Movies - TV
7 Stephen King Books That Desperately Need Movie Adaptations
By CAROLINE MADDEN
7. Later
Stephen King’s “Later” follows a teenage boy who can communicate with ghosts. This exploration of mortality combines moments of sadness with gruesome deaths.
The story could intriguingly blend different genres. Blumhouse was set to produce a miniseries starring Lucy Liu, but there have been no updates on the project since 2022.
6. Insomnia
Not to be confused with Christopher Nolan’s film, King’s “Insomnia” tells the story of a man who begins to have unsettling visions and wanders the streets at night.
While there would be challenges to adapting the over 800-page book, it would be interesting to see how a filmmaker interprets the complex inner workings of the protagonist’s mind.
5. The Girl Who Loved
Since King’s “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” takes place in the Appalachian wilderness and would require a limited cast, it could make for a perfect indie film.
However, the film would need to rely on a child actor’s performance as the story follows a nine-year-old girl. An adaptation was announced in 2019, but there have been no updates.
4. Revival
Similar to “Frankenstein,” King’s “Revival” is a critique of religion as it melds existential questioning of our origins and the afterlife with a Lovecraftian finale.
There would be some challenges with making the film, such as needing large-scale visual effects that could be difficult. The story also takes place over several decades.
3. Duma Key
“Duma Key” follows an injured contractor who takes up art again. However, his paintings become supernatural windows into psychic visions and unleash an evil force.
Its reliance on visual mediums makes the story ideal for cinematic interpretation, especially with its vivid tropical setting and labyrinthine mysteries of the shore and sea.