Prolific horror-story writer Stephen King has been a favorite for screams on the big screen since 1976, when his shocker “Carrie” turned Sissy Spacek into a star and made Brian De Palma an A-list director.
All told, 52 King books have been made into motion pictures. Some have resonated with audiences as well as critics and earned their standing among the best movies ever made. Others, not so much.
To determine the best movies based on Stephen King books, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of early November 2023, weighting all ratings equally. Cast information is from IMDb.
Seven King books that became movies registered a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score of 90 or above. The aforementioned “Carrie” holds the highest score of 93, and is joined by six other adaptations of King books with scores of 90, among them “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Stand by Me,” “Misery,” and “The Dead Zone”. Though it didn’t reach that level on RT, another book made into a noteworthy movie was “The Shining,” the horror flick directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Besides prison themes (“The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile”), other films have featured cats (“Pet Sematary”), clowns (“It Chapter Two”), and malevolent kids (“Children of the Corn”).
Jack Nicholson, Anthony Hopkins, Kathy Bates, Morgan Freeman, and Jessica Chastain are among at least ten Oscar winners who have appeared in King thrillers. Rob Reiner has directed two of the top four movies — “Stand by Me” and “Misery”. Directors specializing in horror, George A. Romero and John Carpenter, helmed three adaptations of King movies: “Creepshow,” “The Dark Half,” and “Christine.” (Also See Horror Movies Loved By Audiences and Hated By Critics.
Here are 40 of the best movies based on Stephen King’s books.
40. A Good Marriage (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Giant Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (11,196 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (1,437 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 32% (22 reviews)
- Starring: Joan Allen, Anthony LaPaglia, Stephen Lang
39. Riding the Bullet (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Innovation Film Group
- IMDb user rating: 5.2/10 (9,696 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 33% (7,848 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 26% (23 reviews)
- Starring: Jonathan Jackson, David Arquette, Barbara Hershey
38. Sleepwalkers (1992)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 5.3/10 (21,683 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (26,670 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (18 reviews)
- Starring: Brian Krause, Mädchen Amick, Alice Krige
37. The Dark Tower (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (133,275 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 45% (42,009 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (276 reviews)
- Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor
36. Dreamcatcher (2003)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (90,624 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 35% (132,385 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (183 reviews)
- Starring: Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee
35. The Lawnmower Man (1992)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 5.4/10 (35,043 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (47,138 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (40 reviews)
- Starring: Jeff Fahey, Pierce Brosnan, Jenny Wright
34. Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Source: Courtesy of De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
- IMDb user rating: 5.5/10 (31,473 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 50% (44,842 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 15% (13 reviews)
- Starring: Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington
33. Children of the Corn (1984)
Source: Courtesy of New World Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (49,602 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 40% (85,001 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 35% (26 reviews)
- Starring: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, R.G. Armstrong
32. Creepshow 2 (1987)
Source: Courtesy of New World Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (23,992 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 41% (19,437 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 29% (24 reviews)
- Starring: George Kennedy, Lois Chiles, Domenick John
31. The Night Flier (1997)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (10,207 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 39% (7,058 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 33% (6 reviews)
- Starring: Miguel Ferrer, Julie Entwisle, Dan Monahan
30. Needful Things (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (24,042 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 44% (17,096 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 28% (25 reviews)
- Starring: Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia
29. Pet Sematary (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (87,787 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 32% (3,705 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 57% (279 reviews)
- Starring: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow
28. Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (16,364 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 44% (9,326 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (21 reviews)
- Starring: Debbie Harry, Matthew Lawrence, Christian Slater
27. Firestarter (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (30,843 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 53% (55,106 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (27 reviews)
- Starring: Drew Barrymore, David Keith, Freddie Jones
26. Carrie (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Screen Gems
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (136,506 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 44% (82,213 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 50% (187 reviews)
- Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde
25. The Dark Half (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (16,904 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (8,982 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 58% (33 reviews)
- Starring: Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker
24. Cujo (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.1/10 (43,130 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 45% (53,547 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 62% (42 reviews)
- Starring: Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Danny Pintauro
23. Secret Window (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (187,854 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (429,177 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 46% (163 reviews)
- Starring: Johnny Depp, Maria Bello, John Turturro
22. Pet Sematary (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (98,344 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 59% (97,888 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (35 reviews)
- Starring: Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Fred Gwynne
21. Apt Pupil (1998)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (37,474 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56% (38,555 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 53% (55 reviews)
- Starring: Ian McKellen, Brad Renfro, Joshua Jackson
20. Cat’s Eye (1985)
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (23,917 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 50% (31,249 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (27 reviews)
- Starring: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Alan King
19. Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (37,937 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (23,537 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 49% (137 reviews)
- Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis
18. The Running Man (1987)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (146,302 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (80,894 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (44 reviews)
- Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto
17. Christine (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (76,656 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (64,640 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (29 reviews)
- Starring: Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul
16. It Chapter Two (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (229,622 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (30,969 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 62% (377 reviews)
- Starring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader
15. The Mist (2007)
Source: Courtesy of MGM
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (290,993 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (198,490 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (146 reviews)
- Starring: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden
14. 1408 (2007)
Source: Courtesy of MGM
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (262,219 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (745,550 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (175 reviews)
- Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack
13. 1922 (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
- IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (57,869 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 57% (1,992 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (44 reviews)
- Starring: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmid
12. Creepshow (1982)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (44,794 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 68% (39,762 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (38 reviews)
- Starring: Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, Adrienne Barbeau
11. Gerald’s Game (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
- IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (97,691 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (3,894 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (79 reviews)
- Starring: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia
10. The Dead Zone (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (66,295 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (36,485 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (48 reviews)
- Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt
9. Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (41,505 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (30,286 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (44 reviews)
- Starring: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer
8. Doctor Sleep (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (164,835 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (7,887 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (331 reviews)
- Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran
7. It (2017)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (488,616 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (67,821 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (386 reviews)
- Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard
6. Carrie (1976)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (175,705 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (353,181 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (67 reviews)
- Starring: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving
5. Misery (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (195,224 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (178,095 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (69 reviews)
- Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth
4. The Green Mile (1999)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,204,006 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (814,054 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (134 reviews)
- Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse
3. The Shining (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (942,587 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (482,374 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (96 reviews)
- Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd
2. Stand by Me (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (380,190 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (270,467 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (57 reviews)
- Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 9.3/10 (2,465,102 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 98% (887,061 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (77 reviews)
- Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton
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