Stephen King has been adapted so many times, it can be daunting to decide what to pick when you want to sit down for a scare.
Although there are a number of classic King adaptations out in the world, there are just as many slightly hidden gems that are equally worth your time. Whether you want to revisit a classic like “The Shining” or “Misery,” or want to try a new offering like “The Monkey,” there are plenty of strong options to choose from thanks to his long career.
These are the best Stephen King adaptations available to stream in October 2025 and where you can watch them.
“Misery” (1990)
Where to Stream: HBO Max
The only film on the list to flaunt an Oscar win, “Misery” stands atop many other Stephen King adaptations with a villain that could exist around any corner. Kathy Bates won the award for her terrifying role as Annie Wilkes – a deranged fan who gets a hold of her favorite author and forces him to write a book just for her.
The terror still hits as Bates and James Caan play well off each other as captor and captive. While the movie is more tense than downright gruesome, there are scenes (you know the one) that will still turn stomachs all these years later.
“It” (2017)
Where to Stream: HBO Max
One of King’s most iconic stories got a modern reboot in 2017 to great fanfare. The story of a group of kids dubbed The Losers Club, forced to do battle with an otherworldly entity who wreaks havoc on their town every 27 years as a demented clown named Pennywise, is a scare-a-minute. And while the jumps came fast and loose, the film also recognizes that the heart of this epic is a coming-of-age story about reaching adulthood and the childhood friendships that can often shape us.
The first part of this two-part tale is much more successful than the second, which focuses on the kids as grown-ups returning to do battle with the clown once again. “It” was a major influence on “Stranger Things,” and this adaptation cyclically took much from the Netflix series when being made again.
“Gerald’s Game” (2017)
Where to Stream: Netflix
A movie where a lot of the story follows a woman handcuffed to a bed might not sound like a pulse-pounding scare fest, but Mike Flanagan‘s “Gerald’s Game” is a brutal watch. The film follows Jessie, a woman who tries to spice up her love with her husband with some handcuffs while on a trip, only to watch him die shortly after she’s shackled. What follows is a survival story as Jessie works to get free while also tackling the demons of her past.
“The Mist” (2007)
Where to Stream: Paramount+
“The Mist” is one of a few acclaimed Frank Darabont adaptations of Stephen King’s work, and although “The Shawshank Redemption” stands alone, this horror story is a marvel. “The Mist” places a number of town citizens in a grocery store besieged by a mysterious mist that hides a number of monsters. It’s a classic survivor story where factions within the store form, making the dangers just as great inside as outside.
The film also flexes one of the bleakest endings of any King adaptation – one that is different from the novella and King himself prefers over his own.
“The Shining” (1980)
Where to Stream: HBO Max
The preeminent Stephen King adaptation, despite the author famously hating it. “The Shining” is a marvel of filmmaking that offers exemplary performances from Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall while flexing every muscle director Stanley Kubrick had. The film follows a family who move into a mountain hotel to caretake it for the winter season, but the haunted building takes its toll on the alcoholic patriarch, who takes his toll on his wife and child.
“Doctor Sleep” (2019)
Where to Stream: Hulu
A sequel to “The Shining,” Mike Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep” had no business working as well as it did. Because the original film adaptation and book deviated toward the end, the sequel film had the unenviable task of feeling like a continuation of both – as a now-grown Danny Torrance finds another with The Shine who is being hunted by monsters who feed on it. His protections force Danny to face the demons of his own past and the Overlook Hotel.
“The Monkey” (2025)
Where to Stream: Hulu
The newest entry on the list, “The Monkey” might also be the oddest. The film tracks a brother terrified to learn that a cursed monkey toy that leads to death gets picked up and used once again after his childhood home gets sold. If bizarre and hairbrained kills are what you’re looking for, then this Oz Perkins film is the perfect blend of horror and comedy for you.
