Rebecca Ferguson’s Stephen King Sequel ‘Doctor Sleep’ Makes a Comeback on Free Streaming

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Rebecca Ferguson’s recent Stephen King adaptation has become a surprising hit with free streaming viewers. Typically, Hollywood avoids making sequels to its most popular Stephen King films – we haven’t seen follow-ups to classics like The Shawshank Redemption or The Green Mile. However, in 2019, a sequel to one of King’s most famous works actually happened. Doctor Sleep, based on King’s own sequel novel, was a critical success, and now it’s finding a new audience on free streaming platforms.

Horror fans are excited that Doctor Sleep, the sequel to Stephen King’s The Shining, is currently available to stream on Tubi for free. As of today, it’s the fifth most-watched movie on the platform. The top three movies right now are Lean on Me starring Morgan Freeman, Taken 3 with Liam Neeson, and Madea Goes to Jail by Tyler Perry.

Years after the terrifying events at the Overlook Hotel, depicted in Stanley Kubrick’s classic film The Shining, comes Doctor Sleep. The film follows Danny Torrance, now an adult played by Ewan McGregor, as he battles alcoholism and the lingering trauma of his childhood. Just when he begins to find peace, Danny encounters a young girl with the same psychic ability – “The Shine.” They are soon pursued by a dangerous cult that preys on people with this gift, forcing Danny to confront his past and protect the girl. While Ewan McGregor delivers a strong performance, Rebecca Ferguson is captivating as Rose the Hat, the film’s chilling villain.

‘Doctor Sleep’ Is a Modern Cult Classic

Stephen King’s work is often associated with beloved, but sometimes overlooked, films. While his books are consistently popular, not all of his movie adaptations are huge box office hits. For example, The Shawshank Redemption made $28 million, and The Shining earned $44 million. In contrast, the 2017 film It was his most commercially successful, bringing in over $327 million domestically. Doctor Sleep performed closer to the lower end of that range.

When Doctor Sleep came out in theaters in 2019, it didn’t perform well commercially, earning only $31 million domestically and $72 million worldwide. However, people who saw the movie really liked it. Critics gave it a respectable 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences loved it even more, giving it an 89% score.

Mike Flanagan Is Two-for-Two With Stephen King Movies


Warner Bros. Pictures

While it’s perhaps premature to hand over all future Stephen King adaptations to Mike Flanagan, he’s proven himself a talented horror director. He’s known for creating and directing Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House, inspired by Shirley Jackson’s novel, and also directed 2024’s Life of Chuck. Although Life of Chuck wasn’t a box office success, it received strong positive feedback from both critics and viewers, earning an 88% audience approval rating.

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2026-02-19 18:32