From Salem's Lot to The Monkey: All 8 Upcoming Stephen King Adaptations We Can't Wait For
There are never too many King movies.
On September 21, the master of childhood traumas and nightmares, Stephen King, turned 77. As one of the most prolific contemporary authors, King has a particularly colorful collection of film adaptations.
As the number of new novels grows, so does the number of adaptations, some of which will be released in the coming years.
1. Salem's Lot
Release Date: October 3, 2024
The production of a new film adaptation of Salem's Lot was announced several years ago, but due to numerous delays, the film was pushed back to 2024. It is known that the premiere of Salem's Lot will take place directly on Max, bypassing a wide release.
The plot revolves around writer Ben Mears, who returns to his hometown of Salem's Lot to write a new book, only to discover that the town is inhabited by vampires.
2. The Life of Chuck
Release Date: TBA
One of the most anticipated films of 2024 is the sci-fi drama The Life of Chuck, from acclaimed horror filmmaker and Stephen King fan Mike Flanagan. Less than a month ago, The Life of Chuck was presented at the Toronto Film Festival, where it won the audience award.
The movie is based on the story of the same name, which is dedicated to the life and death of Charles "Chuck" Krantz, who lives in a haunted house. In an interview, Flanagan said that he was inspired by the most soulful and nostalgic King adaptations: Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile. Despite the positive response, the film has yet to receive an international release date, but it is likely that we will not have to wait long.
3. The Monkey
Release Date: February 21, 2025
The Monkey is another upcoming King adaptation with an impressive all-star cast including Theo James, Elijah Wood and Tatiana Maslany. The film is directed and written by Oz Perkins, the creator of the recent horror hit Longlegs.
The Monkey is based on the author's 1980 short story of the same name. The main characters, twin brothers, find a cursed wind-up monkey in the attic of their house. The boys manage to get rid of the toy, but years later it returns.
4. The Long Walk
Release Date: TBA
The Long Walk is a project that has been waiting to be made for more than 30 years. In 1988, George Romero himself expressed interest in adapting the novel, but nothing came of it.
Francis Lawrence became the new director of the movie. The son of Philip Seymour-Hoffman, Cooper Hoffman was cast in the lead role. Charlie Plummer, Mark Hamill and Judy Greer will also appear in The Long Walk.
The events take place in a totalitarian future world where people are forced to participate in a deadly competition. A hundred young men, under the control of armed soldiers, must walk along a long path, not stopping for a minute. Those who lag behind will be mercilessly shot, and there will be only one winner.
5. Billy Summers
Release Date: TBA
The detective novel Billy Summers, released in 2021, is one of King's best novels, at least in recent years.
The plot revolves around sniper Billy Summers, a former Iraq War veteran who works as a contract killer. Billy decides to complete one last job and retire from criminal activity, but in doing so, he becomes a target for the mob.
The Billy Summers adaptation will be produced by JJ Abrams' Bad Robot, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio 's Appian Way. It is rumored that Abrams will direct and DiCaprio will star.
6. The Institute
Release Date: TBA
In mid-2014, MGM Studios began development on a film adaptation of Stephen King's science fiction novel The Institute. The miniseries is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video next year. A total of eight episodes are planned.
The series will revolve around a teenage prodigy who is kidnapped for experiments at a secret government lab. King's book has often been compared to Stranger Things, but it remains to be seen whether the show's creators will adhere to the same stylistic concept.
7. The Running Man
Release Date: TBA
Edgar Wright has his eye on one of Stephen King's most famous works, The Running Man. The first adaptation of the book was released in 1987 and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.
According to Wright, his version of The Running Man will be more of a remake of Paul Michael Glaser's thriller and less of a reimagining of King's text. The movie of the same name had little in common with the book, and largely lampooned pop culture.
The plot of The Running Man is devoted to a dystopian television competition in which contestants risk their lives for a large cash prize. The main character, Ben Richards, is forced to enter the competition in order to save his ill daughter.
8. It: Welcome to Derry
Release Date: 2025
Welcome to Derry is not quite an adaptation, but still a story connected with Stephen King. HBO Max is preparing a prequel to the It duology, the plot of which will be devoted to the origin of Pennywise. As before, Bill Skarsgard will play the role of the villain.
The starting point for the series was the Derry backstory from the original novel, but King was not involved in writing the script in any way. The showrunners of Welcome to Derry are the creators of It, Andy and Barbara Muschietti.