The Most Disappointing Stephen King Adaptations

The Shining

Stephen King's novel, The Shining, is one of his most famous works, but the film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick drew criticism from King. King believed that the movie lacked the depth of the original story and dismissed it as 'like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside it.' Despite the film's success, King's dissatisfaction with the adaptation is well-known.

Jack Nicholson peering through a chopped door

Maximum Overdrive

In 1986, Stephen King made his directorial debut with the film adaptation of his short story 'Trucks,' titled Maximum Overdrive. The movie was critically panned, and King himself admitted that he did not know what he was doing. The lack of creativity in the adaptation led King to openly critique it, and he has never attempted to direct a film again.

Green Goblin truck and Emilio Estevez in Maximum Overdrive

The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower series, a sci-fi, space western with elements of horror, was adapted into a movie in 2017. However, the film's attempt to cram the entire saga into a short runtime and its PG-13 rating led to disappointment for King. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the film's flaws, suggesting that the rating was not the only issue.

Abbey Lee and Matthew McConaughey look serious in The Dark Tower

The Tommyknockers

The Tommyknockers, a sci-fi horror story by King, was adapted into a three-hour production that failed to capture the essence of the novel. King revealed that he was in the depths of his addiction while writing the book, and the adaptation likewise lost its way, resulting in critical panning.

The Tommyknockers

Firestarter

The 1984 film adaptation of Firestarter starring Drew Barrymore received mixed reviews from King. However, in more recent years, King has been kinder in his critiques, especially with the upcoming adaptation in 2022, where he focused on the positives and compared it to the earlier film.

Drew Barrymore in a burning barn in Firestarter

Dreamcatcher

King wrote Dreamcatcher during a period of frustration and recovery, and he has since deemed the story one of his worst. The film adaptation, featuring a star-studded cast, received overwhelmingly negative reviews, further solidifying King's disapproval of the project.

Damian Lewis's Jonesy stares at an alien in Dreamcatcher

Graveyard Shift

Graveyard Shift, a short story by King, was adapted into a film that failed to capture the creativity of the original. King openly criticized the adaptation, referring to it as 'just kind of a quick exploitation picture,' which showcased the movie's departure from the source material.

The characters highlighted in red

A Return To Salem’s Lot

A Return To Salem's Lot, a TV movie that aimed to capitalize on the original series, was not well-received by King. He lumped it together with other franchise-building projects and expressed his disapproval of the cheap sequel, highlighting the casting and tie-in to the events of the original series.

a return to salems lot vampire

The Lawnmower Man

The Lawnmower Man, a loose adaptation of King's short story, departed significantly from the source material, leading King to sue the production for using his name in the marketing. The film, which took a more sci-fi horror route, was critically panned, and King officially disassociated himself from the project.

Pierce Brosnan and Jeff Fahey in The Lawnmower Man