Below, we list those movies and TV shows that are currently in the development stage. If you’re a fan of the famed horror author, you will be hoping that the finished products are worthy of his work, i.e. something akin to Misery or Carrie rather than such disappointments as The Lawnmower Man and The Dark Tower that were far removed from King’s original works of fiction. Keep reading to learn more and then leave us a comment about the adaptations you are most looking forward to.
Movies
Salem’s Lot
King’s 1975 novel has been adapted twice before, both times for television, and a movie adaptation is now in the works from Annabelle Comes Home director Gary Dauberman. The movie will retell the story of Ben Mears, the fiction writer who moves back to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot only to discover the townspeople are being turned into vampires. Tobe Hooper’s 1979 TV adaptation was suitably terrifying so here’s hoping this remake, which is expected to land on HBO Max next year, will be just as scary. Expected release date: Sometime in 2023
The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman is an adaptation of the short story that was published in King’s 1978 anthology Night Shift. Host director Rob Savage is at the helm of this new movie which tells the tale of a grieving family whose lives are torn apart by a sadistic presence they discover in their home. Expect the Boogeyman to haunt your living room sometime in 2023 if you’re a Hulu or Disney+ subscriber. Expected release date: Sometime in 2023
Pet Sematary Prequel
Stephen King’s 1983 novel has been adapted twice for the big screen and in 1992, the original movie’s director, Mary Lambert, directed an ill-conceived sequel. Screenwriter Lindsey Beer is at the helm of this prequel movie which focuses on the young Jud Crandall, the man who unwisely told Louis Creed to bury his son in the ancient burial ground that was located near his home. The movie was due to land on Paramount+ this year but as there is no confirmed news of an actual release date, we think it is likely to air next year instead. Expected release date: Late 2022 or sometime in 2023
From a Buick 8
Cold In July director Jim Mickle is directing this movie adaptation of King’s 2002 novel about a group of State Troopers who discover an interdimensional portal in the Buick 8 that is sitting in the station garage. Not even an experienced mechanic can fix that particular problem! The movie, which comes from a new production studio set up by actor Thomas Jane, is currently in the pre-production stage. Expected release date: 2023 or 2024
Fairy Tale
Soon after the release of Stephen King’s Fairy Tale in September 2022, it was announced that Bourne Supremacy director Paul Greengrass was in the process of turning the book into a movie. King’s novel tells the story of a 17-year-old boy who inherits a magical key that allows him to travel to alternate worlds (a plotline similar to The Talisman). A battle between good and evil then unfolds and if you would like to know more about King’s story, you can check out our book review of Fairy Tale here. Expected release date: Sometime in 2024
The Regulators
Stephen King’s 1996 novel (written under the pen name of his alter ego, Richard Bachman) tells the story of the residents of a quiet suburban town whose peaceful existence is shattered when the shotgun-wielding ‘regulators’ turn up in their neighbourhood after being conjured up by a young boy whose body has been taken over by an evil creature. At the time of writing, no director has been attached to the movie which is currently in the early stages of development. Expected release date: TBA
Christine
Stephen King’s 1983 novel about a killer Plymouth Fury was adapted into a movie by John Carpenter soon after its release. A new movie adaptation is now on the way courtesy of Blumhouse with American television writer Bryan Fuller in the director’s chair. The movie, which centres on Archie Cunningham, the teenage owner of the murderous vehicle, now has a completed script according to Jason Blum, but as far as we know it hasn’t yet started filming. Expected release date: Late 2023 or sometime in 2024
The Running Man
Stephen King’s 1982 novel told the tale of a man who was forced to fight for his life when taking part in a deadly reality show. It was a fine work of dystopian fiction but for some reason, Starsky and Hutch actor Paul Michael Glaser turned it into a cheesy action flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The new adaptation is being developed by Edgar Wright so we can assume it will be far more faithful to the book than the sci-fi clunker that came before it. Expected release date: TBA
Elevation
Jack Bender, whose previous Stephen King credits include The Outsider and Mr. Mercedes, is reportedly bringing the author’s 2018 novella to the big screen. King’s story tells the tale of a heavily-built 40-something man who develops a mysterious affliction that causes him to lose weight at a rapid rate. Little is known about the upcoming adaptation at this stage but as Bender has already proven his ability to adapt the author’s work, we expect the movie will be a pretty good one. Expected release date: TBA
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Stephen King’s 1999 novella centres on a 9-year-old girl who, after becoming lost in the wilderness while on a hiking trip, fantasizes about Baseball legend Tom Gordon coming to her rescue. You Were Never Really Here director Lynne Ramsey had been hired to direct the movie adaptation but as there has been little news about the project since its initial announcement (and as the movie isn’t on Ramsay’s IMDB page), we aren’t sure if she is still at the helm. Expected release date: TBA
The Long Walk
King’s 1979 novel follows 100 teenage boys who are selected to take part in a gruelling annual walking contest where one of them will win a cash prize if they make it to the finishing line first. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that any of them will make it to the end as those who don’t maintain a speed of 4 miles per hour will be shot on sight! Filmmaker Andre Ovredal (Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark) will direct the movie adaptation which is currently in pre-production status. Expected release date: Possibly late 2023 or sometime in 2024
Throttle
The 2009 novella by King and his son Joe Hill tells the story of a biker gang who run afoul of a faceless trucker while on the open highway. An adaptation of their work is being developed for HBO Max but no director has been announced for the project at the time of writing. Expected release date: TBA
TV Shows
Billy Summers
Stephen King’s crime novel about the retiring hitman of the title is being turned into a limited series by JJ Abrams. Ed Zwick will direct the series that is currently being shopped around to streaming services and cable networks Expected release date: TBA
Later
Blumhouse is adapting Stephen King’s 2021 novel for the small screen. As the studio’s last collaboration with King – Mr. Harrigan’s Phone – ended up on Netflix, there is a chance that Later could also air on the streaming platform. Lucy Liu will star in the limited series as the mother of a young son who has the ability to communicate with the dead. Expected release date: TBA
The Talisman
The long-awaited adaptation of the fantasy novel from King and co-writer Peter Straub is currently being developed by Steven Spielberg and The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things). The series, which will tell the story of a 12-year-old boy’s journey into an alternate world on a quest to save his dying mother, will one day be released on Netflix. Expected release date: 2023 or 2024
The Jaunt
King’s 1981 short story is set in the future at a time when it is possible to teleport to other planets in the solar system. It focuses on a family who wants to use the universe-hopping technology to travel to Mars but they do so at their own risk, as some people have been driven mad by the teleportation experience. The story is now being turned into a television series by Fear The Walking Dead co-creator Dave Erikson but there is no news of when or where it will be released at this stage. Expected release date: TBA
The Ten 0′ Clock People
Published in the 1993 anthology Nightmare & Dreamscapes, The Ten 0′ Clock People tells the story of a smoker who experiences an unusual side effect when he tries to kick the habit – he discovers the presence of bat-like monsters disguised as people of power! A movie adaptation of King’s story was first announced in 2012 with Fright Night director Tom Holland at the helm but it is now being turned into a television series courtesy of Bosch producer Henrik Bastin. Expected release date: TBA This is all the information we have for now but if new titles are announced or if the listed titles do get a confirmed release date, we aim to update this page with the relevant information. Which Stephen King adaptations are you looking forward to? What is your favourite Stephen King story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
