclusive. Hopefully we'll hear more updates about casting soon that provide more clues about the plot. For now, to learn about all of the Stephen King adaptations that are currently in the works, be sure to check out our Upcoming Stephen King guide.

While there are many, many great Stephen King adaptations, a legacy that is not anywhere near as strong is the history of sequels to King adaptations that aren't based on the author's own works. This is a collection of features that includes movies like the litany of Children Of The Corn follow-ups, The Rage: Carrie 2, and Sometimes They Come Back… Again. That being said, there is always the possibility that a new project will come along to break the mold, and that's what Paramount Pictures is banking on as their plans to make a follow-up to 2019's Pet Sematary are now moving forward.

We first learned that the movie was was coming together back in late February, with the announcement saying that it would be a prequel made as a Paramount+ original, but a new report from Deadline not only says that Lindsey Beer has come aboard to direct, but that the prequel idea might be off the table. The project was originally described as an "origins story," but this latest update merely says that plot details are unknown. In addition to taking the helm, Beer will also be doing a rewrite on the script, which was originally being penned by Jeff Buhler (who wrote the screenplay for the aforementioned Pet Sematary remake).

The untitled Pet Sematary follow-up will be Lindsey Beer's directorial debut after having spent the last few years getting a lot of attention for her screenwriting skills. She wrote the 2018 Netflix film Sierra Burgess Is A Loser, and has since worked on a number of high profile developing projects – including Sam Raimi's The Kingkiller Chronicle adaptation, the Short Circuit reboot, Sony's Silver Sable (based on the Marvel Comics character), and Paramount's M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand movie. According to the trade report, the studio was excited about the idea of finding a female filmmaker for the project as a reflection of the fact that another woman director, Mary Lambert, helmed the original Pet Sematary from 1989.

Now well-regarded as one of the scariest Stephen King stories, Pet Sematary was a novel that initially spent a fair amount of time in a drawer. The author didn't have plans to publish the incredibly dark tome, but when he was switching publishers from Doubleday to Viking he needed to close out his contract with a final book. It was published in 1983 – the same year as Christine and Cycle Of The Werewolf – and it is now a beloved part of King's canon.

Pet Sematary is a story about the power and madness of grief, following the innocent Creed family as they move into a new home in the city of Ludlow, Maine. When tragedy strikes and one of the children is killed in an accident, the father learns of an old Native American burial site that could revive his child. The hard lesson that he eventually learns, however, is that sometimes dead is better.

It will be curious to see how this project develops, and particularly how it makes itself distinct from the two adaptations of Pet Sematary that we've already seen. It's probably for the best that it won't be a prequel/origin story, as that doesn't really sound like it would have been the best direction for the property, but one big trap that the film will have to avoid is just telling the same story again with a different set of characters. The so-called Micmac Burial Ground in the book doesn't have a ton of diversity in its power, so how exactly that will be done is unclear. But now that's Lindsey Beer's job to figure out!

With a writer/director attached, and Paramount clearly hungry to fill Paramount+ with original content, this Pet Sematary follow-up could move through development fast, so stay tuned for more details. And while you wait, be sure to check out our Upcoming Stephen King Movies And Television guide to stay on top of everything that is presently in the works.

Any Stephen King fan will tell you that the true horror in his stories comes from the audience’s connection with the characters and the desire not to see harm befall them – but that being said, the author is remarkably talented when it comes to imagining the “harm” part of that equation, and it has inspired a great number of filmmakers to do the same. To be blunt, in the wide variety of King adaptations, we have seen characters meet some bitter and terrible ends that audiences wouldn’t wish upon their worst enemy.

But in that specific history, who arguably got it the worst? It’s a difficult question when you consider how high the body count is going back to 1976, but upon deep reflection I think I have managed to determine the list of the most horrific Stephen King movie deaths. Strap in, and prepare for a desensitizing adventure through cinematic history.

As you might expect, this article is brimming with spoilers from movie adaptations of Stephen King's books. Also, some extremely gory images.

10. Carrie – Margaret White Gets Skewered

One could make an argument that Margaret White (Piper Laurie) would be happy with the way she dies in Brian De Palma’s Carrie – which is to say thinking of herself as a martyr trying to rid the world of evil (in the same position as St. Sebastian, no less). In a much more objective way, however, her death is truly horrific. 

After spending decades of her life in psychotic religious fervor, she attempts to murder her own daughter (Sissy Spacek) by stabbing her in the back with a kitchen knife, and when Carrie tries to defend herself the result is the telekinetically gifted girl launching a variety of kitchen utensils into her mother’s torso. Even though Margaret is a horribly abusive monster, you can’t help but empathize with the pain felt by her teenage daughter in the moment – pain that winds up bringing down their house on top of both of them.

9. The Dead Zone – Frank Dodd Commits Suicide With Scissors

With the police, a.k.a. his colleagues, having discovered his awful secret, serial killer Frank Dodd (Nicholas Campbell) sees only one way out in David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone. But ordinary methods of suicide apparently of interest to him – so instead of trying to hang himself or slit his wrists, his method of shifting off this mortal coil is by balancing a pair of scissors on the edge of his bathtub and driving his open mouth into it. As he discovers, this isn’t the most efficient way of taking one’s own life, and so when he is discovered by Sheriff Bannerman (Tom Skerritt) and Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) he is still twitching in the tub. 

Adding insult to injury, it’s entirely possible that he is still alive when his mom (Colleen Dewhurst) decides to open fire with her son’s service revolver and dies taking a bullet in the gut.

8. Cujo – Gary Becomes Cujo’s First Victim

With the first half of Lewis Teague’s Cujo being dedicated to establishing characters and drama, the moment the rabid dog story really activates kicks like a mule, with the death of Gary Pervier (Mills Watson) driving home just how dangerous the titular insane animal is. The man is at home just minding his own business and taking out the trash when the infected St. Bernard shows up, and within minutes he is dead – first wrestling with the giant beast, but then succumbing and getting his throat ripped out. 

Admittedly Gary isn’t the most lovable individual in the ensemble, and in truth he makes a pretty gross pair with Ed Lauter's Joe Camber (which is very much the case in Stephen King’s novel as well), but it’s hard to say anybody deserves such a horrific death.

7. In The Tall Grass – Becky Eats Her Newborn Baby

Adapting the short story of the same name co-written by Stephen King and Joe Hill, Vincenzo Natali’s In The Tall Grass gives us a vomit-worthy death that is particularly horrific because it is both an internal and external kind of horror. First there’s the fact that you have a newborn slaughtered by the child’s possessed uncle (Avery Whitted), which is monstrous all by itself, but then there is the additional fact that said uncle then feeds the pieces to his sister/the baby’s mother (Laysla De Oliveira) to nourish her post-labor. 

It’s a terrible thing to behold even in low light and in close-ups, and a moment that is not quick to leave the mind of anyone who witnesses it. You spend the entire movie hoping that these characters are going to be able to escape the endless trap they find themselves in, and in the moment your jaw just naturally drops.

6. The Dark Half – George Stark Gets Torn Apart By Sparrows

Given that George Stark (Timothy Hutton) is a literal evil twin in George A. Romero’s The Dark Half, you don’t exactly feel all that terrible when he winds up the loser in his confrontation with his “brother” – but this is an interesting case where you still get chills and a curled lip witnessing his death. A person being pecked at and torn apart by small birds is not the kind of thing you see in movies every day, and with the use of some great special effects the Stephen King movie goes all out presenting the murderous psychopath being ripped apart into bloody pieces. 

There is some schadenfreude in it, but it’s an odd kind of schadenfreude that comes with a side of nausea.

5. IT – Georgie Denbrough Gets Pulled Into The Sewer

The death of Georgie Denbrough in Andres Muschietti’s IT is what can be called a “tone setter,” and boy, what a fucked up tone does it set. Anyone who even knows the most minor details about Stephen King’s epic knows about “the scene with the kid and the clown in the sewer,” but in a way knowing what is going to happen makes it all the more horrific. 

You watch helplessly as innocent, trusting Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) negotiates the return of his paper boat from Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) knowing that at one jarring moment the who situation is going to make a turn for the terrible. When it finally does it is beyond upsetting to watch, as the monstrous clown first rips off the boy’s right arm, and then drags him into the storm drain as the boy desperately tries to crawl away. You instantly know what the film is all about, and it prepares you for one of the best King adaptations we’ve ever seen.

4. The Mist – A Military Police Officer Gets Devoured From The Inside Out

There are zero easy deaths in Frank Darabont’s The Mist, as every creature that is unleashed as part of the Project Arrowhead mistake has its own special way of killing. I very nearly included the scene where Sally (Alexa Davalos) gets stung in the throat by a monster wasp… but then I remembered what happens when Thomas Jane's David Drayton and his crew venture to the pharmacy for supplies. It’s there that they not only discover a massive spider web, but also a military police officer who has been used by the alternate dimension arachnoids as an egg incubator. 

There are truly no words for how unbelievably horrible it is that the guy lives through the experience of being eaten alive by baby spiders, right up until his body falls to the ground and explodes.

3. Pet Sematary – Jud Crandle Gets His Achilles Tendon Split, Adam’s Apple Bitten

Unlike the 2019 remake, Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary demonstrated some remarkable boldness by sticking close to the Stephen King book of the same name and bringing the nightmarish Gage Creed to the big screen (it obviously helps that King himself wrote the screenplay). There are some small moments that haven’t aged well, but what’s most important is that the sequence featuring Gage vs. Jud Crandle absolutely has, and it still registers as one of the most horrific deaths in a Stephen King movie. 

The unsuspecting Jud first gets his Achilles tendon slashed by Gage, who wields his father’s scalpel, and then, when the innocent neighbor is prone on the floor, the two-year-old zombie chomps down on his throat. If you haven’t already noticed, violence against children has already been a big part of this list, but this is a reversal of that, and it has a kind of horrific extra edge as a result.

2. The Green Mile - Eduard Delacroix Fries

While taking into account that he is a prisoner on death row for having committed a horrific crime, Michael Jeter’s Eduard Delacroix is mostly presented as a sympathetic character in Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile: clearly not a champion in the IQ department, remorseful for his actions, and a gentile pet owner. All of that, of course, makes witnessing his death by itself horrific – but what puts it at number two spot in this ranking is the gobsmackingly awful way in which he is executed. 

Because he is a sadistic piece of shit, Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison) purposefully doesn’t soak the sponge that is meant to take the chair’s current straight to its occupant’s brain, and the end result is that Eduard gets cooked alive with electricity… and Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) can’t even call for it to be shut down because living through such an experience would be even worse than dying.

1. Doctor Sleep – The True Knot Tears The Baseball Boy Apart

Imagine you’re Bradley Trevor. You’re a sports-loving kid living in a small Iowa town, and though you don’t really know why, you’re a hell of a baseball player because you can see the pitch that a pitcher is going to throw before they throw it. You wonder if perhaps your talent could someday lead to you wearing the number 19 for a Major League ball club. But then you’re set upon by a group of energy vampires who drug you, bring you to an abandoned ethanol plant, and torture you to death so that they can absorb a magic you didn’t even know about. 

It’s a fucking nightmare, and one that director Mike Flanagan brings to traumatizing life in Doctor Sleep. With the brilliant added touch of casting the adorable Jacob Tremblay as the young Baseball Boy, it’s a death that makes you want to cry as you watch it – and also further reveals Rose The Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) as one the most diabolical Stephen King villains of all time.

Of course, this list is definitely mutable, as new Stephen King adaptations premiere practically every year, and more often than not they feature a character losing their life in some kind of horrific way. To discover everything that’s ahead, be sure to check out our Upcoming Stephen King Movies guide.

Stephen King’s career in Hollywood is nearly as long as his career as a published novelist, with dozens of his books and stories being adapted for both the big screen and the small – but his registered impact on pop culture definitely doesn’t stop there. Because his works have inspired generations of filmmakers, you can not only find familiar themes all over the place, but movies and TV shows going back for decades are filled with Stephen King references, homages, and spoofs.

It would be logistically impossible to catalogue every single reference audiences have seen going back nearly 50 years, but what I can do is highlight some of my favorites, and that’s what you’ll find below. I had to give myself some limitations – including one reference per film/series, and only one reference per book – but that has just resulted in a list exclusively filled with fun nods that Constant Readers can appreciate. It feels right to begin with something a bit more obscure, so let’s start with the Season 2 premiere of Rick and Morty…

Rick And Morty – “A Rickle In Time”

My self-imposed rules dictated that I had to choose between “A Rickle In Time” and Season 1’s “Something Ricked This Way Comes” – which is basically a parody of Stephen King’s brilliant novel Needful Things – but I decided to go with Rick And Morty’s callback to the author’s story of insatiable meatball monsters that devour expired time a.k.a. The Langoliers. The animated show doesn’t specifically feature King’s nightmare creations, but looking at the fourth-dimensional characters pictured above (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele) the inspiration is obvious. One of them shows up after Rick, Morty, and Summer accidentally break time with their indecisiveness, and while they may have arms, and they may be sentient time/space police instead of voracious abominations, there’s no mistaking the influence of the novella from the collection Four Past Midnight.

South Park – “Majorine”

Like Rick and Morty’s Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone have repeatedly demonstrated their affection for the works of Stephen King, making this a tough pick. I ultimately had to go with “Marjorine,” though, because it features a hilarious and insidiously dark reference to Pet Sematary. In the episode, the fourth grade boys of South Park convince Butters to fake his death so that he can wear a costume and go undercover among the girls – but what Butters doesn’t count on is his “death” nearly destroying his mother and father. After getting advice from a stranger who looks and talks exactly like Fred Gwynne’s Jud Crandall, Butters’ dad buries what he thinks is his son’s dead body in an Indian burial ground hoping that he will be resurrected. Unfortunately, things don’t go so great when a very alive Butters returns home after completing his mission, as his parents think he is evil and lock him in the basement.

Hannibal – “Sorbet”

There is an argument to be made that Hannibal is one of the most gorgeous shows to ever play on network television, and at least a minor fraction of the credit has to go to Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining, as the series features a number of visual homages to the film (creator Bryan Fuller is an avid fan). The premiere, “Aperitif,” notably has a scene featuring Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) in a bathroom exactly like the one in the Overlook Hotel once occupied by Jack Torrance and Delbert Grady – but I’m instead choosing to highlight the reference in Season 1’s “Sorbet,” which finds the main characters come together at a crime scene that is designed to look like the bathroom in the notorious Room 237.

Scream

There are countless films and shows that reference Carrie in either a prom setting, or in the discussion of a picked-on introvert taking revenge, so I figured I would use my pick to go in a different direction – and found Wes Craven’s Scream waiting for me. The whole shtick of the 1990s slasher is that the killers are inspired by their favorite horror movies, and the first ever Stephen King adaptation was definitely on their watch list. After all, Billy (Skeet Ulrich) specifically notes that the fake blood he used to fake his death was just colored corn syrup – just like what Brian De Palma used on the set of his 1976 classic.

The Critic – “Miserable”

There wasn’t any classic movie that was safe from The Critic when it aired its two remarkable seasons in the mid-1990s, with the animated series constantly produced A-level spoofs (especially those that wound up predicting future projects). Many of the most memorable are the fake clips that the series protagonist Jay Sherman airs on his television show, but others were woven directly into the storytelling. One of the best is featured in just the second episode, “Miserable” (a play on Misery) and features Jay falling prey to his “number one fan”… though things don’t exactly go the same during his kidnapping as what happens in the Stephen King book/Rob Reiner movie.

Cat’s Eye

Lewis Teague’s Cat’s Eye is a delight for any Stephen King fan, as it not only features two great short story adaptations scripted by the author himself, but also a third, wholly original story, and a pair of fantastic references to past classics. As far as the latter goes, you can spot them very early in the movie when the protagonist feline, General, is introduced. A stray, General begins the story just wandering down the streets, but that wandering becomes a full sprint when a rabid St. Bernard starts giving chase (clearly a reference to Cujo­ – which Teague also directed). The pursuit continues along sidewalks and streets, and at one point the two animals are nearly hit by a red 1958 Plymouth Fury – one that sports a bumper sticker that says “Watch out for me, I am Pure Evil, I am Christine.” As captured in the still above, it’s a great two-for-one moment.

Pet Sematary (2019)

With Cujo having already been mentioned, I’m bending my own rules here, but I feel compelled to mention the way that the story of the rabid dog is featured in Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s Pet Sematary. It’s not something you’ll catch unless you’re really paying attention (or if you have closed captions on). During the scene featuring the birthday party for Ellie Creed (Jeté Laurence), there is a brief moment where you can make out snippets of conversation being had by guests, and you can distinctly make out Jud Crandall (John Lithgow) talking about a St. Bernard that killed four people. It’s definitely the most subtle reference in this list, and one of only two titles mentioned that are themselves Stephen King adaptations, but I love it just for its shared universe suggestion, which has long been a part of King’s work.

The Last Man On Earth – “Skeleton Crew”

Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption is a film frequently mentioned in The Last Man On Earth from the very beginning of the series, as it proves to be one of the things in common between Todd (Mel Rodriguez) and Melissa (January Jones) that fuels their romance. That being said, the references hit a new gear in Season 4 when the group needs to find a new place to live out the rest of the post-apocalypse. Being the Shawshank fans they are, Todd and Melissa are over the moon when the group decides on Zihuatanejo, Mexico… but it doesn’t exactly turn out to be what they expect. In the episode “Skeleton Crew” (which may or may not itself be a Stephen King reference), the characters finally arrive at what they think is going to be a paradise, but are rather horrified to discover that the beach only looks white because it is littered with white body bags.

Scrubs – “His Story II”

Nobody who has ever read IT will ever forget the scene where the fate of young Georgie Denbrough is sealed – thanks to Pennywise The Clown lurking in the sewer during a storm – and Season 3 of Scrubs puts a great comedic spin on it. In the episode “His Story II,” Donald Faison’s Turk is freaking out about mailing the invitations to his own wedding, and not helping anything in the slightest is a fantasy of his fiancé Carla (Judy Reyes) inside the mailbox calmly trying to lure him… before full on grabbing his arm and yanking. Carla isn’t quite as scary as Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgard, but she gets a reaction out of Turk that is priceless.

Clerks: The Animated Series – “The Clip Show Wherein Dante And Randal Are Locked In The Freezer And Remember Some Of The Great Moments In Their Lives”

Clerks: The Animated Series didn’t last long (only six episodes to be precise), but it squeezed not only a hell of a lot of funny into that reduced run, but also a fantastic Stephen King reference. The second episode is in general a great spoof of clichéd clip shows from sitcom history, but most notably for our purposes ends with a great reference to the classic ending of Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me – featuring all of the characters heading to their respective houses while a Richard Dreyfus-esque voice-over reveals what happened to them in the future. It’s exceptionally goofy, but also super funny, and features a bizarre punchline with a mustachioed Jay.

Do you have a personal favorite from all of the references highlighted in this feature? Respond to the poll below with your pick, and if you consider yourself a King fan, and you’re excited to learn about all of the developing adaptations of Stephen King books, be sure to check out our fully refurbished Upcoming Stephen King Movies guide to discover what is currently in the pipeline.

This poll is no longer available.

While he isn’t quite at Stan Lee’s level, Stephen King is certainly a pro when it comes to the art of the cameo. His works have been getting turned into movies and television for decades now, and while he’s not in every single adaptation of his books, he is featured in a considerable number of them – not to mention films and shows that simply invite him on set to make an appearance. He can sometimes be a bit hard to find, as his roles are occasionally of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it variety, but in that realm I am now here to help you out.

Delving into the author’s filmography, I’ve dug up every live-action Stephen King cameo in features and TV (you won’t find his voice-only parts on The Simpsons or Frasier here), and organized them into this handy chronological guide. Let’s take a trip through time, Constant Readers!

Knightriders – Hoagie Man (1981)

As you’ll find reading this feature, the vast majority of cameos that Stephen King makes are in movies or television shows he is associated with via either source material or direct creative involvement, but it’s funny that his first ever doesn’t fall into either of those categories. Director George A. Romero later became a frequent collaborator with King, working together on Creepshow and The Dark Half, but their seminal shared credit is Knightriders, which sees King briefly appear as a hoagie-eating audience member at a motorcycle dueling event. (Fun bonus: the woman he is sitting next to in the shot is his wife Tabitha King.)

Creepshow – Jordy Verrill (1982)

Stephen King’s appearances in movies and TV are typically limited to a single scene, but in one segment of Creepshow he is literally the star of the show. King plays the titular lead in "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill," which sees him as a backwoods hillbilly who gets infected by a rapidly-growing, plant-like virus that he catches while investigating a meteorite crash site.

Maximum Overdrive – Man At Bank ATM (1986)

Maximum Overdrive remains the only thing that Stephen King ever directed, but he certainly made the most of it by also giving himself a fun cameo. King actually says what is the first line of dialogue of the movie, complaining when the ATM at his local bank starts calling him an “asshole” – a set up for all of the mechanical mayhem the film eventually unfurls.

Creepshow 2 – Truck Driver (1987)

Bit of trivia for you: Creepshow 2 marks the only time Stephen King has been in a sequel to one of his own movies. The author shows up in the segment titled “The Hitch-hiker,” appearing shortly after Lois Chiles’ Annie Lansing accidentally hits the eponymous character with her car and flees. King plays a truck driver who comes across the scene of the bloody crime, but he’s hardly affected by it, bluntly commenting that it’s a thing that happens all the time.

Pet Sematary – Minister (1989)

Between books like Carrie, Desperation, Revival, The Stand, and more, Stephen King has demonstrated a very complicated relationship with religion throughout his career, and that only serves to make his cameo in Pet Sematary that much more notable. His role is brief, appearing as a minister at the funeral for Susan Blommaert's Missy Dandridge, but the sight of him wearing those robes and holding that bible sticks in your mind.

Golden Years – Bus Driver (1991)

It was in 1991 that Stephen King made his small screen acting debut, playing a bus driver in the fifth episode (“Second Chance”) of the first TV series he created, Golden Years. It’s a very brief role, featured in a scene where fugitive Harlan Williams (Keith Szarabajka) is trying to keep his wife and daughter (Frances Sternhagen, Felicity Huffman) safe by sending them on a trip to Chicago. He has a bit of a mouth on him, complaining about picking up “side of the roaders,” but he gets put in his place with a harsh stare from Huffman.

Sleepwalkers – Cemetery Caretaker (1992)

This is a fun one, because the cameo by Stephen King in Sleepwalkers is really a cameo-palooza. The author appears in one scene as a cemetery caretaker who is worried about being seen as liable for an assault that has been committed on his property, and not only is it a funny performance, but the two characters he bothers with his grousing are played by horror directors John Landis (An American Werewolf In London) and Clive Barker (Hellraiser).

The Stand – Teddy Weizak (1994)

The original miniseries adaptation of The Stand marks another instance where King plays a legitimate character instead of just making a cameo – but it’s still not that big of a part. As Teddy Weizak, he’s the one who ends up transporting Laura San Giacomo's Nadine Cross to the Boulder Free Zone, though it is noteworthy that he doesn’t suffer the same fate as Teddy in the Stephen King book (who dies in the explosion created by Nadine and Harold Lauder).

The Langoliers – Tom Holby (1995)

Throughout The Langoliers, Bronson Pinchot's Craig Toomy is constantly ranting and raving about his need to get to Boston so that he can meet with his business associates – and while he never actually makes it to that meeting, we do learn through a hallucination that his boss has more than a passing resemblance to one of the greatest horror writers of all time. It’s not a big part, as Toomy’s vision of Tom Holby is quickly replaced by the character’s domineering, abusive father, but you have to love that intense smile on Stephen King’s face.

Thinner – Pharmacist (1996)

Director Tom Holland didn’t waste much time between Stephen King adaptations in the mid-90s, going from making the Langoliers miniseries right into making the movie Thinner, and the filmmaker brought the author into both productions. In the 1996 film, King appears as a pharmacist named Jonathan Bangor, whom Michael Constantine's Tadzu Lempke goes to so that he can get ointment for a lesion on his nose.

The Shining – Gage Creed (1997)

While he may share the name of the villain he created in Pet Sematary, Stephen King’s Gage Creed in Mick Garris’ The Shining miniseries is not actually an evil two-year-old who is brought back from the dead. Instead, that’s just a cute Easter egg, as King instead plays a ghostly conductor leading the orchestra during a party at the Overlook Hotel that Steven Weber’s Jack Torrance wanders through during his descent into madness.

Storm Of The Century – Lawyer In Ad (1999)

Stephen King recently called Storm Of The Century his personal favorite among all of the small screen works he has worked on/been associated with over the course of his career, and it also happens to feature one of his odder cameos. He is featured as a lawyer in a commercial that is playing on television, but what makes it particularly weird is that the unit playing the ad in the scene was previously smashed by a basketball. It’s bizarre, but it’s also noteworthy that it’s not the only King-related project where the ad has been featured…

Rose Red – Pizza Delivery Guy (2002)

It’s always nice to have a calm before a storm in a horror story, and that’s something that Stephen King directly facilitates in the first half of the miniseries Rose Red. As the characters assemble in the titular haunted mansion, King shows up with the classic party starter: a few pizza pies and two six-packs of soda. (He's also featured in the faux documentary that preceded the release of the TV miniseries, titled Unlocking Rose Red: The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, though it's pretty easy to tell that his appearance is just repurposed interview footage)

Kingdom Hospital – Johnny B. Goode/Lawyer In Ad (2004)

There is a running gag throughout Kingdom Hospital Season 1 that finds Bruce Davison's Dr. Stegman frustrated that he can never find the titular institution’s head of maintenance – the mysterious Johnny B. Goode (named after the Chuck Berry song). It’s in the finale that the character is finally revealed, played by Stephen King, and his appearance becomes a great bit that only enhances Stegman’s exponentially growing frustration. (As a bonus, the scene is also preceded by the lawyer ad from Storm Of The Century, as both projects were directed by Craig R. Baxley).

Fever Pitch – Himself (2005)

Given that Stephen King is a lifelong Boston Red Sox, it’s only right that he has a role in the romantic comedy that uses the team’s 2004 World Championship victory as a backdrop. The author doesn’t actually have a role in the movie, as he just featured as himself throwing out a first pitch at Fenway Park, but it counts!

Sons Of Anarchy – Bachman (2010)

Playing a character with a name inspired by his famous alter-ego, Stephen King appears in the third episode of the third season of Sons Of Anarchy, titled “Caregiver.” Appearing late in the story, he is introduced as a “cleaner” who has skills when it comes to disposing of a dead body. Unlike Winston Wolf from Pulp Fiction, Bachman is a total creep, and King delivers a great performance.

Under The Dome – Diner Patron (2014)

Stephen King recognizes that Under The Dome went “off the rails” as it was working to expand on the author’s original text, but King’s cameo has the fortunate timing of preceding the messiness. You can spot him in the Season 2 premiere of the series, the episode titled “Heads Will Roll,” where he is featured as a diner patron who requests a cup of coffee from Britt Robertson's Angie McAlister.

Mr. Mercedes – Line Cook (2017)

Clearly most Stephen King cameos have been featured for comedic effect, but his appearance in the sixth episode of Mr. Mercedes’ first season, “People In The Rain,” is all about contributing to the horror. The scene in question features Harry Treadaway's Brady Hartsfield having a violent fantasy while at a business lunch, imagining that he kills everyone in the restaurant where he is eating, and one of his victims is revealed to be a familiar-looking line cook murdered while serving a salad.

IT Chapter Two – Shopkeeper (2019)

Finally we have the most recent Stephen King appearance/cameo, and it also happens to be one of his best. Derry, Maine is a place with no shortage of weirdos, and the author plays a great one in IT Chapter Two, where he is featured as the proprietor of the Second Hand Rose pawn shop. When James McAvoy’s Bill Denbrough comes in after seeing his old bicycle, Silver, in the window, King’s character does nothing but give the famous writer grief – first by hiking up the price of the bike, and then rejecting an autograph by complaining that he doesn’t like the ending of one of Denbrough’s books.

That marks all of the author’s live-action appearances to date, but with so many upcoming Stephen King movies and TV shows, it’s not hard to imagine that this list will continue to grow in the not-too-distant future.

Looking for a streaming platform to have the ultimate spooky movie binge this Halloween? When you take a look at the best horror movies on Amazon Prime, you will see that it is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to for indulging in some great horror movies during this special season or any time of the year.

That being said, it can be a real nightmare sifting through all the best movies on Amazon Prime in search of the scariest cinematic favorites it has to offer. Well, allow me to help make your horror movie marathon less horrifying by picking out the genre’s finest that come available with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Terrifier And Terrifier 2 (2017, 2022)

Director: Damien Leone

Starring: David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera

What it’s about: A sadistic clown stalks unsuspecting innocents with torturous and murderous intent.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Immediately earning their place among the most iconic creepy clown movies for their shocking gore and the brilliantly acted villain, Art the Clown, are Terrifier and Terrifier 2, which would spawn the successful third installment, Terrifier 3.

• Stream Terrifier on Amazon Prime
• Stream Terrifier 2 on Amazon Prime

The Thing (1982)

Director: John Carpenter

Starring: Kurt Russell, Keith David

What it’s about: A crew of researchers stationed in the Antarctic question who among them is still human when they discover a shape-shifting creature from another planet.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: With a faithful adaptation of John W. Campbell’s novella, Who Goes There?, John Carpenter introduces, arguably, the scariest movie alien ever with The Thing – a brilliantly crafted story of paranoia elevated by timeless practical effects.

• Stream The Thing on Amazon Prime

Dracula (1931)

Director: Tod Browning, Karl Freund

Starring: Bela Lugosi, Dwight Frye

What it’s about: A real estate agent is lured into servitude by a Transylvanian count who then moves to London searching for fresh blood.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Playing the vampiric title role of Universal’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula made Bela Lugosi one of the greatest horror movie icons of all time.

• Stream Dracula on Amazon Prime

The Invitation (2016)

Director: Karyn Kusama

Starring: Logan Marshall Green, Emayatzy Corinealdi

What it’s about: While attending a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new lover, a man begins to suspect there is a sinister agenda to the occasion.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: One of the best horror movies from a female director, The Invitation, is a masterpiece of slow-burn horror that accurately captures the feeling of being the odd one out at a friendly get-together.

• Stream The Invitation on Amazon Prime

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Director: Tobe Hooper

Starring: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen

What it’s about: A group of traveling twenty-somethings falls prey to a power tool-wielding killer and his family of cannibals.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: By authentically capturing the feelings of a nightmare on film, Tobe Hooper made one of the best horror movies of the 1970s out of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which is not actually inspired by a real incident as it claims.

• Stream The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Amazon Prime

An American Werewolf In London (1981)

Director: John Landis

Starring: David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter

What it’s about: After a tragic incident, a Stateside college student touring the U.K. receives warnings from his dead friend’s spirit that will transform into a vicious creature under a full moon.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: With Academy Award-winning makeup effects by Rick Baker and a slyly comical approach to lycanthropic lore, An American Werewolf in London is one of the finest werewolf movies ever made.

• Stream An American Werewolf in London on Amazon Prime

Possum (2018)

Director: Matthew Holness

Starring: Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong

What it’s about: A disgraced puppeteer is forced to confront his disturbing past when he returns to his hometown.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: If the nuanced commentary on childhood trauma of the slow-paced Possum – an overlooked recent horror movie – does not get under your skin, the grotesque titular puppet undoubtedly will.

• Stream Possum on Amazon Prime

The Return Of The Living Dead (1985)

Director: Dan O’Bannon

Starring: Thom Matthews, James Karen

What it’s about: A strange accident at a medical supply warehouse causes the dead to rise from their graves.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: One of the all-time funniest and most acclaimed zombie movies is The Return of the Living Dead, which introduced the concept of the undead craving brains.

• Stream The Return of the Living Dead on Amazon Prime

Doctor Sleep (2019)

Director: Mike Flanagan

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran

What it’s about: Adult Dan Torrance is forced to confront his traumatic past in order to protect a younger telepath from a group of vicious immortal psychics.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Mike Flanagan’s moving and terrifying adaptation of Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep helped the author come to terms with his feelings over its predecessor, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

• Stream Doctor Sleep on Amazon Prime

Nosferatu (1922)

Director: F.W. Murnau

Starring: Max Schreck, Alexander Granach

What it’s about: German real estate agent Knock meets a client named Count Orlok, who turns out to be a malevolent creature of the night.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: In 2024, Robert Eggers is releasing a remake of Nosferatu, which may not be the most famous (unofficial) adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula but is still widely considered to be one of the finest and scariest vampire movies of the silent era, if not all time.

• Stream Nosferatu on Amazon Prime

Barbarian (2022)

Director: Zach Cregger

Starring: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long

What it’s about: A documentarian meets a strange man after accidentally reserving the same Detroit Airbnb, which turns out to be the least concerning thing about the house.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: The Whitest Kids U’Know star Zach Cregger surprised the world with Barbarian, which was touted as one of the best horror movies of 2022 for its subversive narrative and unsettling twists.

• Stream Barbarian on Amazon Prime

Tucker And Dale Vs. Evil (2010)

Director: Eli Craig

Starring: Alan Tudyk, Tyler Labine

What it’s about: Well-meaning hillbillies Tucker and Dale are mistaken for murderers by a group of young vacationers, which creates “a real doozy” of trouble for all of them.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: By cleverly turning one of the most overused slasher movie tropes (the creepy countryman) on its head, Eli Craig makes Tucker and Dale vs. Evil one of the best horror-comedy movies of its time.

• Stream Tucker and Dale vs. Evil on Amazon Prime

The Menu (2022)

Director: Mark Mylod

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy

What it’s about: a woman unwittingly becomes involved in a dangerous situation while attending an exclusive dining experience curated by the renowned Chef Slowik.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Once again proving that Anya Taylor-Joy is the Scream Queen of her generation, The Menu is a dazzling and deliciously demented satire of elitist dining culture.

• Stream The Menu on Amazon Prime

The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)

Director: John Erick Dowdle

Starring: Stacy Chbosky, Ben Messmer

What it’s about: An elusive, sadistic serial kidnapper leaves behind visual evidence of his hellacious crimes on a large collection of VHS tapes recovered in a small town in New York.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: The Poughkeepsie Tapes is one of the most unsettling documentary-style horror films for the brutally realistic way it depicts the experiences of captivity and its damaging psychological effects.

• Stream The Poughkeepsie Tapes on Amazon Prime

Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Director: Zelda Williams

Starring: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse

What it’s about: Lonely teen Lisa Swallows finds an unexpected romance with the reanimated corpse of a young man in the late 1980s.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Written by Academy Award winner Diablo Cody, Lisa Frankenstein, is a charmingly macabre and deliriously funny reimagining of Mary Shelley’s seminal novel warmly wrapped in ‘80s nostalgia.

• Stream Lisa Frankenstein on Amazon Prime

Tales Of Halloween (2015)

Director: Various

Starring: Various

What it’s about: A babysitter learns why you should never eat too much candy, a stranger teaches a young trick-or-treater his own sinister tricks, a killer’s chase is interrupted by a strange encounter, and other ghoulish tales set on one fateful All Hallows’ Eve.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: With creepy, loosely connected shorts ranging from hilarious to truly horrifying, Tales from Halloween is one of the most underrated horror anthology movies of its time.

• Stream Tales of Halloween on Amazon Prime

Totally Killer (2023)

Director: Nahnatchka Khan

Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt

What it’s about: A modern-day 17-year-old girl is accidentally transported to the late 1980s, where she is given the chance to stop an infamous murderer’s streak.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Picture the time travel movie classic, Back to the Future, reimagined as an ‘80s-style slasher flick and you would essentially have Totally Killer.

• Stream Totally Killer on Amazon Prime

House On Haunted Hill (1959)

Director: William Castle

Starring: Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart

What it’s about: A wealthy eccentric challenges a group of strangers to spend a single night in a spooky old house for a large monetary prize.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Not to be confused with The Haunting of Hill House, director William Castle’s House on Haunted Hill is one of Vincent Price’s most essential and fun thrillers.

• Stream House on Haunted Hill on Amazon Prime

Bones And All (2022)

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell

What it’s about: A pair of young road trippers bond over their shared, unusual appetites in the early 1980s.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Timothée Chalamet reunites with Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino for another gripping period drama about forbidden love, but of a more viscerally shocking and grotesque sort, with Bones and All.

• Stream Bones and All on Amazon Prime

The Collector (2009)

Director: Marcus Dunstan

Starring: Josh Stewart, Andrea Roth

What it’s about: Desperate for money, thief-turned-repairman Arkin plans a seemingly simple burglary job at his wealthy new employers’ house, only to fall prey to the increasingly elaborate traps of a sadistic killer who has confined the resident family inside.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: One of the best movies that fans of the Saw movies should check out is The Collector – a brutal, subversive take on the home invasion thriller.

• Stream The Collector on Amazon Prime

Absentia (2011)

Director: Mike Flanagan

Starring: Katie Parker, Courtney Bell

What it’s about: Several years after her brother-in-law went missing, a recovering addict begins to discover the shocking truth behind the disappearance.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Fans of Mike Flanagan’s movies and TV shows who have not seen the sadly underappreciated Absentia are missing out on one of the filmmaker’s most heartbreaking and horrifying titles.

• Stream Absentia on Amazon Prime

Hell House LLC (2015)

Director: Stephen Cognetti

Starring: Gore Adams, Alice Bahlke

What it’s about: Interviews with surviving witnesses and raw footage captured by the victims expose the mysteries surrounding a small-town haunted house attraction and chronicle the events leading to its ill-fated opening night.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: There are many great found footage thrillers on Amazon Prime, but my personal favorite of the bunch (and of all time) is easily Hell House LLC for its dread-inducing pace, indelibly creepy imagery, and remarkably convincing writing and performances.

• Stream Hell House LLC on Amazon Prime

Hellraiser (1987)

Director: Clive Barker

Starring: Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Doug Bradley

What it’s about: A young woman discovers her stepmother and uncle are lovers, and part of a conspiracy involving murder, a strange puzzle box, and sadomasochistic mutants from another dimension.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Horror maestro Clive Barker made his directorial debut with the disturbing cautionary romance, Hellraiser – an adaptation of his own novella that introduced one of the most iconic horror movie villains, who came to be known as Pinhead.

• Stream Hellraiser on Amazon Prime

Saint Maud (2021)

Director: Rose Glass

Starring: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle

What it’s about: Desperately seeking redemption, a young Welsh nurse believes she has found her chance when she is assigned to care for a terminally ill dancer and decides to pass her newfound religious beliefs onto her.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Not everything is quite as it seems in the A24 horror movie, Saint Maud, which boasts masterful pacing, thought-provoking commentary on faith, Morfydd Clark’s stellar performance, and a startling ending.

• Stream Saint Maud on Amazon Prime

Suspiria (2018)

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton

What it’s about: A young American woman is accepted into an elite dance company in Berlin operated by a coven of witches.

Why it is one of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime: Most missed out on Luca Guadagnino's remake of Dario Argento’s classic, Suspiria, in theaters and that’s a shame because it is a twisty, mysterious, and chilling thriller that features an absolutely remarkable and jaw-dropping conclusion.

• Stream Suspiria on Amazon Prime

The titles above might be enough to convince you to make Amazon Prime Video your prime location for a good scare.

Stephen King (Or “Sai” King for all those who follow the beam) is a national treasure. It’s not even hyperbolic to say that most of his work—which numbers something like 63 novels and 200 short stories— has been turned into a movie or a TV show. But this list isn’t about the great movies and shows that have spawned from his work. No. It’s about some of the Stephen King books that you might be interested in reading if you want to dig into the man’s work.

Here’s the thing. Stephen King is often known as the horror guy. But he’s so much more than that, and this list will prove it. What I’ve compiled for you today is a list of books to read for every occasion. Whether you’re a constant reader or a newbie, I think this list has something for everyone.

If You're New To Stephen King

Different Seasons is a perfect starting point since it’s four stories in one. Not only that, but three of the stories—"Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”, “Apt Pupil”, and “The Body”—were made into the movies The Shawshank Redemption (Duh), Apt Pupil (Duh again) and Stand by Me (Wait, really?), respectively. The only story from this collection that hasn’t been made into a film yet is “The Breathing Method,” and even that’s set to be made into a movie at some point.

If you’re kind of put off by the notion of reading a whole novel by King, then Different Seasons might be a good place to start.

If You're Not Looking To Be Terrified 

As mentioned earlier, when you think of Stephen King, you probably think of him as the horror guy. Hell, even his Funko Pop features him with blood leaking down his forehead. But did you know that not all of his stories are spine-tinglers? Case in point, The Green Mile, which was also made into a film starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP).

Originally a serial novel told in six volumes, you can find the whole story now at any bookstore. It’s about a black inmate named John Coffey (which does the whole J.C.-Jesus Christ-initials thing. Kind of like John Conner) who is convicted of murdering two white girls. The story is told from a first-person POV, and the protagonist is a death row supervisor named Paul Edgecombe. There are some supernatural elements involved, but it’s not a horror story in the slightest. It’s also a great novel if you just want King’s fantastic storytelling but none of the chills.

If You Love A Good Ending

More proof that Stephen King can write more than just horror comes this crime novel, which is the first in a trilogy, Mr. Mercedes. The story concerns a sociopath who uses a Mercedes to kill people at a job’s fair, and he gets away with it. A recently retired detective named Bill Hodges hates himself since he never caught the killer, but a note sent his way from the killer himself gets the detective back on the case again.

The whole story builds to an amazing conclusion—which Stephen King sometimes struggles with, to be honest—and it all just works. You feel good after finishing the novel, and also excited for the next book in the series. There was also a television series based off of the novel starring Brendan Gleeson, Harry Treadaway, and Kelly Lynch, which was also pretty good. You can watch it on Amazon.

If You ARE Looking To Be Terrified

Because sometimes scary is great. 

Salem’s Lot

I have two picks for this entry. The first is Salem’s Lot, which is pretty much Stephen King’s Dracula. It’s about a writer named Ben Mears who returns back to his home town, Jerusalem’s Lot, where he finds out that the town is actually full of vampires. The way this tale is written is what makes it so haunting, though, and it’s some of King’s best writing to date (and it was only his second book!). There was also an excellent movie based off of the novel, and there’s going to be another one. Fingers crossed that it’s as good as the first one.

Pet Sematary

The other horrifying tale from King is Pet Sematary. It’s about a burial ground where pets—and people!—can be brought back to life. But you know what? “Sometimes dead is better.” Again, the writing is just so creepy with this one, and I consider it King’s scariest novel to date. There were two movies made about the film, but neither of them comes close to being as good as the book.

If You Think You've Read Them All

A lot of King’s readers skip On Writing because they think it doesn’t apply to them, but the non-fiction book is not just tips on how to write. In it, King goes deep into his method while also sharing interesting tales on some of his own stories. It’s a must-read if you love Stephen King!

If One Book Won’t Cut It

This one is simple. The Dark Tower series is where you should go next if you're looking for a story that spans multiple books. Comprised of 8 books, it tells the story of the last gunslinger and his quest to get to the Dark Tower. Many of King’s other books (such as The Eyes of the Dragon) are connected to The Dark Tower, so if you’re looking for a sprawling epic, then this is your baby. There was an abysmal movie made about it starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, but you can skip that. You have my permission.

If You're Feeling Nostalgic

Sometimes you just need to curl up with a warm (occasionally terrifying) blanket... 

It

I have three this time. The first is the story of a band of kids who later become adults and battle an alien that makes itself appear as a clown named Pennywise. You’ve probably seen the recent movie adaptations, but the original TV miniseries starring Tim Curry is probably how you were first introduced to the story. The book’s really good, too, but it’s long. And crazy. Much crazier than anything you’ve seen in film or on TV.

The Stand

There was a miniseries for The Stand as well, and there is currently another TV show being made about it. The story’s about a virus that wipes out most of the world (Eep!). There are a few survivors, with one side being good, and the other side being evil. Many consider this to be King’s magnum opus. It’s another long one, but it’s definitely worth your time.

The Shining

Most people have seen the movie adaptation, but the book is very different. It’s also well known that Stephen King detests the Stanley Kubrick classic. Read it and judge for yourself, though. This is one instance where I actually think the film is better than the book.

And that’s the list. What’s your favorite Stephen King book? Sound off in the comments section below.

This poll is no longer available.

As one of the greatest horror writers of all time, Stephen King knows a thing or two about creating twisted and dread-inducing villains. His stories provide the perfect double whammy of compelling protagonists and spine-tingling antagonists, and over the last half century, we have seen that brilliant dynamic translated to the big screen many times in excellent fashion. Each title has its own flavor, but all of the deadly foes have that unique spice provided by King’s style.

Because of Stephen King’s talent for crafting excellent villains, the process of ranking them is daunting and challenging. After all, characters like Isaac from Children of The Corn, Captain Hadley from The Shawshank Redemption, Percy Wetmore from The Green Mile, Leland Gaunt from Needful Things and Christine from Christine are great and iconic – and yet, they don’t quite make the cut as dreadful enough to place in our Top 10 list. So who beat them out, and who do we see as being the top tier King antagonists? Read on and find out…

10. Greg Stillson (The Dead Zone)

Stephen King came up with the idea for The Dead Zone devising a scenario where an assassin targeting a political figure would be justified in their actions to the audience, and telling this particular story required the target of said assassin to be one truly scary individual. This is the true nature of Martin Sheen’s Greg Stillson in David Cronenberg’s 1983 adaptation, and he is definitely one disturbing dude. As prophesized by Christopher Walken’s John Smith, his wild rhetoric destines him not only for the White House, but also initiating World War III, and it’s a horrible vision that John reasonably has to stop at any cost.

9. Gage Creed (Pet Sematary)

On a surface level, Gage Creed from Mary Lambert’s Pet Sematary suffers from the Chucky Problem, which is to say the question of why you can’t just punt him across the room – but it’s really the psychological side of the character that makes him just a horrific villain. Prior to his terrible, accidental death, Gage was a sweet and innocent child, and it’s Louis’ grief over the loss that starts him down a path to madness as he makes the decision to reanimate the toddler. What comes back from the grave is nightmarishly manipulative, which is how Gage ends up murdering his own mother. While he’s ultimately able to be put down with a simple injection via a syringe, the emotional damage he leaves in his wake is incalculable.

8. Ace Merrill (Stand By Me)

Bullies in Stephen King stories are definitely next level scary. While your average high school tormenter will steal your lunch and try and pants you in front of a crowd, those in the world of the horror legend regularly pack a switchblade and are always ready to commit murder (see: Carrie, Christine and IT). Arguably the king of the teenage bullies, however, is Kiefer Sutherland’s Ace Merrill in Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me. As far as screen time goes, his role isn’t as big as some of the other antagonists on this list, but is presence is impactful and his energy is dreadful.

7. Mrs. Carmody (The Mist)

It should say something that while Frank Darabont’s The Mist is rife with otherworldly monsters that tear apart any humans that come in contact with them, we still consider Marcia Gay Harden’s Mrs. Carmody to be the movie’s primary antagonist and candidate as one of the great Stephen King villains. The situation that all of the characters find themselves in is bad enough, but Carmody’s eccentric and dangerous rhetoric makes things exponentially worse – most notably when she starts calling for child sacrifices to appease God. She is pure human, but also pure villain, and one of scariest creations to ever emerge from the writer’s brain mostly because she is so very realistic.

6. Rose The Hat (Doctor Sleep)

“Sinister” is the perfect word to describe Rebecca Ferguson’s Rose The Hat in Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep. She is a literal monster who, after centuries of life, operates with pure id and hunger – and the end result is her never losing the smile from her face as she mercilessly tears into the flesh of her young, power-possessing victims. Her energy is effortlessly hypnotic (every “Hi there” makes the hair on your neck stand up), but her will to survive is terrifying. Killers who target children are fairly easy to make scary, but Rose The Hat functions on a totally different frequency, and along with the rest of the True Knot make for some of King’s creepiest villains.

5. Margaret White (Carrie)

As properly reflected in Brian De Palma’s adaptation, Stephen King’s Carrie is not a story overflowing with good characters. Chris Hargensen and Billy Nolan, who pour the bucket of blood on the titular character's head, are clearly young psychopaths; Sue Snell, who lends Carrie her boyfriend for prom night, operates mostly out of guilt; and obviously Carrie herself doesn't exactly act with great moral character when she makes the call to burn down the school with her classmates and teachers locked inside. Still, we give the villain crown from the movie to Piper Laurie’s Margaret White – who is the true catalyst of misery in the story due to her religious zealotry and cruel emotional and physical abuse. Needless to say, you definitely don’t feel a great deal of sympathy for her when she meets her end.

4. Annie Wilkes (Misery)

As demonstrated throughout this list, a Stephen King villain doesn’t have to be supernaturally strong or magically powered to be terrifying – they simply need to have the right mind set and motivation. Annie Wilkes, as portrayed by Kathy Bates in Rob Reiner’s Misery, is a perfect example, as she is a character who is completely out of her fucking mind. Suffering from some kind of bipolar condition. as well as a complete and total obsession with a particular series of books, Annie is a force to be reckoned with, as Paul Sheldon discovers during his months in captivity. Thanks to her, no creative in history will ever be able to think about the phrase “I’m your number one fan” the same way ever again.

3. Pennywise (IT And IT Chapter Two)

With an entire generation having grown up watching the 1990 IT miniseries, Bill Skarsgard had a lot of pressure on him to live up to the legendary performance given by Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown in the small screen adaptation when he was hired for the role in Andy Muschietti’s IT. Fortunately, the actor turned out to be an inspired choice, as his performance is the kind that stops movie-goers from peacefully getting to bed at night without keeping a light on. He immediately hypnotizes you in the opening sequence of the first film, luring young Georgie down into the sewer, and there isn’t a moment when you’re watching the movie and wondering if he might just pop out and attack. He inspires pure dread.

2. Cujo (Cujo)

Looking at things in the grand scheme, we’ll say it: poor Cujo. For years he was just a lethargic, lumbering and lovely neighborhood dog… but then that goddamn bat had to bite him on the nose and turn him into a 150-pound killing machine. As portrayed in Lewis Teague’s Cujo, once the rabies disease fully sets into his brain, he becomes a totally reckless animal, and his encounters with humans are pure horror shows as a result. Even seeing a flash of his tail makes your heart skip a beat as he traps Donna and Tad Trenton inside their broken-down Ford Pinto. While the end of the book is far darker than what’s in the film, it doesn’t undercut that Cujo in the film is an honestly scary monster and one of the great Stephen King villains.

1. Jack Torrance (The Shining)

Stephen King famously isn’t a big fan of Jack Nicholson’s turn as Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. His issues primarily lie within the character’s arc, as he doesn’t believe that there is enough of a transition from recovering alcoholic to homicidal maniac. With all due respect to that opinion, however, the performance in the legendary film is iconic for a reason, which is that Nicholson’s Jack is wet-your-pants scary at his peak. He may just be a man, but being deprived of his addiction, left in isolation and having ghosts whispering in his ear takes its toll, and the result is masterful cinema and the greatest Stephen King movie villain we’ve seen.

Do you agree with our rankings, or do yours differ wildly? Answer our poll regarding who the most dreadful Stephen King villain is, and hit the comments section with your personal lists. And, as always, stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of our coverage of King adaptations, both past and future.

This poll is no longer available.

Alright, you horror hounds. You belong to a select club of people who like your movies gory and your TV creepy. In fact, you’re the kind of person who can appreciate a hero with a chainsaw for a hand, and you probably even buy horror-themed toys. To a person like you, a hockey mask is a fashion statement. And because you’re that kind of a person, I have some good news for you. Right now, Hulu is absolutely killing it (pun intended) when it comes to horror. So much so that I wanted to make a list for you.

The great thing about Hulu is that they specialize in TV and movies, so there’s plenty of horror to get lost in for a single sitting if you’re a movie person, or entire days and weeks if you’re a TV person. So grab your nearest bucket of pig’s blood, sharpen your knives and check out this list.

Baskin

Do you like your horror surreal? How about bloody as hell and Satanic? Oh, and do you like your horror Turkish? If you answered yes to any of those questions (or all of them), then I have the movie for you. Baskin (No, not that Baskin) is about five police officers who get a radio call to investigate a strange place and somehow end up at a Satanic ritual. Their journey into the abyss is bizarre and sickening, and the torture scenes, performed by first-time actor, Mehmet Cerrahoglu, will probably have you puking in your popcorn. Just how you like it!

Baskin is a great flick for veteran horror fans because it’s not often that you can watch a movie and be shocked by what you’re seeing, but Baskin has that ability. It lures you in slowly, but then bashes you in the head with a sledgehammer. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Stream Baskin

A Quiet Place

Critical darling and crowd favorite, A Quiet Place is about a husband and wife (real husband and wife pair John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, respectively) who are trying to raise their children in a world of silence. The reason for this is because of some spooky aliens that can’t see, but sure as hell can hear. This makes for some tense moments that will have you gripping your seat at scenes and have you gritting your teeth throughout the entire movie.

Horror fans need to see A Quiet Place since it’s the cool horror movie that has broken into the mainstream. And until we finally get to see the clickers in the upcoming The Last of Us TV show, this is the best we have. Plus, there’s a sequel coming out in September. And you have to see the original before you see the sequel, right?

Stream A Quiet Place

Pet Sematary

Though it could be argued that it’s not as memorable as the 1989 movie, the 2019 Pet Sematary still has some good chills to be had if you put yourself in the right mindset (and don’t mind jump scares). Plus, if you have seen the first movie, there are some pretty big changes to this version, so it’s not like you would just be watching the same film twice, but with better visuals. The story concerns a family that moves to a house by a cemetery (or sematary), but it has a strange tendency to bring animals (and people!) back from the dead.

Horror fans will like the spooky vibe and pacing of this remake. Plus, it’s based off of a famous Stephen King novel, so you pretty much have to watch it. The master will be pleased.

Stream Pet Sematary

The Cabin In The Woods

The Cabin in the Woods is the kind of movie that non-horror fans will balk at, and horror junkies will give a big thumbs up to since it has so many references to other great horror movies. It’s the kind of film that Quentin Tarantino would make if he was a horror junkie rather than a western or crime junkie. The story is about a bunch of college students who go to a remote cabin (in the woods), but things aren’t what they seem. It’s almost like somebody is manufacturing the horror from a lab or something. Scares (and laughs) ensue.

As mentioned earlier, horror lovers will marvel at all the different nods that were slipped into this movie. It’s a horror junkie’s horror movie.

Stream The Cabin in the Woods

Castle Rock

Remember what I said earlier about Stephen King and how all horror fans need to embrace anything that comes from the master of the macabre? Well, Castle Rock is an entire TV show centered around the fictional Castle Rock town featured in some of his stories. It’s an anthology series, much like American Horror Story and Fargo, in that each season is a different story. The first season covers the Shawshank prison, while the second season centers on Annie Wilkes from Misery.

Horror fans will love Castle Rock since it has the same creepy (but fun) Stephen King tone that comes with his brand of horror. Plus, if you’re a fan of his novels, it’s nice to find all the little Easter eggs and nods to his stories. Also, it’s exclusive to Hulu, so you can’t find it anywhere else. Lucky you.

Stream Castle Rock

NOS4A2

I know you like Stephen King, but what about his son, Joe Hill? NOS4A2, based off of the novel of the same name, stars Zachery Quinto (in exquisite make-up) as Charlie Manx, an immortal who survives on children’s souls. He then sends these soulless children to Christmasland, which exists in his mind. But an artist named Vic (Ashleigh Cummings) fights to stop him.

Honestly, it feels very much like a Stephen King story, but somehow not, which is what makes a Joe Hill story so familiar, and yet so different, in the first place.

Stream NOS4A2

American Horror Story

There are nine glorious seasons of American Horror Story, so you have a lot of watching to do. If you haven’t seen American Horror Story yet (and really, what horror fan hasn’t at least checked it out?), each season covers a different theme. There’s the fan-favorite Coven season, the circus season and the very fun ‘80s season. Some seasons are better than others, to be sure, but all of them have something unique to offer.

Horror fans will love the variety of each season. There’s something on this show for everyone. Season 1, “Murder House,” is my personal favorite.

Stream American Horror Story

Oculus

Oculus is that horror movie that you scoff at because it’s a WWE Studios film. Then you actually watch it and you can’t sleep at night. It’s a haunted mirror story, with a mirror that makes people hallucinate. The visuals are super creepy and Karen Gillan (of Jumanji and Avengers: Endgame fame) is great as the protagonist. And her younger version, Annalise Basso, is really good, too.

Oculus is fantastic for horror fans since it’s psychological horror, which we sadly don’t get enough of these days.

Stream Oculus

Mom And Dad

As a parent of two young children who sometimes drive me crazy, I have to say, parts of Mom and Dad really spoke to me. But only the parts about kids driving their parents crazy. Not the whole murder-y aspect. The story is about parents who can’t control themselves for 24 hours and suddenly want to kill their children. And guess what, it stars Nic Cage and Selma Blair as the two main parents. Do I even have to say anything else?

Yes? Well, horror fans (especially fans of horror comedy) will love how bonkers the story gets. And Nic Cage gives one of his better performances and commits to being a real psycho dad.

Stream Mom and Dad

28 Days Later

Isn’t it weird that I’ve done a whole list about horror movies and TV shows and haven’t once mentioned anything about zombie movies? Oh, I’m sorry. 28 Days Later is not a “zombie” movie. Not technically, anyway. But it's definitely a post-apocalyptic film about some survivors (Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and the great Brendan Gleeson) who are being chased by… not zombies.

Horror fans will love the setting and how claustrophobic it all feels, even though it’s mostly in wide-open environments. And again, Brendan Gleeson is great in it, adding some gravitas to this not-zombie film…which totally is a zombie film, by the way.

Stream 28 Days Later

So, as you can see, there’s a lot of great horror content on Hulu. And if you have a Starz, Cinemax, or an HBO account, you have even more horror genre offerings to choose from. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a full moon to howl at, a dead body in my trunk to dispose of and a chicken that I have to sacrifice in the middle of a pentagram. All in a night’s work for a horror fan.

This poll is no longer available.

Stephen King is celebrated worldwide for his dramatic, thrilling, funny, and often terrifying tales. His books have been best sellers for decades, and a massive part of his legacy has been the adaptations that have been produced by Hollywood. Some of the movies are a bit hard to find these days, but a majority of them are easily available either for free or on a wide variety of subscription streaming services. 

Given the incredible amount of range in tone and subject matter in Stephen King's work, it is never not a good time to turn on a film that is based on one of his books, short stories, or novellas – and below you'll find a rundown of all of the titles that you can find with just a few clicks of your mouse or remote control.

Cujo

For a long stretch, Cujo simply seems like a movie about a married couple having serious relationship issues, with the wife cheating on the husband, but when the horror kicks in, it is as relentless as... well, a dog with rabies. Directed by Lewis Teague and starring Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro, it's a high concept story that is executed with ferocity, and it remains a remarkable cinematic achievement given what it was able to get from its animal performances.

Stream Cujo On Paramount Plus and Amazon Prime Video

Children Of The Corn

Based on the short story of the same name, Children of the Corn is not considered one of the greatest Stephen King adaptations, but it certainly has a standout legacy thanks to the number of sequels that have been produced. The original, first released in 1984, is the tale of a pair of husband and wife roadtrippers who end up getting stuck in a town where a malevolent entity known as He Who Walks Behind The Rows inspires a children to murder their elders.

Stream Children Of The Corn On Amazon Prime Video

Pet Sematary (1989)

Based on the Stephen King novel that the author initially felt was too scary to publish, 1989's Pet Sematary is a classic. It's a story about the power of grief and how death can rock a person's sanity, and King himself penned the screenplay for the Mary Lambert-directed feature. Fred Gwynne's turn as  Jud Crandall is easily one of the most memorable performances in a King adaptation – much in thanks to the delivery of the movie's most iconic line: "Sometimes dead is better."

Stream Pet Sematary on Paramount+

Secret Window

Secret Window, based on Stephen King's novella, "Secret Window, Secret Garden," is the story of a successful writer who, amidst a separation from his wife, ends up in a dangerous conflict with a mysterious man who claims that the author stole his story. Directed by Davie Koepp (whose horror credentials include Stir Of Echoes starring Kevin Bacon), the film stars Johnny Depp and John Turturro as protagonist and antagonist respectively, and it was a big hit during its theatrical release.

Stream Secret Window On Hulu

Gerald's Game

Gerald's Game was long seen as an immensely challenging book to adapt – given that the vast majority of the story is set in a single room with a woman who is handcuffed to a bed. Writer/director Mike Flanagan, however, proved all naysayers wrong in 2017 when he delivered his brilliant adaptation as a Netflix exclusive. The filmmaker has since only fortified his immense gift for bringing King's words to live action, as he also directed 2019's Doctor Sleep, and he is presently working on his dream project: a TV series and film translation of King's beloved Dark Tower series.

Stream Gerald's Game On Netflix

Creepshow 2

Given the fact that Stephen King writes a great number of short stories in addition to novellas and novels, anthology films and TV shows have long used his works as inspiration. One of the best in this group is 1987's Creepshow 2. Only one of the movie's segments is based on King's work – namely "The Raft" – but it's the best of the bunch, and the rest of the movie is solid. (Bonus: it features a cameo from the author in the final chapter).

Stream Creepshow 2 on Amazon Prime Video.

The Dead Zone

Some of the greatest genre filmmakers of all time have been responsible for adapting some of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time, and 1983's The Dead Zone is a tremendous example – directed by the remarkable David Cronenberg. The film centers on Johnny Smith, a high school teacher who goes into a coma after a horrible car accident. When he awakens, he discovers that he has psychic gifts that are unleashed whenever he touches another person or a personal item. Christopher Walken delivers one of the best performances of his career.

Stream The Dead Zone on HBO Max.

Silver Bullet

Silver Bullet is based on the novella "The Cycle Of The Werewolf" – which was originally conceived as text for a calendar before Stephen King got caught up in writing it and it became something more substantive. The movie, directed by Dan Attias, tells the story of a young boy in a wheelchair who becomes the only possible savior for his hometown when a monstrous and violent werewolf begins to stalk and kill his neighbors.

Stream Silver Bullet on HBO Max.

Stand By Me

Because of Stephen King's reputation as a horror writer, Stand By Me's marketing campaign didn't mention his name when the film was released in theaters – and that's ironic given that it's based on one of King's most personal stories (namely the novella "The Body"). The story follows a group of friends as they trek out together to see the dead body of a missing kid, and the movie is widely considered one of the greatest coming-of-age features ever made.

Stream Stand By Me on Showtime.

Dolores Claiborne

When people think "Kathy Bates" and "Stephen King," the first thought is typically "Misery" – but that really just speaks to how underrated Taylor Hackford's Dolores Claiborne is. It's a complicated tale of family, friendship, love, and murder that unfurls in fascinating fashion. In addition to featuring a brilliant turn from Bates, the brilliant ensemble cast also includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer, and David Strathairn.

Stream Dolores Claiborne on HBO Max.

Thinner

When an obese, successful lawyer gets away with striking and killing an old Romani woman with his car, he gets far more than he bargained for as a consequence, as a curse is put on him that magically causes him to lose weight. Not everything about this Tom Holland-directed film has aged particularly well, but one does have to give credit to the effects team and the transformative performance from lead actor Robert John Burke.

Stream Thinner on HBO Max.

The Mist

Frank Darabont took one hell of a risk trying to complete a personal Stephen King trilogy after the making of both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile – two films widely considered to be among the best King adaptations ever made. Fortunately, Darabont's incredible talent and appreciation for 1950s sci-fi led him to make one hell of a movie out of The Mist (based on the novella of the same name). It's quite a creature feature, and sports what can easily be called one of the most devastating endings in cinema history.

Stream The Mist on Netflix.

Also Streaming...

• 1408 - Amazon Prime Video
• 1922 - Netflix
• Apt Pupil - Amazon Prime Video
• Carrie (1976) - The Roku Channel & Pluto.TV & Tubi
• Carrie (2013) - Paramount+ & Amazon Prime Video
• Cell - Peacock
• Christine - Hulu
• The Dark Half - Amazon Prime Video
• Doctor Sleep - The Roku Channel
• A Good Marriage - Peacock
• Graveyard Shift - HBO Max
• In the Tall Grass - Netflix
• Julie Ganapathi (Based on Misery) - Eros Now
• Mr. Harrigan's Phone - Netflix
• No Smoking (Based on the short story "Quitters Inc.") - Eros Now
• Riding The Bullet - Pluto.TV & Tubi
• The Running Man - Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video
• The Shining - Tubi
• Tales From The Darkside (Based in part on the short story "The Cat From Hell") - Paramount+

For more about Stephen King on both the big and small screens, check out my Adapting Stephen King column for weekly deep dives into long history of adaptations, and learn about all of the projects in the works with our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Although one might think the majority of present buying happens on or around Black Friday, sales of goods for the holidays are in full swing in December, and this is the month when you can do some major buying for loved ones in the realm of DVD releases.

From TV hits like the final season of Game of Thrones and The Orville (which is heading to Hulu upon its return to the schedule) to some big budget movies like IT Chapter Two and Hustlers to even some awards contenders such as Judy or Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, there’s a lot to see on this months list.

If you are looking for a good stocking stuffer or even a holiday present for your own bad self, you can take a look at what December has to offer below. Per usual, Digital releases are the same day as the regular DVD release, unless otherwise noted in the early Digital releases section. Happy hunting and even happier purchasing during this holiday season.

Tuesday December 3, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Game of Thrones: The Complete Series Collector’s Edition

Game of Thrones: The Complete Eighth Season

The Goldfinch (book already available)

Ready or Not

How To Train Your Dragon: Homecoming

The Simpsons Season 19 (Lots of other Simpsons episodes available on Disney+

The Simpsons: The Complete Seasons 1-20 Limited Edition

Killerman

City on a Hill: Season 1

The Parts You Lose

The Reliant

Turtle Odyssey

Savage

Buttons: A Christmas Tale

Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins

Early Digital Releases

Ad Astra

Rambo: Last Blood

Abominable

Tuesday December 10, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

IT Chapter Two

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood 4K Collector’s Edition

Hustlers

Family Guy Season 17

The Orville: The Complete Second Season

The Fanatic

Along Came The Devil 2

Suits: Season Nine, The Final Season

Doc Martin Series 9

Lucky Day

The Death of Dick Long

Early Digital Releases

Judy

Tuesday December 17, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Downton Abbey

Ad Astra

Abominable

Rambo: Last Blood

Fuller House: The Complete Fourth Season

Killyjoys: The Complete Fifth Season

Overcomer

Bernie the Dolphin 2

Where's My Roy Cohn?

Acceleration

Mr. Inbetween: Season 3

Atlanta Robin'

Danger Close

Trick

Early Digital Releases

Lucy in the Sky

The Lighthouse (December 20)

Tuesday December 24, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Judy

The Kill Team

Early Digital Releases

The Addams Family

Jexi

Zombieland: Double Tap

Tuesday December 31, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Primal

An Innocent Kiss

Ultimately, there have been plenty of other big releases over the past few months; therefore, if anyone in your family is an avid TV series collector or is a major cinephile, there should be plenty to choose from. DVD, Digital, Blu-ray and 4K releases from earlier this year are also available to peek at below. As we wrap on 2019 and head into 2020, they are separated out by month of release!

November 2019

November is always a fast and furious month for theaters, as families flock into seats, particularly around the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s also a big month for home entertainment releases. I’d assume that’s because Black Friday looms at the end of the month and some studios want to push out titles that fans may want to jump on.

For the TV lovers among us and all you movie fans, there’s a lot to take in during November of 2019. From popular TV shows like Yellowstone and Cobra Kai to films like Hobbs & Shaw and The Art of Racing in the Rain, whether you like action or feeling all the feels, you should find something to reel you in this month.

Per usual, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital releases are all the same day, unless otherwise noted in the early Digital releases column. Happy reading, and happy purchasing on Black Friday, if you should so choose to venture out into the crowds.

Tuesday November 5, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark

Yellowstone: Season 2

The Kitchen

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Castlevania: Season 2

Good Omens

Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries: Series 1

Undercover Brother 2

Boy Genius

Christmas Break-In

Corporate Animals

Prey

Riot Girls

Ophelia

Early Digital Releases

Dora and the Lost City of Gold

The Peanut Butter Falcon

Tuesday November 12, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

The Big Bang Theory: The Twelfth And Final Season

Good Boys

The Angry Birds Movie 2

The Peanut Butter Falcon

47 Meters Down: Uncaged

After The Wedding

Poldark: The Complete Fifth Season

The Farewell

Cobrai Kai: Season 1 & Season 2 Limited Collector’s Edition

The Weekend

Heathers: 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook

Snow White Christmas

D-Day: Battle of Omaha Beach

Brian Banks

Polaroid

Star Trek: Discovery - Season 2

The 100: The Complete Sixth Season

Aquarela

Cross: Rise of the Villains

Early Digital Releases

IT Chapter Two

Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

Bennett’s War

Tuesday November 19, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Catch-22

The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 3

Blinded By The Light

Cold War

Taken Down

The Divine Fury

Cold Case Hammarskjöld

American Dreamer

Das Boot: The Complete First Season

The Kominsky Method: The Complete First Season

Tuesday November 26, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Angel Has Fallen

Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Official Secrets

Line of Duty: Series 5

Don't Let Go

Blindspot: The Complete Fourth Season

Mary

The Driver

Early Digital Releases

Downton Abbey

Hustlers

October 2019

Although October is a big month for brand new TV, it’s less big on the home entertainment front. That said, there are some big movie and TV releases coming our way in October, particularly when it comes to Disney summer blockbusters. For example, Sony’s Spider-Man: Far From Home will finally be hitting Blu-ray and DVD, and will come with plenty of goodies.

In a totally different vein, some classic movies will get 4K releases. While there isn’t a ton of TV hitting homes in October, Chernobyl is getting its big hard copy release. The HBO project just nabbed a ton of awards at the 2019 Emmys, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, October may be the time.

Later in the month, we’ll get to see Toy Story 4 and The Lion King make their big debuts into homes, and some horror hits, including this summer’s Midsommar and Annabelle Comes Home will also make a timely entrance onto the format. As usual, early Digital releases are listed separately; if not otherwise noted, Digital releases are the same day as the Blu-ray, DVD and 4K releases.

Tuesday October 1, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Chernobyl

Anna and the Apocalypse

Doom Patrol: The Complete First Season

Maiden

Driven

Charmed: The Complete First Season

Spider in the Web

Scooby-Doo! Return To Zombie Island

Pan’s Labyrinth [4K]

Zombieland [4K]

Good Omens

Gremlins: 35th Anniversary [4K]

Mean Girls: 15th Anniversary

Jarhead: Law of Return

Doom: Annihilation

The Gangster The Cop The Devil

The Addams Family 2-Move Collection

Encounter

Itsy Bitsy

Gen:Lock - The Complete First Season

Tell Me a Story: The Complete First Season

Early Digital Releases

Toy Story 4

Stuber

Semper Fi

Tuesday October 8, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Toy Story 4

Midsommar

Deadwood: The Movie

Annabelle Comes Home

Vikings: Season 5 Vol. 2

The Wedding Guest

Red Joan

From Beyond the Grave (Warner Archive) 1973

Light of my Life

Kung Fu Monster

American Woman

Gwen

Early Digital Releases

The Lion King (October 11)

Tuesday October 15, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Stuber

Crawl

Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans

The Art of Self-Defense

The Fearless Vampire Killers (Warner Archive) 1967

The Haunting of Hill House: Season 1

Already Gone

Can You Keep a Secret?

Night Hunter

Three From Hell

Early Digital Releases

Hobbs & Shaw

Tuesday October 22, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

The Lion King

Veronica Mars

007 The Daniel Craig Collection 4k Ultra Hd

Angel Of Mine

Bloodline

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark (Warner Archive) 1973

NOS4A2: Season 1

Legend of the Demon Cat

Galaxy Quest: 20th Anniversary "Never Give Up, Never Surrender" Edition

David Crosby: Remember My Name

Satanic Panic

Strange But True

Tone Deaf

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines

Early Digital Releases

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark

Tuesday October 29, 2019 DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Luce

A Discovery of Witches: Series 1

10 Minutes Gone

Mr. Nice Guy Extended Original Cut (Warner Archive) 1996

Days of Wine and Roses (Warner Archive)

September 2019

September is the month for most major network TV returns. As such, if you are big fans of a particular show, there are plenty of additional TV sets out this month compared to others. It’s a good thing that a lot of TV is coming back, because it should be rather a slow month for movies. On the bright side, there are plenty of fun films hitting Blu-ray, DVD and Digital this month, from indie hits like Booksmart to big release like Men in Black International.

The long and lengthy list, filled with aliens and CBS and HBO dramas, can be seen below. Please note that Disney ultimately decided to add X-Men to the title for the X-Men: Dark Phoenix release as well.

New DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases Week Of September 3

Booksmart

Men In Black International

Bull: Season Three

Young Sheldon: The Complete Second Season

The Goldbergs: Season 6

Ma

Cold Blood

Mary Magdalene

True Detective: The Complete Third Season

Into The Ashes

I Got the Hook Up 2

Canal Street

Nightmare Cinema

The Wind

NCIS: The Sixteenth Season

Week of September 3 Early Digital Releases

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

The Dead Don’t Die

New DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases Week Of September 10

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Aladdin (2019)

Aladdin: Ultimate Collector Edition (original animated)

Hawaii Five-0: The Ninth Season

Chicago P.D.: Season Six

The Dead Don’t Die

This Is Us: The Complete Third Season

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season

Armstrong

Seal Team: Season Two

Week of September 10 Early Digital Releases

Yesterday

Child’s Play

Shaft

New DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases Week Of September 17

Elementary: The Final Season

Modern Family: Season 10

Dark Phoenix

Wild Rose

Supergirl: The Complete Fourth Season

Bodied

The Good Fight: Season 3

New DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases Week Of September 24

Child’s Play

Yesterday

Shaft

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Fourth Season

Good Witch: Season 5

Madam Secretary: Season Five

Awake

Billions: Season Four

Anna

A Score To Settle

Pavarotti

The First King

Burn

Jacob's Ladder

Inside Man: Most Wanted

Daughter of the Wolf

Skin

As you can see, there's a lot to look forward to in September of 2019, but if you're interested in what is our already, you can take a full look at the previous month's releases, below!

August 2019

As the weather continues to heat up in August 2019, some kids are heading back to school, while others have another month to putz around. When it’s too hot to go outside, it may be cool to try a family movie night, and there are a lot of releases coming in August that work for fans young an old. This ranges from titles like Detective Pikachu on the PG spectrum to extravaganzas like Avengers: Endgame, which will finally hit Blu-ray and DVD in August and should answer some questions about the flick.

For the cinephiles, there is plenty coming too. The month will kick off with the indie flick Tolkien, starring Nicholas Hoult, as well as the limited theatrical release Amazing Grace, about Aretha Franklin.

Along with these sorts of hits, there will be plenty coming in the TV realm as well. The networks traditionally gear up for fall TV with a slew of last season’s releases, and this August fans will get plenty of new TV fodder from network hits like The Blacklist to subscription cable hits like Season 7 of Homeland. Be sure to take a full look at what else is coming with our list, below.

New DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases Week Of August 6

Detective Pikachu

Poms

The Curse of La LLorona

Tolkien

Batman: Hush

The Good Doctor: The Complete Season 2

The Outsider

Amazing Grace (DVD)

How Long Will I Love U

The Souvenir

Changeland

Deep Murder

Donnybrook

Knightfall: Season 2

Plus One

Project Ithaca

the Command

Girl in the Fog

The Outpost: Season 1

Strike Back: Final Season

Descendants 3

LEGO DC -- Batman: Family Matters

Week of August 6 Early Digital Releases

Rocketman

Brightburn

The Hustle

A Dog’s Journey

The Sun Is Also A Star

New DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases Week Of August 13

Avengers: Endgame

Mr Mercedes: Season 2

New Amsterdam: Season One

The Blacklist: The Complete Sixth Season

Homeland: Season 7(DVD)

Finding Steve McQueen

Lying and Stealing

Saving Zoe

Unplanned

Riverdale: The Complete Third Season

The Spanish Princess (DVD)

Shadow

Vault

The Professor and the Madman