This article is part of a directory: Game Rant's Ultimate Guide To Horror Movies
Table of contents

There's something about "based on the bestselling novel" that seems to lend credibility where most other source material only subtracts it. That effect might be even greater when that bestseller comes from the ever-popular and massively iconic master of horror Stephen King.

The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, The Shining, some of the greatest films of all time are adaptations, some looser than others, of stories written by Stephen King. With 63 novels and 200 short stories to his name, some on-screen takes on his work fall hard, but others are solid films that don't get the recognition they deserve.

RELATED: 5 Awesome Horror Movies Directed By Women

Doctor Sleep

Ewan McGregor looking through a broken bathroom door in Doctor Sleep

Mike Flanagan's first Stephen King adaptation was the powerful masterpiece Gerald's Game, but his second was an impressive feat of filmmaking that tragically flopped at the box office. Doctor Sleep is an adaptation of the book that shares its name, which is a sequel to Stephen King's 1977 novel The Shining, while also being a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's famously loose take on the book. It somehow bridges the gap between King and Kubrick, tying both into a cathartic and satisfying universe that all builds into a thrilling new story.

The plot centers around Dan Torrance, the now-adult son of Jack, trying to use the gift that has only ever hurt him to help a young girl in terrible danger. Dan struggles to process the trauma he experienced at the Overlook as he battles a terrifying new threat. This film was accused of over-reliance on its predecessor, and while the marketing definitely fell into that trap, the full movie re-contextualizes its past into its main character's present. It's an intelligent and gripping film that not enough people gave a chance.

Cujo

cujo 1983 dog

Lewis Teague's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's 1981 novel is one of the simplest horror films of all time. The plot can be summarized in a sentence; a big friendly St. Bernard contracts rabies and terrorizes a family in the midst of a domestic quarrel. There aren't a lot of bells and whistles here, the dog isn't secretly a monster or possessed by an evil spirit, it's just a regular animal afflicted with a debilitating brain disease.

The family drama of the piece is a solid b-plot, but the entire story centers entirely on the desperate struggle to survive Cujo. This film wasn't very popular on initial release, but it's developed something of a cult following over the decades. The subgenre of horror films about killer animals is massive, and this is one of the strongest entries in that wide-reaching canon.

1408

1408 movie

This film did well upon its initial release in 2007 but did have a bit of trouble escaping the shadow of the other Stephen King adaptation set in a hotel. John Cusack stars as Mike Enslin, an author who cynically investigates the paranormal while harboring no belief in the subject. After a mysterious warning, Enslin enters a reportedly cursed hotel room and finds the horrific truth much darker than he could've imagined. What follows is a time-bending nightmare that leaves the audience in a web of intricate details and unnerving absurdity.

The film has evolved since its initial release, coming out with multiple alternate endings, each with tremendous implications for its characters. Director Mikael Håfström turns a haunting short story into a sprawling horror mystery composed of many fascinating depths. This film isn't talked about very often today, but it deserves to be remembered as a classic of the late-2000s horror cinema.

The Mist

The protagonist holding his son in the convenience store in The Mist

If there's one director who best understands King's work, it's unquestionably Frank Darabont. The creator who helmed the first season of The Walking Dead also brought The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile to the big screen as the masterpieces they are. Those films are excellent, but his third and final King-based film to date was an unfairly underappreciated classic that sticks with its audience.

This film is Darabont's take on King's answer to the powerful subgenre of Lovecraft-inspired horror. It's about a man and his son, trapped in a grocery store by an opaque fog that hides nightmarish creatures. As the small group of survivors attempts to wait out the situation, factions form, society breaks down, and the outside begins to look safer than the inside. This film is a tough watch, but even its cruel ending is a rare and moving cinematic choice. The Mist is outstanding and must be seen to be believed.

Cat's Eye

cat's-eye-film Cropped

Lewis Teague's second Stephen King adaptation is a very different beast from his first. Cat's Eye is an anthology that comprises two of King's short stories and a third entirely original narrative. The eponymous cat is the linking element, reintroduced as a full character in the third story.

Made on a tiny budget, the film was a success in its day but is rarely mentioned in the modern-day. The three stories are engaging, bizarre, and efficient, managing to tell a complete tale in a short time. King is often more famous for his short stories and this film provides the most direct translation of that skill-set of his and more.

MORE: 5 Underappreciated PG-13 Horror Movies (That Are Actually Scary)