4 New Stephen King Adaptations That Are Coming Sooner Than You Think

Money loves Stephen King. Box Office Mojo reveals that movies based on his works have grossed over $2 billion. It’s therefore not surprising that more adaptations keep coming out for theaters, streaming, and network television. The revenue for TV shows is rarely made public, but the figures for Stephen King’s small-screen adaptations should be high, too. Regarding physical book sales, King has sold over 400 million copies. According to Parade, he earns between $1 and $3 per copy. That’s more money than an author who doesn’t spend on yachts and Givenchy will ever need.

The dollars won’t stop coming anytime soon. More Stephen King adaptations are on the way, and there’s every reason for fans to be excited since there’s a wide range of items on offer. Most of the upcoming adaptations mine from the classics rather than newer books, yet still offer something different for those in the mood for something fresh, eccentric, and far removed from the beaten path. There’s also a variety of genres, so people who aren’t fond of horror shouldn’t be worried. Just make your pick and enjoy the magic of Stephen King.

For this list, we shall focus on films that have a confirmed cast and crew and are either in the pre-, mid-, or post-production process, rather than those rumored to be in development. Several adaptations have been announced in the past, only for them to be canceled or stalled. Overlook, based on The Shining, is a great example of that.

Here are 4 upcoming Stephen King adaptations that are guaranteed to provide scares.

4

‘The Long Walk’

September 12, 2025

Starring Cooper Hoffman (the great Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s son), The Long Walk is based on Stephen King’s 1979 novel, which was the first novel he ever wrote (during his freshman year at the University of Maine), though not the first one published. It is set in a dystopian United States ruled by a tyrannical regime where an annual waking contest takes place. Participants are required to maintain a speed of at least four miles per hour or risk getting shot and killed.

Walk Faster, or Else

The film’s plot mirrors that of Death Race and The Hunt, so audiences should expect plenty of entertainment. This has also been one of the most troubled Stephen King adaptations as it has been dragged through development hell for years. George A. Romero was meant to direct the film adaptation in 1988, only for plans to fall apart. Frank Darabont, known for his film adaptations of Stephen King novellas and novels like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, then secured the rights, but he, too, couldn’t make something happen. It wouldn’t be until 2023, when Lionsgate Films took over, that the wheels finally started moving.

3

‘It: Welcome to Derry’

October 2025

It: Welcome to Derry is based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel It and serves as a prequel to the high-grossing films It and It Chapter Two. The director and writer duo of Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti is set to return, so fans can be assured of the same level of brilliance. Bill Skarsgård will also reprise his role as Pennywise the Clown from the movies, with the show providing a proper background story to his character.

Details about the plot are limited, but a few sources reveal that the series will be set in 1962 and will involve a couple who dream of a life beyond the bounds of their routine life. They thus move to Derry with their son, just as Pennywise starts causing havoc.

Wait for “It”

There’s always something special about Pennywise stories, especially when observing the characters. Knowing that the creeping clown might eventually kill them all, each person deals with the impending tragedy in their own way. This time, it’ll be interesting to see how the immense horror permeating through a town is juxtaposed with tinier tragedies in two individual lives, and the inherent fissures of a family unit that’s about to fall apart.

It won’t just be a short and sweet affair either. In an interview with Radio TU, Andy Muschietti revealed that the show will draw inspiration from interlude chapters of the book and that the plan is to have three seasons set in 1962, 1935, and 1908, respectively. Why the reverse gear? “There’s a reason why the story is told backwards,” he said. More good news is that Benjamin Walllfisch, who scored the It movies, will also be providing the melodies for the TV show.

2

‘The Running Man’

November 7, 2025

“The Runner” is back, and he isn’t Arnold Schwarzenegger this time. Starring Glen Powell, the second adaptation will once again see the protagonist evade killers in a dystopian America for a chance to win a grand prize. The 2025 version of The Running Man is said to be a much more faithful adaptation of the source material compared to the 1987 version, which was heavily tweaked to fit the action genre to accommodate The Governator’s strengths.

Aiming To Replicate the Source Material

Schwarzenegger’s The Running Man is a classic, so some skepticism exists regarding whether another adaptation was necessary. For book fans, it’s necessary since, by turning the protagonist into a disgraceful police captain, the ‘80s flick failed to capture the book’s tone, which might be relevant in modern times. In an era where there are economic challenges, the story of a man who has grown tired of eking out a living by doing penny-ante tasks feels relevant. On the pages, Ben’s career is on the skids, and even his resilient, never-say-die wife has lost faith and resorted to being an escort. The protagonist thus gets a chance to rehabilitate his fortunes by signing up for the deadly games.

All this would be interesting to see, and there’s no one better than Glen Powell to play the character. The actor revealed that he had reached out to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who gave the film his full blessing.” And with Edgar Wright on the wheel, nothing can go wrong.

1

‘Carrie’

Unconfirmed 2026 release date

In 2024, it was announced that Mike Flanagan was developing a TV adaptation of Stephen King’s 1974 novel Carrie, in the form of an eight-episode miniseries for Prime Video. Like the book, the show will center on Carrie White, a reclusive high school girl being subjected to abuse by a mother who is a zealot. She soon discovers she has telekinetic powers, and when her bullies pull a prank on her on prom night, she goes on a bloody rampage.

The Rage Is Back

Watching the buildup on television should be fun. In the book and movie, Carrie does her best to stay calm, only appearing concerned about her studies. Yet under the placid surface, we sense something bubbling underneath. The original Carrie adaptation is regarded as one of the best ‘70s horror movies, and an attempt to remake it in 2013 ended in disaster. Will the show recapture the magic created by Brian De Palma?

How will Flanagan stretch this pre-rampage period? He should know what to do. After all, he has helmed three Stephen King adaptations before, namely Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and The Life of Chuck. Summer H. Howell doesn’t have much experience in Hollywood, but we expect her to do well as Carrie White. Filming began on June 16, 2025, and is set to end on October 17, 2025, so the show will probably land on Prime sometime in 2026.