Whether you like his work or not, you've definitely been exposed to author Stephen King in some way or another from his books, his interviews, and the topic of this article, the adaptations of those books (as well as short stories and novellas). From The Shining and Carrie to the recent two-part adaptation of It and the Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, not to mention TV series like The Outsider and Castle Rock. We're never short on King exposure.
Speaking of the It films, they aren't the first time King's kids vs clown saga has been adapted; most of you will remember the 1990 TV version starring Tim Curry. Since special effects and filming techniques have improved since then, it stood to reason that the story should have another go with a larger budget. Similarly, there's definitely more of King's stories that could really soar with another adaptation. But then again there's just as many that don't.
So here are 5 Stephen King Adaptations That Need Reboots (& 5 That Don't).
10 Needs a Reboot: Cujo
The 1983 film version of Cujo, King's tense thriller about a housewife and her young son who are menaced by a crazed St. Bernard in their broken-down car, is far from a bad adaptation. But while it can be scary at times and both Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro give electric performances as the mother and son, the execution doesn't quite feel fully taken advantage of. Maybe because there's not a lot of tension for half the movie up until Cujo first attacks the duo.
Maybe a reboot could up the tension significantly by starting just at the point when Cujo attacks, and while she's defending herself and her son, the mother could have flashbacks throughout the film to her troubles before this started, including an affair she was trying to end and her husband finding out before leaving for a business trip. Doing this would give the mother's survival more emotional weight and a desire from the audience to see her succeed.
9 Doesn't Need a Reboot: Misery
As much as a remake could be reinterpreted and its commentary on obsessive fans could really skewer today's fan culture, we think that that honor should go to an original film, and that 1990's Misery should go untouched.
Director Rob Reiner's film truly stands out as hallmark of the psychological horror genre, and hits all the right boxes to the extent that it's hard to see what really needs to be improved. From the direction, the pitch-perfect violence, and the stunning performances from Kathy Bates and James Caan, this is one adaptation that deserves its place in film history unaltered.
8 Needs a Reboot: The Running Man
Paul Michael Glaser's 1987 film version of King's novel The Running Man (which the author wrote under his pseudonym Richard Bachman) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger remains a cheesy delight to this day, and also features a great turn from original Family Feud host Richard Dawson as its villain. But it has almost nothing in common with the book that gave it its name.
The original book is much more of a social commentary/thriller, with everyman protagonist Ben Richards willingly signing up for The Running Man as a way to earn the $1 billion prize money for his wife and sick daughter. He can go anywhere at all but must avoid hitmen trying to kill him, and can earn money by killing them as well. A great film concept.
7 Doesn't Need a Reboot: Dolores Claiborne
An underseen adaptation, and another one starring Kathy Bates. Dolores Claiborne focuses on the title character (Bates), a domestic servant who is accused of killing her employer, who must be proven innocent by her estranged journalist daughter Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh).
The film thrives not only on its tone (which combines elements of mystery noirs with family drama) but also its strong depiction of a mother and daughter (whom Bates and Leigh embody greatly) overcoming insurmountable odds, such as previous alcoholism and abuse. A remake might ruin the film's subtle but noteworthy intentions in this area.
6 Needs a Reboot: Crouch End
Included in his Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection, King's short story followed a young American couple who become lost within what seems to be a parallel dimension in the Crouch End district of North London, with the frightened wife telling the story to a pair of bewildered cops. It was adapted into an episode of the 2006 miniseries Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, where it suffered from terrible effects and some wooden performances.
Perhaps a film adaptation with a larger budget and a longer narrative could give this short story the respect it deserves. There's plenty of horror directors out there who could have a ball with the story's Lovecraftian aspects.
5 Doesn't Need a Reboot: Stand By Me
An adaptation of King's 1982 novella The Body, the film Stand By Me remains an enduring and heartwarming movie years after its release. It chronicles the story of four young boys whose friendship and loyalty with each other grow stronger as they make a trek to see a dead body.The story's simple charm and layered performances are what has made it a cultural touchstone, something that a remake couldn't possibly replicate.
4 Needs a Reboot: The Langoliers
Another Lovecraftian-themed short story, King's The Langoliers follows a group of ten passengers who wake up on a flight to discover that they're the only ones left aboard; everyone else has disappeared, leaving personal belongings like handbags behind. They find out they’ve entered a rift in time while passing through an aurora borealis, winding up 15 minutes in the past. When time has been used up, it's then "devoured" by large floating monsters with razor-sharp teeth. The passengers must escape these creatures while they still can and find their way back to the present.
The story was adapted into a two-part TV movie back in 1995 that suffered from some campy acting and downright terrible CGI effects for the creatures. A condensed film with a larger budget and a skilled director could do wonders for this story.
3 Doesn't Need a Reboot: The Dead Zone
Featuring one of Christopher Walken's best performances, The Dead Zone stars the actor as a teacher who develops psychic powers after coming out of a coma, which he then uses to prevent future catastrophes. The film hinges on Walken's performance as well as the moody and tense atmosphere, and still holds up after all these years. We also have a TV show based on the book, so there's not much more that can be done with the property.
2 Needs a Reboot: Thinner
Another book King write under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman, Thinner follows a morbidly obese, upper-class lawyer who accidentally runs over and kills an old gypsy woman, but gets off scot-free since he's connected with the judge and police chief. This doesn't sit well with the woman's even older father, who curses the lawyer to lose massive amounts of weight no matter how much he eats.
The lawyer must find a way to reverse the spell before he's a goner. The 1996 film adaptation isn't great, as it suffers from a cast that both overacts and underacts, as well as using a less than impressive fat suit for the lead, but like The Running Man, is thoroughly entertaining. A reboot however could really hone in on the story's exploration of white privilege in relation to people like Brock Turner and Brett Kavanaugh who have escaped jail time despite being guilty.
1 Doesn't Need a Reboot: The Shawshank Redemption
This Truly one of King's best adaptations, not to mention one of the most adored films of all time. There would surely be backlash if The Shawshank Redemption was remade. From its harsh depiction of prison life and sense of optimism, this film couldn't be recreated even if Hollywood tried their hardest. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman perfectly embodied their roles, and seeing anyone else touch this film's legacy would be a shame.