In recent years, there have been many modern adaptations of legendary horror author Stephen King's most notable works. Andy Muschietti brought It to life with a modern adaptation that delivered two films filled with terror led by Bill Skarsgard’s iconic performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Mike Flanagan gained a prominent reputation as the king of King adaptations with Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. Streaming services have also been pumping out new takes with Paramount+’s take on The Stand, Creepshow having been revived on Shudder, and Hulu's ode to the author's fictional universe, Castle Rock.
Believe it or not, there are even more adaptations of King’s stories coming in 2022 and beyond, with most hitting the big screen. For the most part, not much is known about where upcoming adaptations are at in their development, but some are right around the corner. Blumhouse is actually set to kick off their summer slate with a new take on Firestarter and there are plenty of exciting adaptations set to follow, some more exciting than others.
10. Pet Sematary (Prequel)
Of all the upcoming King adaptations, the upcoming Paramount+ Pet Sematary prequel is easily the riskiest by far – mainly because it’s not a story that comes from King.
The prequel is an original idea from writer Jeff Bruhl that’ll uncover the origins of the cursed burial ground and feature a younger version of Jud Crandall, played by Jackson White. This prequel story, currently being helmed by Lindsey Beer, certainly shows potential to build on the story’s lore and have more surprises than the 2019 adaptation, but fans should be wary of uncharted territory.
9. From a Buick 8
From a Buick 8 is one of the stranger stories to come from King. It features a haunted car, something that’s not too unusual for King, but it comes with a Lovecraftian twist.
It’s the story of a police officer discovering a horrifying truth about his father connected to a monstrous entity embodied in the titular Buick 8. No doubt, this premise could deliver a unique adaptation, especially if someone special steps in front of the camera. Currently, actor Thomas Jane, who’s been a part of some of the best King adaptations including The Mist and 1922, is working behind the scenes on the adaptation, but could easily end up being its star.
8. Firestarter
Currently, Blumhouse’s upcoming adaptation of Firestarter is the only one on this list that has a trailer, but that trailer didn’t exactly give the best first impression.
In terms of the tone and some visual effects presented, Firestarter looks a little rough around the edges. However, the film starring the likes of Ryan Kiera Armstrong as a young girl dealing with dangerous fire powers and Zac Efron as her protective father shows some promise, especially with The Vigil’s Keith Thomas directing.
7. The Long Walk
There are a lot of reasons to be excited for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark director Andre Ovredal’s upcoming adaptation of The Long Walk.
It's a dystopian story of a large group of boys being forced to walk or die presents an intensely suspenseful story and Ovredal is more than capable of delivering tense and terrifying experiences, but there hasn’t been any update in a while. To be fair, Ovredal has been busy and new news on The Long Walk could be just around the corner, hopefully.
6. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone
An adaptation of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, a short story that’s a part of the short story collection If It Bleeds, is in the works at Netflix with The Little Things’ John Lee Hancock directing.
There’s certainly a lot to be excited about with this adaptation as Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell are set to star and Netflix has gained a reputation for having great King adaptations. The modern updates of turning the titular haunted phone into a smartphone could see some ire from fans, but it could turn fans around when a trailer eventually drops before it hits Netflix sometime in 2022.
5. Christine
A Christine remake is currently in the works at Blumhouse with Hannibal (TV Series) creator Bryan Fuller set to direct the film. Often cited as one of King's best novels, there's a lot of fanfare around the possibility of a modern-day take.
John Carpenter’s 1983 adaptation set a high bar with how it delivered an authentic portrayal of the novel as well as some heart-pounding scares. While it’s a little tough to see the iconic Plymouth car fitting in the modern era, a modern Christine adaptation could be a big hit and producer Jason Blum has talked about the film’s script being done and production possibly starting this year.
4. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Director Lynne Ramsay has flirted with the horror genre with her previous films, like You Were Never Really Here, but it looks like she’s diving headfirst into the genre with her upcoming adaptation of King’s 1999 cult hit The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.
Following many of King's favorite tropes while delivering on some new twists, this is considered one of his best novels of the '90s. The novel’s story of a young girl becoming lost in the woods and hunted by a dangerous force feels right up Ramsey’s alley for personal horror stories and is definitely one to watch out for as more news comes out about it.
3. The Running Man
While many King fans were upset that Paul Michael Glaser’s 1987 adaptation of The Running Man largely departed from the source material, fans should be thrilled to know that a more faithful adaptation is coming from Edgar Wright.
The Last Night in Soho director is currently set to create a more faithful adaptation of King’s 1982 dystopian novel that sees a man on the run as he becomes the bounty for the general public. Not much is known about where the film is at, but Wright’s involvement gives The Running Man some promise.
2. Salem’s Lot
Another adaptation of King’s 1975 novel Salem’s Lot is currently set to release this September and is helmed by Annabelle Comes Home director Gary Dauberman.
The film, which tells the story of a struggling writer returning to his hometown for inspiration only to find that it’s in control of a bloodthirsty vampire, boasts an impressive cast with Luke Pullman leading and Alfre Woodard, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbaek, and Spencer Treat Clark in supporting roles. Look for Salem’s Lot to possibly be one of the biggest horror films of the fall.
1. The Boogeyman
Director Rob Savage has been on a hot streak with Host and Dashcam and now is about to deliver his biggest film yet with his upcoming adaptation of King’s short story The Boogeyman for Hulu.
Recently, the film added stars like Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland, Madison Yu, and more. The writing team on it, including A Quiet Place writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and Malignant’s Akela Cooper, is top notch and Savage could have a breakout film on his hands.