5 Stephen King Movie Adaptations He Likes (And 5 He Openly Dislikes)

While Stephen King’s prowess as an author cannot be understated, some of the film adaptations of his works… well... leave something to be desired. And, as it happens, King knows this better than anyone.

The author has been candid over the years about which movies nailed the spirit of his work, and which ones completely missed the point. So, here are five King movie adaptations he’s openly praised, and five he had no problem criticizing.

Good Review: Stand by Me (1986)
Good Review: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Good Review: Misery (1990)
Good Review: The Green Mile (1999)
Good Review: The Mist (2007)
Bad Review: The Shining (1980)
Bad Review: The Lawnmower Man (1992)
Bad Review: Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Bad Review: Firestarter (1984)
Bad Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

Good Review: Stand by Me (1986)

This one might be the gold standard. Adapted from King’s novella The Body, Stand by Me is famously one of his personal favorites. It’s emotional and deeply human, with King saying that he was genuinely moved after seeing it for the first time. There’s something about the sense of grief and fleeting youth that hits the heart stronger than any killer clown.

Good Review: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Another non-horror win. King has repeatedly said he loves Shawshank, and honestly, who wouldn’t? Frank Darabont’s adaptation turned a short novella into one of the most beloved films of all time. It’s faithful, restrained, and emotionally devastating in the best way, which is exactly why King respects it.

Good Review: Misery (1990)

If there’s one thing King will always praise here, it’s Kathy Bates. Her portrayal of Annie Wilkes terrified him, and that’s saying something! Misery sticks closely to the book’s core tension and nails the psychological horror without going off the rails. King has called it one of the adaptations that truly understood his work.

Good Review: The Green Mile (1999)

Another Darabont success. King even visited the set of The Green Mile (including sitting in the electric chair, which he later described as deeply unsettling). The casting, tone, and emotional weight all landed exactly where they should, making it one of the most faithful big-screen versions of his work.

As reported by Screen Rant, King shared in Hollywood’s Stephen King that he loved the movie because he’s “a sentimentalist at heart”—despite it getting a “little soft.”

Good Review: The Mist (2007)

Here’s the wild one: King has said the movie’s ending is better than the one he wrote. That bleak, soul-crushing finale was Darabont’s idea, and King has often praised it. It’s rare for an author to admit an adaptation improved their story, but The Mist earned it.

Bad Review: The Shining (1980)

If this is news to you, we’re surprised. King has been very clear: he thinks Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a beautiful movie and a bad adaptation. His biggest issue is that Jack Torrance starts out unhinged instead of slowly unraveling, which guts the tragedy at the heart of the book. While the movie is iconic, it’s far from faithful.

Bad Review: The Lawnmower Man (1992)

This one made King vocally angry. The movie has almost nothing to do with his short story (which involves a goat-man worshipping Pan; long story). The result was a sci-fi VR thriller that slapped King’s name on it for marketing. He won the lawsuit and had his name removed. Message received!

Bad Review: Maximum Overdrive (1986)

King actually directed this himself, only to later admit that it was a mistake. He’s called it a “moron movie,” and while it has a lot of unhinged, chaotic fun, King wouldn’t necessarily call it good.

Bad Review: Firestarter (1984)

Despite being fairly close to the source material, King hated how flat this adaptation felt. He once described it as “flavorless,” which might be the most devastating critique imaginable. Even Drew Barrymore couldn’t save it. That said, as noted by Inverse, King has seemingly softened up on the movie in the years since.

Bad Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

Fans were disappointed. King was disappointed. Everyone was disappointed. King has said the PG-13 rating stripped the story of its toughness, and condensing an eight-book epic into one movie was, well, optimistic at best. Thankfully, he’s since said he trusts Mike Flanagan to finally do it right in an upcoming series.