The work of Stephen King has inspired numerous adaptations. With countless films and shows based on King’s literature to choose from, it can often be difficult deciding what to watch. Fortunately, the selection on Netflix makes it quite easy, as there are currently four Stephen King movies you can stream right now.
The filmmaking and storytelling landscapes have changed drastically since King’s first novel, Carrie, was published. Funnily enough, Carrie was also the first adaptation to be released based on a King story. Now Netflix has a surprising set of Stephen King adaptations to choose from which span various different styles and narratives.
The following films were exclusives based on either novels or short stories crafted by Stephen King throughout his career:
Gerald’s Game
The 2017 psychological horror film Gerald’s Game, directed by none other than King fanatic Mike Flanagan, was based on King’s 1992 novel of the same name. Discussions regarding the potential for a Gerald’s Game adaptation surfaced quite frequently since the book was published, though given the story’s setting and concept, it was often believed to be impossible to film.
The story revolves around a woman played by Carla Gugino who finds herself stuck while handcuffed to a bed after her husband has a heart attack during their romantic getaway. Of course, nothing is what it seems in King’s writing, and that’s the case for this film which offers some rather horrifying characters for Gugino’s Jessie Burlingame to face.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is a 2022 film based on a novella of the same name from King’s 2020 collection titled If It Bleeds. John Lee Hancock directed the adaptation which stars Jaeden Martell as young Craig Poole who makes contact with Donald Sutherland’s undead Mr. Harrigan in a very interesting way.
Fans will certainly be interested to see this particular film. King is recognized for the way he portrays his characters over scares, and that’s the case with this effort, which is described as a coming-of-age horror film. The unique combination of iPhones in addition to young Craig and the much older Mr. Harrigan is the perfect setup for a haunting tale of growing up and moving forward.
1922
This King adaptation, released in 2017, is based on the novella of the same name from King’s 2010 story collection Full Dark, No Stars, later released in a stand-alone publication to coincide with the movie. Unlike the two films mentioned so far, this particular story directed by Zak Hilditch is much more overtly a horror film above all else.
Thomas Jane stars as Wilfred “Wilf” Leland James, a man who kills his wife when she wants to sell his farm. He uses his son, Henry “Hank” Freeman James played by Dylan Schmid to help commit the crime, and soon enough, Wilf finds himself haunted by his wife’s ghost, played by Molly Parker as Arlette Christina Winters James. It’s a fairly straight-forward tale that should be sure to deliver some chills for viewers that want a solid ghost story.
In the Tall Grass
Finally, we have In the Tall Grass, Vincenzo Natali’s 2019 effort that, similar to 1922, revolves around a mostly supernatural horror plot. It’s based on the 2012 novella of the same name written by both King and his son, Joe Hill, that was first published in two parts in Esquire magazine.
The film follows Avery Whitted’s Cal and Laysla De Oliveira, a pair of siblings that find themselves entering a grass field in Kansas. Naturally, however, the two find out that the crying child that first lured them into the field is much more than what it appears. The two end up in a nightmarish tale that twists their entire view of reality.
Ultimately, the selection of King movies on Netflix might be short, but there are certainly some solid titles to choose from. The tales range from more overt supernatural horror to somewhat traditional psychological thrillers. Fortunately, there seems to be something for everyone, especially if you’re a Stephen King fan.