If there’s one thing that’s as prolific as horror author Stephen King himself, it’s the world of Stephen King adaptations. It was recently announced, for starters, that the author’s killer dog classic Cujo is headed back to the screen with a new adaptation in the works from Netflix with Black Swan filmmaker Darren Aronofsky in talks to direct. […]
The year is packed with adaptations in film and series form. Here are six upcoming Stephen King adaptations arriving in 2025.
The Monkey – April 4 (PVOD), June 24 (Blu-ray)
In case you missed this raucous movie in theaters, writer-director Oz Perkins‘ zany adaptation of King’s short story from 1985’s Skeleton Crew came to PVOD this week before releasing on Blu-ray in June. The gory horror-comedy unleashes a series of outrageous deaths that tear a family apart when twin brothers discover a mysterious wind-up monkey in the attic. With brisk storytelling efficiency and a playful spirit, The Monkey delivers a Stephen King adaptation like no other. Perkins pushes back against logic in favor of entertaining midnight madness, and death has never been funnier or gorier as a result. Theo James pulls double duty as the central twins, but the film also stars Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy. It’s NOW AVAILABLE on PVOD at home.
The Life of Chuck – June 6 (Theaters)
The modern king of King adaptations, Mike Flanagan, leaves horror behind in favor of a life-affirming movie based on King‘s novella from his 2020 collection If It Bleeds. It’s a genre-bending story that explores the life of Charles Krantz in three chapters, serving as a celebration of our existence and mortality. It’s the type of sugary-sweet story that plays like a warm hug and one that works best when operating on an intimate level. Tom Hiddleston stars in the title role, but the ensemble cast is stacked with frequent Flanagan collaborators, including but not limited to Annalise Basso, Samantha Sloyan, Jacob Tremblay, Kate Siegel, and Mark Hamill.
The Long Walk – September 12 (Theaters)
Constantine and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes director Francis Lawrence helms this adaptation of King’s 1979 dystopian novel, penned by Strange Darling filmmaker J.T. Mollner, about a group of teen boys sent on an annual death march contest. Their ruthless trek must be nonstop and under strict rules until only one of them is left standing. The story tells of a 16-year-old walker named Raymond Garraty and the teens – some good, some bad, some mysterious – in his orbit. King penned The Long Walk under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson will lead the ensemble that also includes stars Charlie Plummer (Spontaneous), Joshua Odjick (Welcome to Derry), Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit), Judy Greer (Halloween 2018, Cursed), Mark Hamill (The Life of Chuck, “The Fall of the House of Usher”), and more.
The Running Man – November 7 (Theaters)
Production has wrapped on The Running Man from director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and Paramount is set to release the newest adaptation of King‘s 1982 novel just in time for the holidays. Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, a desperate man who participates in a violent reality show in which hunters try to kill him in order to win enough money to save his gravely ill daughter. It’s safe to assume that we can expect a very different adaptation from the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Katy O’Brian, Daniel Ezra, Karl Glusman, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Jayme Lawson, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, David Zayas, Sean Hayes, and Colman Domingo also star.
IT: Welcome to Derry – 2025 TBD
Photograph by Brooke Palmer/HBO
HBO returns to the world of Stephen King’s horror classic IT with the nine episode prequel series expected to arrive this year. Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise the Clown, with the series’ story kicking off in 1962 to explore the time leading up to the events of It: Chapter One (2017). Andy Muschietti & Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs are on board the Pennywise prequel, with Muschietti directing several episodes. More specifically, the series will tell the stories of Mike Hanlon’s writings, interludes and interviews that highlight the festering presence of Pennywise in the small Maine town. Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (“Watchmen”), Chris Chalk (“Perry Mason”), James Remar (Oppenheimer), Madeleine Stowe (Revenge) and Stephen Rider (Daredevil) also star in the upcoming IT prequel. The inaugural season will be the first of three planned seasons.
The Institute – 2025 TBD
An adaptation of King’s 2019 novel will arrive in the form of a streaming television series from MGM+, likely to arrive sometime this year. The first image, above, was unveiled in December 2024, with news that King himself had come on board as executive producer, further reinforcing expectations for a 2025 premiere. The eight-episode series from creator/producer Benjamin Cavell (Justified, The Stand) follows 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis as he’s kidnapped and brought to The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did, and who are all possessed of unusual abilities. Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone) stars as Tim Jamieson, a former officer looking for a fresh start only to find himself on a collision path with Luke. Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Simone Miller (Run The Burbs) and Jason Diaz (Vampire Academy) also star.
