Summary
Stephen Kingfans have gotten to see many engaging movies based on his work this year, and there’s truly something for everyone.Audiences lovedThe Life of Chuck’s moving tale of a man named Chuck Krantz, and Osgood Perkins took onThe Monkeyand made it a wild, creative, and unforgettable film that got horror fans talking. King’s great work is also being turned into compelling stories for the small screen, and while fans areenjoying MGM+‘sThe Institute, they can also look forward toIT: Welcome to Derrypremiering on HBO Max this October.
While there are even more King movies to keep an eye out for, includingThe Long WalkandThe Running Manin September and November 2025, it’s also fun to reflect back on his large body of work. Although this series didn’t get as much attention as it could have, there is one adaptation of King’s work that deserves a second look.
Stephen King Loves Lisey’s Story, Which Is An Underrated AppleTV+ Miniseries With Only 53% On Rotten Tomatoes
During a 2023 Reddit Q&A (viaFar Out Magazine),Stephen King was asked about his favorite novel, and he saidLisey’s Story. The AppleTV+ miniseries was released in 2021 and hasn’t been very popular since. It also has a lackluster Rotten Tomatoes rating of 53% with a 48% score on the Popcornmeter. However, it’s worth checking out thanks to the strong acting, writing, and compelling themes.
Lisey’s Storyfollows the main characterLisey Landon who is grieving the death of her husband Scott, who was a famous writer. It’s a creepy, haunting, sad, and unforgettable tale aboutlove, family, life, and death. The miniseries stars Julianne Moore and Clive Owen in the main roles with Michael Pitt, Joan Allen, and Jennifer Jason Leigh rounding out the cast. Similar toMike Flanagan’s movie adaptation ofThe Life of Chuck, which explores the various life stages of one character,Lisey’s Storydeals with heavy and emotional themes.It also veers into some fantasy elements, which King excels at. The story plays with the line between reality and dreams, and it’s fascinating.
Lisey’s Storyis also special becauseKing wrote all eight episodes of the miniseries. While other talented filmmakers and showrunners have taken on his work, andKing has shared how he feels about that, it’s cool when he gets the chance to do it himself. In an interview withEntertainment Weeklywhen the show was about to premiere, he said:
“They’re all my favorites. I love them all…This is a little bit difficult to love, but I’ve always loved the story, and that’s the reason I got involved. I held on to this one for myself because I thought at some point I would love to be involved with writing it and guiding it to completion, and to be able to do that is just a wonderful gift.”
Stephen King Has Written Other Great TV And Movie Adaptations Of His Work
While he isn’t as heavily involved with other TV adaptations, such asHBO Max’s upcoming prequelIT: Welcome to Derry, King has written all the episodes of a few of the shows based on his work. BesidesLisey’s Story, he wrote all four episodes ofthe 1994The Standminiseries.
The author has penned screenplays for several of his movie adaptations including1989’sPet Sematary,Silver Bullet, Cat’s Eye,The Dead Zone,Sleepwalkers, andCreepshow. While it’s interesting to see how other artists interpret and bring his work to life, it’s also cool to see the vision that King has since he’s the one who crafted these creepy and compelling stories in the first place.
