Fans of Stephen King‘s work will know that when it comes to adapting his novels for the small screen, the results can oftentimes be hit or miss. Thankfully, in 2016, his sci-fi thriller that brought one of his most ambitious novels to life was a massive success, as Constant Readers everywhere had been clamoring for an adaptation since its publication in 2011. Premiering as a Hulu Original, it’s now making its way to Netflix for the first time ever, giving even more people the chance to fall in love with this brilliant series.
Titled 11.22.63, the miniseries tells the tale of Jake Epping (James Franco), a divorced English teacher who is given the chance to go back in time and stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The eight-episode series was first released on Hulu back in 2016, and since then, it’s bounced around various streaming services such as Tubi, but for the most part, it’s only been available to rent or purchase on digital platforms. Now, 11.22.63 is headed to Netflix in the United States for the very first time, and will be available to stream starting January 7, 2026.
Also starring Chris Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Lucy Fry, George MacKay, and Daniel Webber as Lee Harvey Oswald, 11.22.63 is billed as a sci-fi thriller, but in reality its mix of different things – including drama and romance – which all work together to tell a compelling “What If” narrative that builds massive amounts of suspense the longer it goes. Playing with themes of time travel, free will, and obsession, 11.22.63 is one of those shows that will stay with you, mostly due to Franco’s incredible performance as Epping. Check out the synopsis below:
“Jake Epping (Franco), a recently divorced English teacher from Lisbon, Maine, is presented with the chance to travel back in time to 1960 by his long-time friend Al Templeton (Cooper). He is persuaded into going in an attempt to prevent the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963; however, he becomes attached to the life he makes in the past, which could be the mission’s undoing. He must find a way to secretly gather information about people and events leading up to the assassination while also creating and maintaining a new life to avoid suspicion.”
What Does Stephen King Think of ‘11.22.63’?
While the small screen adaptation of 11.22.63 did change a few things from King’s novel, the celebrated author was okay with the likes of executive producers J.J. Abrams, Bridget Carpenter, and Bryan Burk taking some creative liberties with the source material. In fact, King himself served as an EP on the series, meaning he was in close contact with everyone throughout. The results, he told Fast Company nearly a decade ago, managed to capture the essence of what he was trying to say in the novel:
“The best adaptations of my work are not slavish. They take liberty, and this is really in line with the spirit of the story, and I approve wholeheartedly.”
Look for 11.22.63 to debut on Netflix on Jan. 7, 2026.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
