Considering how often you see Stephen King’s name pop up in the credits for movies and TV shows, it’s amazing that the writer’s well of work just refuses to run dry. And with somewhere in the region of 260 novels, novellas and shorts under his belt, it seems unlikely that that will happen any time soon. And that’s before we factor in the possibility for reboots, remakes and complementary miniseries—not to mention all the stuff (Weapons and Stranger Things come to mind) inspired by his style.
In 2025 alone, UK cinemas welcomed the release of no fewer than four (yes, four) movies adapted from King’s work, along with a couple of TV series that began potential multi-season arcs. In the coming years, it looks like these will be joined by several new projects, including one set in the world of his most famous story. Read on to discover more and use the guide below to find them on services like Netflix, AppleTV, Prime Video and elsewhere.
The Life of Chuck (2024)
When The Life of Chuck won the audience award at TIFF in 2024, it sounded like a sure thing for at least a few nods on the awards circuit earlier this year. For whatever reason, that never came to pass, but if you’re not against a little schmaltz (think ‘90s Zemeckis, like Forrest Gump) and enjoy adaptations of King’s non-horror work (think Shawshank, Stand by Me), you might really enjoy it.
The story begins in an unusual, end-of-the-world setting and only reveals itself after the first act. I recommend you go in as blind as possible.
The Monkey (2025)
Osgood Perkins has become unavoidable in the last couple of years, utilising his Hollywood brand name (he’s the son of Psycho’s Anthony Perkins) in a bid to become a King-like name in horror cinema. The recently released Keeper is his third theatrical feature in just 16 months, and if you liked that one and Longlegs, you’ll probably get a kick out of The Monkey, too!
The story uses the reliable setup of a Final Destination movie, where the kills seem inevitable, and the fun comes in trying to work out how they’ll happen.
It: Welcome to Derry (2025 - )
Earlier this year, Netflix and A24 teamed up to release Welcome to Derry, a spinoff of a remake of a 1990 King adaptation (IT) that basically ruined some childhoods, including my own. This newer incarnation (like the movies it’s spun from) is a little gorier but also softer around the edges (think Stranger Things) and a good deal more fun—so if that’s your vibe, this could be the one for you.
The show is a gnarly expansion of the IT universe that explores the lore of Derry, including how Pennywise became the clown.
The Long Walk (2025)
While I can’t say I fully loved The Long Walk as much as I’d hoped to, the movie has the kind of thrifty, throw-back, minimal feel that I find quite attractive in a dystopian movie. I also find the cast (which includes David Jonsson from Alien Romulus and Cooper Hoffman from Liquorice Pizza) quite attractive, too, which always helps.
The movie is somewhere in the realm of the televised Battle Royale genre (think Death Race, Running Man), focusing on a government-organised walk to the death that takes place each year through the American heartland.
The Running Man (2025)
And speaking of The Running Man, he most recent King adaptation that’s hit our screens is Edgar Wright’s remake of that Arnold Schwarzenegger classic. This is one for fans of the previous movie, of course, but also anyone who appreciates Wright’s more action-focused work—like Baby Driver and Hot Fuzz.
The movie stars current red-hot leading man Glen Powell as a guy who has to survive 30 days while most of the public attempts to kill him.
The Institute (2025 - )
The most low-key King release this year is the MGM+ show The Institute. This one follows a kid with special abilities who is taken to a mysterious centre full of other gifted children—imagine a mix between Stranger Things and Shutter Island, and you’ll have some idea of what to expect.
Created by TV legend Jack Bender (Lost, Game of Thrones), The Institute stars Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis alongside Ben “Prince Caspian” Barnes as former police officer Tim Jamieson.
Carrie (2026)
Despite various rumours over the years, we never got to see the Shining TV series (said to be titled The Overlook) that HBO Max, and later Netflix, were apparently producing. This upcoming Carrie miniseries, however, based on King’s legendary novel and produced by Mike Flanagan for Amazon Prime, definitely looks like it’s coming our way.
Flanagan’s show will be the fifth adaptation of King’s debut, after Brian DePalma’s 1976 classic, a forgettable 1999 sequel, a TV movie from 2002 and the decent Chloë Grace Moretz remake from 2013. The cast is naturally mostly newcomers, but Scream’s Matthew Lillard (who appeared in Life of Chuck) is on board to play the school’s principal.
Billy Summers (TBA)
Having already adapted King’s Lisey’s Story, Castle Rock and 11.22.63, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot are now in production on his 2021 bestseller, Billy Summers—a crime story about a hitman who pretends to be a writer while working a job in a small town.
Bad Robot had originally envisaged it as a ten-episode miniseries, but it now seems to be going ahead as a feature, with Warner Bros. set to release it. Sounds promising!
Mister Yummy (TBA)
Just this month, Deadline reported that an adaptation of King’s 2015 short, Mister Yummy, was in development at Intrinsic Value Films. Naturally, little information is currently available, but the project sounds like an interesting one.
The story focuses on an elderly man in a retirement home who starts to see visions of a man he once fell in love with. This one sounds more like the dramatic, introspective King of stories like Stand by Me and Life of Chuck—so if they’re your bag, consider putting this one on your radar.
Fairy Tale (TBA)
King’s 2022 fantasy novel Fairy Tale was actually optioned very soon after the book’s release, with Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum) attached to direct. It’s now looking more likely that the story will be told as a miniseries, with J. H. Wyman (who worked on Fringe) acting as showrunner.
The story follows a young boy who acquires a set of keys that give him access to another realm—Narnia fans take note.
