9 Best Stephen King Adaptations That Aren’t Horror

When you hear Stephen King’s name, you’ll likely think of horror, and we don’t blame you, given just how many iconic stories and adaptations in this genre he’s either created or been a part of. 

But interestingly enough, some of the best King adaptations aren’t horror at all. The ones mentioned here became known less for scares and more for the heart, hope, and deeply human storytelling. Many of his most resonant stories deal with existential dread, not just the supernatural. 

People often forget he’s written stories without monsters. Maybe that’s because his non-horror tales hide their own kind of darkness, the kind found in people. This list highlights nine of the best King adaptations that prove he’s not just the master of horror, but also a master of general storytelling.

1. 11.22.63 (2016)
2. Mr. Mercedes (2017-2019)
3. Dolores Claiborne (1995)
4. Stand by Me (1986)
5. The Long Walk (2025)
6. The Running Man (1987)
7. The Life of Chuck (2024) 
8. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
9. The Green Mile (1999)

11.22.63 (2016)

11.22.63 is a one-season limited series adaptation of King’s novel of the same name. It stars James Franco as Jake Epping, a high school teacher who finds a portal that takes him back to 1960. His mission becomes to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

What makes it interesting is how grounded the story feels despite the wild and intriguing concept. Instead of focusing on the usual time-travel gadgets or sci-fi shenanigans, the show tells a very genuine story and depicts how a character would actually act in a scenario such as this. Jake falls in love and struggles with the moral weight of his choices, and learns that altering one event can mess up a hundred others.

Mr. Mercedes (2017-2019)

If you’re into detective stories with a bit of grit and obsession thrown in, Mr. Mercedes might be your thing. It’s based on King’s Bill Hodges Trilogy, which includes Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch.

Instead of horror, this story deals with a retired detective, Bill Hodges (played by the brilliant Brendan Gleeson), who can’t let go of a case involving a man who once drove a stolen Mercedes through a crowd of job seekers.

King himself actually appeared in a cameo during the show’s run. And even though it starts as a pretty straightforward crime thriller, it slowly gets into deeper themes. 

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

This is a psychological drama based on King’s 1992 novel of the same name. It stars Kathy Bates as Dolores and Jennifer Jason Leigh as her daughter. The story is of a woman accused of murdering her employer on a remote Maine island, and her daughter arrives to figure things out.

Directed by Taylor Hackford, the film blends mystery and family drama in a way that feels slow-burning and personal, and uses a non-linear narrative structure to figure out this mystery.  King’s writing has always thrived on characters trapped by their own pasts, and Dolores Claiborne captures that perfectly without ever needing a horror element. 

Stand by Me (1986)

If there’s one film that proves King can tell heartfelt stories of a different genre, it’s Stand by Me. Based on his novella The Body, it follows four boys who set off to find the body of a missing kid. Sounds dark, right? But somehow it turns into one of the warmest, most nostalgic coming-of-age movies of its time. 

King has said in interviews that Stand By Me was one of his favorite adaptations of his work, mostly because it captured the spirit of childhood exactly how he remembered it. It was also the first non-horror adaptation of his works. 

The Long Walk (2025)

Now here’s one that took a long time to make it to the screen. The Long Walk, based on King’s 1979 novel, finally got its adaptation in 2025, and it’s every bit as dark and thought-provoking as the book.  

The story is set in a near-future dystopia where 50 teenage boys (100 in the book) volunteer and are forced to walk about 400 miles without stopping. If they stop, they’re shot after a few warnings. The last one standing gets whatever they want as a wish fulfillment. 

Director Francis Lawrence (known for The Hunger Games films) did a great job of making a movie work with the book’s structure, where it's pretty much 100+ minutes of characters just talking to each other. Great performances and genuine, well-written dialogue helped a lot, too.

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The Running Man (1987)

The Running Man is another dystopian action film, based on King’s 1982 book (written under his pseudonym Richard Bachman). The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards in a world where a game show hunts convicts for sport and entertainment.

The original 1982 novel is significantly darker, more political, and features a protagonist who is cynical. The movie adaptation is very loose compared to the novel, which King has criticized, but it still made for a good movie. The upcoming adaptation by Edgar Wright, which hits theaters on November 14, looks to be more faithful, though. 

The Life of Chuck (2024) 

The Life of Chuck is one of the most unusual King stories adapted, and surprisingly, one of the most uplifting. The movie comes from King’s collection, If It Bleeds, and the 2025 film adaptation really leans into the strange and emotional beauty of the source material.

It stars Tom Hiddleston as Chuck, a regular guy whose life unfolds in reverse—starting with his death and ending with his childhood. Mike Flanagan, a name known for King adaptations at this point, directed it, but unlike his usual spooky tone, this one’s more reflective and emotional.

It’s about how every small moment matters, including the quiet parts nobody notices until it’s too late. It’s still mysterious and eerie in moments (because, well, Stephen King), but it’s also hopeful. 

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Shawshank Redemption is not only the best King adaptation, but also one of the greatest movies of all time. Directed by Frank Darabont, it’s based on King’s novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (1982) from his collection Different Seasons, which itself included four stories that were similarly more grounded and not horror-like. 

The story follows Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins), a banker who gets wrongly imprisoned for murder, and his friend Red (Morgan Freeman), as they navigate life inside Shawshank prison and imagine hope outside it. 

King himself admitted he wasn’t sure the story would translate to a film since it lacked his usual monsters and horror. Yet director Darabont believed the story’s heart and friendship, and the titular redemption arc, made it worthwhile to adapt.

The Green Mile (1999)

The runner-up in the best King adaptations after Shawshank was also directed by Frank Darabont. The movie is based on King’s 1996 novel The Green Mile. 

The supernatural elements are subtle, but the outstanding drama isn’t. The performances are very strong across the board, especially by leads Tom Hanks and the late Michael Clarke Duncan. The film had a budget of $60 million and grossed about $286.8 million, quite a feat for a slower drama movie of its type.