10 Most Faithful Stephen King Adaptations, Ranked

By Giancarlo Riccobon
Gordie, Chris, Vern, and Teddy looking shocked in "Stand By Me" Columbia Pictures

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With Stephen King adaptations, it's inevitable that something gets lost between the page and the screen. If you consider that most of his novels range between 400-600 pages and that some of them clock in at over 1000 pages, then you'll know that it can be difficult to turn a King book into a movie without making some major omissions.

Whenever a movie or a TV show truly captures the spirit of King's original novel (if not every single detail), it's an impressive achievement. That's why we decided to compile the 10 most faithful Stephen King adaptations, ranked according to that faithfulness, rather than based on the overall quality of the movie itself. 

You'll see some of the same directors pop up on this list multiple times, because it turns out that Rob Reiner and Frank Darabont have a knack for making good King movies. Whether they come from his novels, or his short stories.

10. The Shining (1997)

Jack from "The Shining" (1997) wielding a roque mallet Warner Bros. Television

It's no secret that Stanley Kubrick's movie adaptation of "The Shining" is probably the Stephen King adaptation that the author hated the most. He disliked it so much, in fact, that he wrote and produced another adaptation of his novel to distance it from Kubrick's movie as much as possible. That's how we got the 1997 TV miniseries of "The Shining," which is more faithful — yet somehow more flawed. 

In a literal sense, at least, the miniseries is more accurate to the book. The show preserves many scenes that Kubrick left out, such as Jack losing his teaching job and the creepy hedge animals that Kubrick replaced with a maze. On a thematic level, the miniseries spends more time focusing on what the book was really about:Jack's addiction.

Yet the miniseries rings hollow. All the moments you remember from the book are there, but they're not quite the same. The hedge animals coming alive — but only when you're not looking — are not quite as terrifying, thanks to special effects that haven't aged well. And the scene where Jack (Steven Weber) comes after his family with a mallet is not nearly as disturbing. Most of all, the miniseries is missing the haunting ambiguity we get from the book and the movie. "The Shining" just goes to show that a horror classic is more than just the sum of its parts.

9. The Mist (2007)

Amanda, Drayton, and Billy from "The Mist" (2007) gaping in fear at something in the mist Dimension Films

As Stephen King adaptations go, the 2007 film "The Mist" stays fairly true to the original. Sure, the filmmakers needed to externalize the story's conflict more, since it would be difficult to capture the protagonist's racing thoughts and heightened paranoia. Still, the central story is still there, along with the mind-numbing fear of what's out there in the mist.

Of course, we can't talk about this adaptation without talking about the ending. The movie is so notorious for changing the book's ending that folks who have never seen it know about its shocking finale. Some fans argue that the twist feels unearned and the original ending has more haunting ambiguity. Others insist it's a bold move that actually makes the movie better than the book.

However different the film's ending may be, director Frank Darabont received Stephen King's blessing before filming. In an interview with Yahoo, Stephen King said of Darabont's idea for the ending, "I thought that was terrific. And it was so anti-Hollywood — anti-everything, really! It was nihilistic. I liked that. So I said you go ahead and do it." If an adaptation makes such a significant change and still earns the author's approval, then you know it's a good adaptation.

8. Misery

Annie Wilkes from "Misery" frowning in the moonlight Columbia Pictures

Stephen King's novel "Misery" tells the tale of an author (James Caan) imprisoned by his biggest fan (Kathy Bates). As far as adaptations go, the 1990 movie doesn't stray far from the book, at least on a surface level. The story beats are the same, and most changes are only cosmetic, such as when Annie smashes Paul's ankles with a sledgehammer instead of chopping off his feet. In fact, many fans would argue that movie-Annie is better than book-Annie, thanks to an Oscar-winning performance from Kathy Bates. Bates brings an earnestness to Annie Wilkes that makes audiences almost feel sorry for her.

Even though Stephen King praised this movie for its casting and its touch of humor, it's far from a flawless adaptation. In the book, we are privy to Paul's spiraling thoughts as he becomes not just a prisoner to Annie but also a prisoner of addiction — something the film never fully captures. In the movie, Paul's problem is barely acknowledged. 

Don't get us wrong, James Caan brings wry wit into the role, and he plays off Kathy Bates nicely, but that's no substitute for Paul's rich inner life on the page. In Rob Reiner's defense, a book where so much of the action happens in the protagonist's head might have been otherwise unadaptable. His "Misery" is still a solidly entertaining effort.

7. Carrie (1976)

Sue Snell standing at Carrie's grave in "Carrie" (1976) United Artists

Brian De Palma's "Carrie" is a classic, and it's a Stephen King movie that stands above the rest, with the highest Rotten Tomatoes score to-date. In terms of faithfulness, "Carrie" isn't perfect, but it's still pretty high on the list. What "Carrie" nails from the book is the casual cruelty of the heroine's classmates, teachers, and even her own religiously abusive mother. In particular, the locker room scene captures the moment from the book with unflinching intensity. What's more, the casting of Sissy Spacek is a stroke of genius; Spacek embodies the titular character's delicate resilience in a way few actors can.

Still, many of the characters in the movie are not fleshed out as much as their book counterparts. The movie omits the most compelling details from Margaret White's (Piper Laurie) backstory, and Sue's (Amy Irving) role is so diminished that she barely interacts with Carrie at all. 

While all the key events from the book are there, fans may miss the quieter moments, such as when the principal tells off a parent whose daughter has been bullying Carrie or when Sue tries to comfort Carrie in her final moments. The movie's last scene delivers a shocking twist that comes completely out of left field and is not nearly as poignant as the book's finale. In all fairness, it's still iconic in its own right.

6. Gerald's Game

Jessie from "Gerald's Game" handcuffed to a bed Netflix

"Gerald's Game" is one of the best Stephen King movies, which is especially impressive given its premise. It's the story of a woman named Jessie (Carla Gugino) whose husband (Bruce Greenwood) dies midway through a session of kinky sex, leaving Jessie handcuffed to the bed with no way out. That makes for a fascinating novel, but it's challenging to adapt to film, again considering most of the story happens in Jessie's head.

Luckily, "Gerald's Game" does a much better job than "Misery" at dramatizing the story of a character who spends most of the movie trapped in a single room. Through flashbacks of Jessie's past trauma, visions of her dead husband voicing her darkest thoughts, and the sheer power of Gugino's performance, the film manages to capture the intensity of the book. Best of all, the movie includes the ingenious yet gruesome way Jessie finally escapes.

The movie is so faithful, in fact, that it dares to include the controversial ending of the book (in which Jessie discovers the "Space Cowboy" she thought she saw lurking in the cabin was actually a real person). Even though many fans felt the movie would have been stronger if the movie had ended after Jessie escaped, director Mike Flanagan recognized that this story thread is a crucial moment of character growth for Jessie and kept it in the film.

5. The Life of Chuck

Chuck gazing wistfully into the distance in "The Life of Chuck" Neon

The nice thing about adapting a shorter tale into a feature film is that a director can easily keep all the parts fans love from the original story, while still having room to expand and explore. That's what Mike Flanagan does in "The Life of Chuck." The movie preserves the unique structure of the original, starting at the end and then making its gentle way to the beginning. 

The films opens with Act 3, which examines how various characters cope with the news that the world is quietly ending. Then Act 2, which shows a single, magical moment when an accountant named Chuck (Tom Hiddleston) rediscovers his passion for dance. And finally Act 1, which explores Chuck's childhood.

The film lifts dialogue directly from the pages, often word-for-word, including Gus' (Matthew Lillard) monologue mourning the end of the world and the lesson from Chuck's English teacher (Kate Siegel). There's also plenty of voice-over (also straight from the book) that captures Stephen King's distinctive narration. 

While the movie does add some monologues that weren't in the story, these further flesh out Stephen King's characters and contribute to the movie's wistful spirit. Every choice in this film is made with a clear love of the source material. "The Life of Chuck" is a feel-good movie that reminds you that Stephen King writes more than just bleak horror.

4. The Green Mile

John Coffey standing in his cell in "The Green Mile" Warner Bros.

"The Green Mile" is based on a novel that Stephen King first published in six serialized installments. In the film, death row prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) discovers that an inmate (Michael Clarke Duncan) slotted for execution is not only innocent, but also has healing abilities unlike anything in this world. The film uses its 3-hour runtime to make sure almost no major detail from the book is left out. It's astounding how many small moments from the book make it to the big screen, from the story Brutal (David Morse) tells about Mouseville to the prank Wild Bill (Sam Rockwell) plays with a Moon Pie.

With that being said, "The Green Mile" movie is still different from the book in a few ways. The book features an elder abuse subplot in the nursing home where Paul (whose older version is played by Dabbs Greer) spends his final days. As well, the ending of the book is somehow even more depressing, with a sad fate in store for Paul's wife (Bonnie Hunt) and the mouse Mr. Jingles. 

The book also does not contain any references to the film "Top Hat," the black-and-white classic that makes Paul think of John decades later. But if the most significant deviation from the book is what movie the characters watch, that makes "The Green Mile" a very faithful movie indeed.

3. 1922

Wilfred sitting on a porch smoking a pipe in "1922" Netflix/YouTube

Fans may have noticed a common theme — some of the best Stephen King adaptations come from his short stories and novellas, not his novels. A novella can hit that perfect sweet spot for a director. Like "Life of Chuck," we can look at "1922" (one of Stephen King's most underrated adaptations), that hews close to the original novella while adding new depth. The events in the movie come straight from King's work, from the chilling murder to the rats that seem to follow Wilfred (Thomas Jane) everywhere. In a nice touch, the movie even includes some voice-overs from Wilfred that come straight from his internal monologues from the book.

When director Zak Hilditch does change something, it contributes to the movie and to the story itself. For instance, the book has the moment when Wilfred thinks he sees his wife back from the dead, but it's even more haunting in the film, which has Arlette (Molly Parker) descending the basement stairs with a swarm of rats cascading at her feet. Also, the ending of the Netflix film is a little different. Stephen King's ending is blunt and brutal, with no question of Wilfred's fate, while the ending of the movie is open-ended.

2. The Shawshank Redemption

Red standing in the prison yard in "The Shawshank Redemption" Columbia Pictures

"The Shawshank Redemption" is actually the second prison movie on this list and the third movie directed by Frank Darabont. Plus, like many of the best Stephen King films, it comes from a short story ("Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption") instead of a full-length novel. So, this film contains all the ingredients for a perfect Stephen King adaptation.

"The Shawshank Redemption" does right by the book, down to Red's (Morgan Freeman) narration and the little Mexican town where Andy (Tim Robbins) dreams of going. There were some slight changes made in bringing it to the screen, but all of these are in service of delivering a more satisfying cinematic experience. 

In the movie, Warden Norton (Bob Gunton) is actually a composite of three different wardens from the book, and his fate in the movie is more dramatic and satisfying. The choice to consolidate a symbol of how long Andy has been in prison into a singular antagonist arguably makes the movie stronger. 

Also, Red was originally written by King to be a white Irishman (a detail the movie cheekily acknowledges). But ever since the movie cemented its place in pop culture, it's been impossible to imagine anyone except Morgan Freeman in that role.

All things considered, "The Shawshank Redemption" is everything a Stephen King adaption should be. It's no wonder, then, that Stephen King considers it one of the best.

1. Stand By Me

Chris and Teddy on railroad bridge glancing over their shoulders in "Stand By Me" Columbia Pictures

Based on the novella "The Body" from Stephen King's "Different Seasons," the film "Stand By Me" is arguably the best movie based on a Stephen King story. Just like the original story, "Stand By Me" perfectly juxtaposes the energy of youth and the weight of growing up. 

Of course all the iconic plot points you remember from the book are there, including the bridge and the leeches. But it's the little details that make the difference, and "Stand By Me" stays true to these, too — from the jar of pennies under the porch to the fleeting moment when Gordie spots a deer. Above all, "Stand By Me" captures the feeling of reading the book — the endless possibilities of summer and the twinge of sadness knowing it's not going to last.

Stephen King himself has even crowned it the most faithful adaptation of his books. In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, King decided that out of all the adaptations he'd seen, "Stand By Me" was the one that was closest in spirit to the book. "When the movie was over," said King, "I hugged [director Rob Reiner] because I was moved to tears, because it was so autobiographical." If that's not the highest praise a film can receive from an author, then we don't know what is.

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