In Fantasy Thrillers, Supernatural and Alien Entities- Stephen King has marked his legacy by creating unique content through his 70+ novels and inspiring over 40 movies.
Stephen has mostly ventured into other-dimensional creatures to pen his amazing stories. We have listed some of the most mind-boggling films based on the novels written by Stephen King.
Carrie (1976)
Cast: Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, Piper Laurie, John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Betty Buckley.
Director: Brian De Palma
IMDB rating: 7.4
Storyline- Carrie White, a reclusive and sensitive teen, experiences abuse from her fervently religious mother at home and bullying from her classmates in this terrifying adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel. Carrie begins to believe that she has some supernatural ability as unusual things start happening around her. When Carrie accepts an invitation to a party from a sympathetic Tommy Ross, she tries to lower her guard, but soon events take a dark and violent course.
The Shining (1980)
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Scatman Crothers, Danny Lloyd, Philip Stone, Shelley Duvall, Barry Nelson.
Director: Stanley Kubrick
IMDB rating: 8.4
Storyline- Jack Torrance decides to spend the winter at the remote Overlook Hotel in Colorado to polish his writing skills. He has made a home for himself, his wife Wendy, and their son Danny, who has psychic obsessions. Jack learns the hotel’s sinister secrets and becomes a violent lunatic set on torturing his family as his writings fail to produce results, and Danny’s visions grow increasingly unsettling.
The Green Mile (1999)
Cast: Michael Clarke Duncan, Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Jeter, James Cromwell.
Director: Frank Darabont
IMDB rating: 8.6
Storyline- Paul Edgecomb walked the mile while carrying several drawbacks. John Coffey, a massive black man, found guilty of brutally killing two younger sisters, was like no one he had ever encountered. Although Coffey was big and strong enough to murder anyone, he lacked the personality. In addition to his innocent simplicity and mortal terror of the dark, Coffey appeared to have magical skills. Paul starts to question whether Coffey killed the girls.
Gerald’s Game (2017)
Cast: Carla Gugino, Chiara Aurelia, Bruce Greenwood,Carel Struycken.
Director: Mike Flanagan
IMDB rating: 6.5
Storyline- Jessie is left shackled to a bed in a small house after trying to rekindle the passion in her marriage with her husband, Gerald. Gerald later passes away due to an overdose of Viagra. She not only needs to escape, but she also needs to stay alive by protecting herself from starvation and the wild dog that wants to kill and eat Jessie. She begins to experience flashbacks and hallucinations in such a circumstance. The darkest memories of her traumatized past start haunting her. Still, eventually, she regains the power and finally slams the shadow of guilt that has been wrongfully imposed on her by toxic masculine characters in her life.
IT Chapter One (2017)
Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Martell, Jackson Robert Scott, Owen Teague, Geoffrey Pounsett.
Director: Andy Muschietti
IMDB rating: 7.3
Storyline- IT is a stunning horror and other-dimensional creature movie based on Derry town, which is said to be cursed. Every 27 years of the gap, this city falls under the attack of mysterious Clowns that prey on little kids. The group of Losers is now on a quest to find the secrets behind such occurrences while also investigating the lost brother of Bill Denbrough. As the plot unfolds, unsettling and bizarre incidents start taking place, and the Loser Group itself becomes the primary Target of IT.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Cliff Curtis, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind
Director: Mike Flanagan
IMDB rating: 7.3
Storyline- Doctor Sleep is the sequel to the classic ‘The Shining,’ where we see the adult Dan Torrance trying to deal with his past trauma about the Overlook Hotel incident by indulging himself in alcoholism. His dreams of a peaceful life are quickly dropped when he meets Abra, a young woman who also possesses the “shine,” an extrasensory ability. Together, they forge an unexpected alliance to combat the True Knot, a gang whose members seek immortality by feeding off the shine of the weak.
The Mist (2017)
Cast: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler, Laurie Holden.
Director:Frank Darabont
IMDB rating:7.1
Storyline- In Maine, several homes are destroyed by a strong storm. David Drayton and his little son go into town to get food and supplies. Soon after, the town is enveloped in a thick fog that traps the Drayton family and other people inside the grocery store. As the deadly monsters emerge from the darkness, fear grows, yet it might be nothing compared to the danger lurking inside.
Cujo (1983)
Cast: Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Danny Pintauro, Christopher Stone, Ed Lauter, Kaiulani Lee.
Director: Lewis Teague
IMDB rating: 6.1
Storyline- This is the story of a vicious dog ( St. Bernard). This movie’s plot effectively illustrates how a man’s best friend can turn into his greatest enemy. After being bitten by a bat, Cujo develops unusual behavior and turns vicious. Cujo rampages through a small village as he evolves into a frightening monster. Donna and Tad experience a terrifying encounter with the crazy beast while confined to their vehicle.
Misery (1990)
Cast: James Caan, Richard Farnsworth, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Jerry Potter,
Director: Rob Reiner
IMDB rating: 7.8
Storyline- Novelist Paul Sheldon is saved from a bad car accident by Annie Wilkes, a former nurse who claims to be his biggest fan. When Annie takes him to her isolated cabin to recover, her devotion turns sinister when she learns that Sheldon is murdering the fictional character she loves most. As Sheldon arranges his escape, Annie gets increasingly violent as she attempts to force the author to adapt his writing to match her crazy desires.
Stand By Me (1986)
Cast: River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland.
Director: Rob Reiner
IMDB rating: 8.1
Storyline- Four guys go to see the body of a stranger who was unintentionally killed nearby after learning about the incident. As they travel, Geordie Lachance, Vern Tessio, Chris Chambers, and Teddy Duchamp discover more about one another and their different home lives while also coming across a cruel man and a leech-infested swamp. The journey taken by these boys ends up being a turning point in their lives.
The Dead Zone (1983)
Cast: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom.
Director: David Cronenberg
IMDB rating: 7.2
Storyline- This is one of the cult-classic movies that has been based on a Stephen King novella. After being put into a coma in a vehicle accident, Johnny Smith awakens to discover that years have passed and that he now possesses some psychic powers. Johnny is dealing with his terrifying controls, which let him see into a person’s future with only a single touch, while also heartbroken that his girlfriend has moved on with her life.
Christine (1983)
Cast: Keith Gordon, Robert Prosky, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Christine Belford, David Spielberg.
Director: John Carpenter
IMDB rating: 6.7
Storyline- Nerdy Arnie purchases a Plymouth Fury and gives it the name Christine. Arnie grows increasingly obsessed with the vehicle. The movie explores how Christine entered Arnie Cunningham’s life and how that affected him, his family, friends, and teenage enemies. Arnie soon becomes egotistical and envious of Christine, a supernatural being who murders anyone who threatens the group.
Secret Window (2004)
Cast: Johnny Depp, Maria Bello, Charles S. Dutton, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton
Director: David Koepp
IMDB rating: 6.5
Storyline: Author Mort Rainey relocates to his secluded home in upstate New York for peace as he goes through an acrimonious divorce with his wife. Rainey undergoes a lot in his journey for mental stability after being formed by John Shooter, a farmer who alleges Rainey copied his work. Rainey first denied the claims, but Shooter is not planning on leaving without a fight. In his pursuit of vengeance, Shooter soon turns vicious.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Cast: Tim Robbins, Bob Gunton, Morgan Freeman, William Sadler, Gil Bellows.
Director: Frank Darabont
IMDB rating: 9.3
Storyline- For the murder of his wife and her boyfriend, Andy Dufresne received two consecutive life sentences and heavy punishment. However, Andy is aware that he in no way committed the murders. He made friends with Red while he was there. Andy witnesses the cruelty of jail life and changes to help the warden. Everything happens over the course of 19 years.
Dolores Clairborne (1995)
Cast: Kathy Bates, Judy Parfitt, Jennifer Jason Lee, Eric Bogosian, David Strathairn.
Director: Taylor Hackford
IMDB rating: 7.4
Storyline- Dolores Claiborne looks after the home of rich but callous Vera Donovan in a small New England town. When Vera passes away, Dolores is charged with murder. Selina, her estranged daughter and a respected journalist from New York City, makes the decision to go see her mother and look into the matter more. Selina uncovers stunning information about the murder and her past as she looks further into the case.
Harrigan’s Phone (2022)
Cast: Jayden Martell, Donald Sutherland, Joe Tippett, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Cyrus Arnold.
Director: John Lee Hancock
IMDB rating: 6.0
Storyline- When Mr. Harrigan, an elderly billionaire, and Craig, a young lad from a small town, became friends, the two started to develop an unexpected friendship based on their shared love of reading and books. But when Mr. Harrigan tragically passes away, Craig learns that nothing is completely lost. Unexpectedly, he discovers that he can use an iPhone to contact his friend who has passed away. This paranormal story shows how some connections are eternal.