All 11 Stephen King Books Adapted More Than Once (& Which Version Is Better)

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Stephen King has written 65 novels and shorter novels. Many of his works have been turned into movies and TV shows, making him the second most adapted author in history, after William Shakespeare. It’s not surprising that some of his popular and thought-provoking books have been adapted multiple times, and sometimes a previous adaptation’s success—or even failure—leads to a new one being made.

Whenever a book is adapted for the screen multiple times, people often argue about which adaptation is best. For instance, some fans actually prefer the miniseries of The Shining, written by the author, over Stanley Kubrick’s famous 1980s film. But usually, one version is clearly superior and becomes the most popular, overshadowing all others.

Here’s every Stephen King book adapted more than once.

‘The Stand’ (1975)

2 Adaptations

Stephen King aimed to write a grand, sweeping story like The Lord of the Rings when he created The Stand in the early 1970s, and it became one of his most famous novels. The book depicts a world after a deadly, man-made flu called “Captain Trips” has killed off almost all of humanity. Those who remain divide into two camps: a group of good people guided by the wise Mother Abigail, and a dangerous faction led by the villainous Randall Flagg, a character King would revisit in future works.

Did King Foresee COVID?

As a huge fan of The Stand, I always knew it would be tough to bring the full book to the screen – it’s over 1,100 pages long! That’s why plans for a movie have been constantly shifting. It’s been a long journey – the movie they talked about in the ’80s eventually became a miniseries in ’94, and then a movie Ben Affleck was supposed to star in during the 2010s turned into the miniseries we got in 2020. It seems a full movie adaptation just wasn’t meant to be!

The ‘90s version of the show is far more enjoyable. It’s filled with well-done action scenes and occasional moments of intensity that make the conflicts really gripping. It was even nominated for six Emmy Awards! In contrast, the newer version, co-written by Stephen King’s son, Owen, suffers from particularly poor character development.

‘The Dead Zone’ (1979)

2 Adaptations

Stephen King’s novel, The Dead Zone, was a major success, becoming one of the year’s top ten books in the United States. It also introduced readers to Castle Rock, a town that would appear in many of his future stories. The novel follows Johnny Smith, a teacher who develops psychic abilities – he can see people’s past and future by touching them – after being in a coma for five years following a car accident. Johnny becomes deeply worried when he predicts that a politician named Greg Stillson will eventually cause a nuclear war.

Master Cronenberg At Work

David Cronenberg’s 1983 film adaptation of the book is widely considered flawless, boosted by a powerful performance from Christopher Walken. While taking some creative freedoms, the film actually enhances the story. The TV series is also well-made, but it sometimes feels drawn out and relies too heavily on familiar sci-fi clichés, like many shows from the 2000s. Unfortunately, it was cancelled after six seasons and ends with an unresolved cliffhanger.

‘Pet Sematary’ (1983)

2 Adaptations

Stephen King was inspired to write Pet Sematary after his daughter’s cat was tragically hit by a truck. The story follows a doctor and his family who move to rural Maine and discover an old Native American burial ground nearby with the unsettling power to bring things back from the dead. Trouble begins when their young son attempts to use this ground to revive their family cat after it dies.

King Recreated the Book’s Magic

The 1989 film version (and its follow-up) is considered the better adaptation, largely due to the script written by Stephen King himself. What makes the movie so effective is that it doesn’t offer easy answers about the supernatural events. Instead, it portrays a realistically confusing situation where a formerly good family is tricked by outside forces into accepting and even enabling bizarre behavior, all in a desperate attempt to survive.

Stephen King isn’t known for consistently strong screenplays, but this 2010 film is a definite success. It features a talented cast, including John Lithgow and Jason Clarke, although the plot can sometimes be confusing. Director Guillermo del Toro recently expressed interest in making his own adaptation, which would be fantastic.

‘The Running Man’ (1982)

2 Adaptations

Stephen King wrote The Running Man in just one week, using the pen name Richard Bachman. It was the fourth and final book he published under that name before his true identity was revealed. The story takes place in a bleak, economically devastated America of 2025 and centers on Ben Richards, who joins a dangerous game show where participants try to avoid being hunted by assassins for the chance to win a large cash prize.

More Action, More Fun

Sometimes, changes made when adapting a story for the screen can actually improve it, as seen in the 1987 film with Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the movie, his character, Captain Ben Richards, is assigned to the show as a consequence for refusing to help arrest people with opposing views. Like many of Schwarzenegger’s roles, Richards is courageous, vengeful, and has a powerful, underlying aggression. The writer, King, noted that Schwarzenegger’s portrayal differed from his original vision, but he was happy with how the film turned out. While Glen Powell’s performance in the upcoming 2025 movie, releasing November 7th, probably won’t surpass Schwarzenegger’s, we’ll be sure to recognize it if it does.

‘The Mist’ (1988)

2 Adaptations

Stephen King’s novella, The Mist, tells the story of the town of Bridgton, Maine, being enveloped in a thick, strange fog. Soon after, terrifying creatures appear and start attacking people. David Drayton, a commercial artist who is at the store with his son for supplies, finds himself trapped inside with a group of other residents, and they must fight to survive. King was inspired to write the story after a trip to a supermarket with his son following a severe storm.

Greatest Twist-Ending in Horror Movie History?

This adaptation is a clear success story. The 2007 film is highly praised, and even Stephen King admits the movie’s devastating ending – where David shoots his son to save him from the creatures, intending to take his own life, only to discover help was almost there – is more impactful than the one he wrote in the book. The film also excels technically, using striking visuals like strong contrasts, dark settings, and clever layering of images.

This show, which originally aired on Spike in 2017, didn’t rely on cheap thrills and was quickly canceled after just one season. It makes you wonder if the story ever needed to be longer than a few episodes. A shorter, four-part series might have been much stronger.

‘Firestarter’ (1980)

2 Adaptations

In Firestarter, Andy McGee and his daughter, Charlie, are running from a shadowy government organization called The Shop. Years before, Andy and Charlie’s mother took part in a study that gave them limited psychic powers. As a result, Charlie was born with the ability to create fire with her mind, and The Shop now wants to control her powers.

The Better of Two Bad Options

Okay, so I’m a big fan of the original story, and I’ve seen both movie adaptations. Honestly, neither one really blew me away, but if you have to watch one, I’d definitely go with the 1984 version. The dialogue flows a little better, and Martin Sheen is just fantastic in it. It’s wild to think that John Carpenter was originally supposed to direct, but they took the project away after The Thing didn’t do as well as they hoped. I think that was a huge mistake – they should have given him more of a chance!

‘The Shining’ (1977)

2 Adaptations

Okay, so The Shining starts with Jack Torrance, who’s trying to get his writing career back on track and battling alcoholism. He takes a job as the winter caretaker at this huge, old hotel called the Overlook, up in the Colorado mountains, hoping it’ll give him the peace and quiet he needs to write. But what he doesn’t realize is that the hotel is seriously haunted, and things are about to go really wrong for him. I read that Stephen King got the idea for the hotel after staying at The Stanley Hotel back in the ’70s, and a lot of the story seems to come from his own experiences with addiction too.

Kubrick Knows Best

Stephen King isn’t a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s version of ‘The Shining,’ but most people love it. Jack Nicholson is chilling as the villainous father, delivering a performance that feels both familiar and perfect. Scatman Crothers is wonderfully creepy, and Danny Lloyd is fantastic as young Danny, particularly in the iconic snow scene. While the supporting cast isn’t outstanding, their limited screen time means it’s easy to overlook any shortcomings. It’s one of Kubrick’s most delightfully unsettling films. As for the 1990s miniseries adapted by Stephen King himself? Forget about it – it doesn’t compare!

‘Carrie’ (1974)

3 Adaptations

Stephen King nearly abandoned writing Carrie because he felt uneasy with the story’s dark themes. Luckily, his wife, Tabitha, encouraged him to revisit the first few pages he’d thrown away, ultimately leading to the publication of his first novel and the start of his successful career. The story takes place in Chamberlain, Maine, and centers on Carrie White, a shy high school student who suffers constant abuse from her religious mother and classmates. Unbeknownst to others, Carrie possesses telekinetic abilities, and after a particularly humiliating prank at the prom, she unleashes her powers in a destructive outburst.

The Beginning of a Great Trend

The directors of the 2002 and 2013 adaptations, David Carson and Kimberly Peirce, would have been better off working on different projects. They couldn’t improve upon Brian De Palma’s excellent 1976 film. Carson’s version is overly lengthy and features weak special effects, and Peirce’s lacks genuine scares.

As a film critic, I have to say Brian De Palma’s Carrie isn’t just a fantastic movie, it’s genuinely important. It kicked off this incredible wave of over 100 adaptations of Stephen King’s work – it was the very first! But beyond its cultural significance, the film really shines thanks to the performances. Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie are both phenomenal as Carrie and her mother, and deservedly received Oscar nominations. Now, I hear they’re making a TV series… honestly, though, does it need to be done?

‘Salem’s Lot’ (1975)

3 Adaptations

Stephen King’s novel, Salem’s Lot, follows author Ben Mears as he revisits his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot, Maine, and finds the town plagued by vampires. King has said it’s his favorite work, largely because of its portrayal of small towns, which he views as fading and struggling to survive.

Watch Out for the Fangs

Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot has been adapted for television and film several times. A two-part miniseries directed by Tobe Hooper came out in 1979, followed by another miniseries in 2004 directed by Mikael Salomon. Most recently, a film version was released on Max on October 3, 2024. Many consider the 1979 miniseries to be the strongest and most accurate adaptation. Director Tobe Hooper brought the same slow-burn suspense he was known for in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the vampire, Kurt Barlow, was genuinely frightening. The show earned three Emmy nominations as a result. The other two adaptations, however, lack that same sense of tension and can feel slow-paced.

‘It’ (1986)

4 Adaptations

The story doesn’t follow a traditional timeline, and centers around seven children who are haunted by a terrifying creature known as It. It preys on people’s deepest fears, using them to change its appearance while it hunts. Most often, It appears as Pennywise the Dancing Clown to lure children closer.

Pennywise Lives On

The story has been retold several times. It began as a miniseries with Tim Curry, then became a 52-episode horror series in India called Woh, and was later made into a two-part movie. More recently, a prequel series, It: Welcome to Derry, was created, set before the events of the latest films.

Both It Chapter One and It Chapter Two are very good, but the first movie is slightly better. It has a stronger story structure, better pacing, and keeps a consistent, scary tone. Plus, Pennywise is much more frightening and enigmatic when you first encounter him.

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2025-11-03 02:58