The 4 Major Stephen King Developments I’m Excited To Follow In 2026

by

Looking back at Stephen King‘s career, 2025 stands out as an exceptionally strong year for the celebrated author – and that’s not just because it recently happened. Fans enjoyed both the novel Never Flinch and the illustrated fairytale Hansel & Gretel, along with an anthology inspired by The Stand called The End of the World As We Know It. On film, audiences saw premieres of The Monkey, The Life Of Chuck, The Long Walk, and The Running Man. Plus, The Institute debuted on MGM+ and IT: Welcome To Derry launched on HBO. In terms of new content, it was an unmatched year for Stephen King fans.

While the past year was full of exciting new releases, 2026 looks a little quieter in comparison, with fewer projects scheduled to launch. However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to look forward to! In this last article of the year, I’ll be focusing on four important projects that are expected to move forward soon. It’s a fascinating topic, so let’s get started!

Can Mike Flanagan’s Limited Series Adaptation Of Carrie Deliver Something Audiences Have Never Seen Before?

Mike Flanagan has become a favorite among Stephen King fans, and for good reason. He’s created incredible adaptations like the emotionally powerful and terrifying Gerald’s Game, the surprisingly satisfying sequel Doctor Sleep (which finally bridged the gap between King’s vision and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining), and the deeply moving The Life of Chuck. Flanagan consistently demonstrates a strong grasp of King’s stories, and he’s successfully adapted two novels that many thought were impossible to bring to the screen.

Even with so many successful Stephen King adaptations, there’s still uncertainty surrounding the upcoming limited series Carrie, which is currently the only one planned for release in 2026 on Amazon Prime Video.

You don’t have to be a huge Stephen King enthusiast to see why people are interested in new versions of his stories. Carrie, his first published novel, is a classic, largely due to its previous adaptations. The 1976 film directed by Brian De Palma is often hailed as one of the best horror movies ever made, creating a tough standard for any future attempts. Despite this, we’ve also seen a TV movie in 2002 and a remake in 2013. The story is so well-known that the character’s name has become shorthand for any disastrous high school prom experience.

As a big fan of the source material, I’ve heard they’re making some interesting changes for the new adaptation. Apparently, the story will kick off right after Carrie’s dad passes away – something that doesn’t happen in the book! But honestly, it’s not enough to just change things up. The show really needs to bring something fresh to the table and build real tension, not just rely on recreating that infamous pig’s blood scene to keep us hooked. It needs to be more than just a remake; it needs to matter.

What Will Stephen King’s Untitled Sequel To The Talisman And Black House Be?

As of early 2024, Stephen King fans were eagerly anticipating the release of Never Flinch and were counting down the days. However, as of today, there are no announcements about a new book coming in 2026. Currently, there isn’t a Stephen King novel scheduled for release in the near future.

Things are likely to change, but Stephen King has consistently released at least one new book every year since 1976, between the publication of Salem’s Lot and The Shining. And it looks like that pattern will continue – we even have a good idea of what his next book will be. He finished the first draft of The Talisman 3 earlier this year, a sequel fans have been waiting for since Black House came out in 2001. While we don’t have a release date yet, we know it’s on its way.

Okay, so if you haven’t read The Talisman, let me fill you in. This book is the second continuation of that story, originally penned by Stephen King and Peter Straub way back in 1984. It all started with a young boy, about twelve, embarking on a dangerous quest to find something that could save his mother from cancer. He had this incredible gift – he could jump between our world and this amazing, fantastical place called The Territories. Now, Black House jumps forward in time. We find Jack, all grown up and a former cop, investigating a really disturbing serial killer. And as he digs deeper, he realizes this case is connected to that magical world he visited as a kid. It’s a clever way to bring everything full circle, and honestly, it’s a pretty gripping setup.

With the passing of Peter Straub in 2022, the upcoming third book will be the first in their series written solely by Stephen King. Though Straub is no longer with us, he will still receive credit for his contribution to the story’s initial concept. King has mentioned that the book draws inspiration from the crimes of Charles Starkweather, but it remains to be seen what direction he’ll take with the continuing story of Jack Sawyer.

Fans are presently starving for plot details… but for now, I’d settle for just a release date.

Will We Be Getting Two More Seasons Of IT: Welcome To Derry?

The first season of IT: Welcome to Derry recently concluded, wrapping up Pennywise’s reign of terror in 1962. However, the story isn’t over. From the start, the show’s creators have planned a three-season arc that will explore Derry’s history by moving backward in time. Season 2 will mainly take place in 1935, and Season 3 will focus on events in the town from 1908.

The main obstacle right now is that HBO hasn’t approved a second season, much less a third.

The decision is surprising for a few key reasons. The network recently renewed two other shows – Season 2 of The Chair Company and Season 4 of House of the Dragon – indicating a willingness to continue successful series. Plus, this show was actually quite popular, launching with the third-highest viewership numbers ever for an HBO Max debut (behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us, according to The Wrap), and its audience continued to grow throughout the season, with the finale achieving the highest ratings of its first season (as reported by Deadline).

We don’t know why HBO hasn’t officially greenlit the show yet, but I’m hoping it’s because the team is working on a deal for multiple seasons. This would allow them to fully realize their vision for IT: Welcome To Derry. Getting a multi-season commitment would be fantastic, as it would let the writers subtly introduce ideas for future seasons without worrying about storylines that might not pay off.

As soon as we have any updates on the Stephen King series, you’ll find the latest information right here on TopMob.

Any Progress For Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower Is Good News

Finally, let’s talk about Mike Flanagan again. While he’s known for Carrie, that’s not his only Stephen King project. He’s currently directing a new Exorcist movie with Scarlett Johansson for Universal, and he’s still determined to make a faithful adaptation of The Dark Tower.

It’s been three years since Mike Flanagan secured the rights to adapt Stephen King’s sprawling Dark Tower series. While updates have been scarce, Flanagan has consistently expressed confidence in the project. He’s compared the complex process of getting it made to steering a massive oil tanker, and explained that adapting the books is particularly challenging because they draw on so many different stories and ideas from throughout Stephen King’s work.

I don’t expect any major announcements about casting or filming starting anytime soon. However, I’m optimistic that throughout 2026, we’ll get some positive updates about The Dark Tower that will reassure fans that Mike Flanagan is still working towards making his vision a reality.

That brings us to the end of this week’s King Beat! I hope you’re feeling positive about what’s to come as we approach 2026. Just a heads-up that there won’t be a new column next Thursday, January 1st, but I’ll be back on TopMob with more Stephen King news and commentary on January 8th. Happy holidays to all my fellow Constant Readers!

Read More

2025-12-25 20:10