10 Unadapted Stephen King Stories That Deserve Their Own Movies

Autopsy Room Four

The intense survival horror story 'Autopsy Room Four' from Stephen King's collection 'Six Stories' and 'Everything's Eventual' is a gripping tale that demands a full-length movie adaptation. The story follows Howard, a golfer who regains consciousness on a mortuary slab, paralyzed and unable to communicate his aliveness to the technicians preparing his autopsy. This premise sets the stage for a deliriously terrifying survival horror experience that, if adapted for the big screen, could draw inspiration from claustrophobic thrillers like 2010's 'Buried'.

A dead man lies on a mortuary slab as gloved hands write notes in Nightmares and Dreamscapes - Autopsy Room Four

The Man in the Black Suit

Stephen King's 'The Man in the Black Suit' is a period horror story collected in 'Everything's Eventual' that deserves a compelling movie adaptation. The tale recounts an unsettling incident from a boy's childhood as he encounters the eponymous Man in the Black Suit while fishing by a river. This rare period horror story by King offers a nostalgic setting reminiscent of classic writers like Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, making it a unique and compelling choice for a movie adaptation.

Illustrator Cody AJ Simpson's interpretation of Stephen King's Man In The Black Suit

The Library Policeman

One of Stephen King's darkest and most chilling stories, 'The Library Policeman', is a Lovecraftian piece that presents a mix of cosmic horror and shockingly realistic depictions of childhood trauma. While it may be tough to adapt, recent successful adaptations of King's work, such as 'Gerald's Game', demonstrate that even his harshest stories can be translated into terrifying horror movies with sensitivity. Therefore, 'The Library Policeman' deserves a screen adaptation that captures its eerie and unsettling essence.

A cover image for Stephen King's The Library Policeman depicting a hand emerging from a book

I Am the Doorway

One of Stephen King's scariest stories, 'I Am the Doorway' from 'Night Shift', delves into gruesome sci-fi body horror that showcases King at his strangest. The tale follows an astronaut who returns to Earth only to realize he has become an unwilling conduit for an extra-dimensional entity. The trippy and grotesque horror of 'I Am the Doorway' would be brought vividly to life onscreen, offering a unique and chilling experience for horror movie enthusiasts.

A bandaged hand thrust into the sky on the beach in a short film adaptation of I Am The Doorway

Uncle Otto’s Truck

Stephen King's 'Uncle Otto’s Truck' from 'Skeleton Crew' presents a grim and surreal chiller that could make a great psychological thriller on the big screen. The story follows a murderous businessman who becomes convinced that his truck has taken on a life of its own after crushing his partner. A movie adaptation could toy with the audience's expectations, blurring the line between supernatural and psychological elements, resulting in a gripping and thought-provoking psychological thriller.

A man stands in front of a truck in Uncle Otto's Truck, a short film

Rest Stop

The King story 'Rest Stop' offers all the ingredients of a fun action-comedy that would resonate with movie audiences. The tale revolves around a mild-mannered mystery writer who, influenced by his hard-bitten detective alter-ego, intervenes in a domestic disturbance at a rest stop bathroom. This darkly humorous and potentially hilarious action-comedy, if adapted for the big screen, would explore the writer's struggle to reconcile his tough alter-ego with his real-life self, offering an entertaining and engaging movie experience.

A rest stop sign splattered with blood

Rainy Season

Stephen King's 'Rainy Season' from 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' is among his strangest stories that deserve a full-length movie adaptation. The tale features a couple who face a surreal curse involving razor-toothed toads in a small town, offering a premise better suited to a feature film adaptation than an anthology segment. A movie version of 'Rainy Season' could expand on the strange town's surreal curse, delivering a captivating and visually stunning surreal scarefest for moviegoers.

One for the Road

Set three years after 'Salem’s Lot', 'One for the Road' follows a group of barflies attempting to rescue a stranded motorist who left his family in the vampire-infested town. With its compressed timescale, limited cast, and a nasty final twist, 'One for the Road' holds the potential to be a terrifying single-location siege horror akin to '30 Days of Night'. A standalone horror story, 'One for the Road' is ripe for a compelling and chilling movie adaptation that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats.

A vampire body taps on his friend's window in the infamous Salem's Lot window scene

The Road Virus Heads North

Stephen King's 'The Road Virus Heads North' from 'Everything’s Eventual' is a propulsive horror story that demands a feature film adaptation. The tale follows a hapless hero attempting to outrun a haunted painting he acquired at a yard sale, offering a gripping and intense chase thriller premise. A full-blown feature film adaptation of 'The Road Virus Heads North' could amplify the protagonist’s growing desperation, delivering an impactful and intense horror experience for movie enthusiasts.

A painting of a grinning fanged driver in Stephen King's The Road Virus Heads North from Nightmares and Dreamscapes

The Reach

Collected in 'Skeleton Crew', Stephen King's 'The Reach' is a moving and elegiac tragedy that showcases King’s considerable range beyond horror. The tale depicts a lonely elderly woman hearing messages from lost loved ones, urging her to join them on the other side. While it may offer a less scary adaptation, recent King adaptations like 'Dolores Claiborne' and 'The Green Mile' prove that King's work extends beyond horror. An adaptation of 'The Reach' could remind viewers of the author’s poignant and emotional storytelling, offering a more sedate and emotionally resonant movie experience.