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The 15 best Stephen King horror movies, ranked

The best Stephen King horror movie is Carrie (1976), which turned 50 this month and still holds 82% with critics (Rotten Tomatoes). By score, The Long Walk (2025) now ranks highest of all King films (Rotten Tomatoes).

By the Horror Planet editors · Updated November 9, 2026

  1. Carrie (1976)

    82% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The first King film is still the best, and it turned 50 this month.

  2. The Shining (1980)

    75% on Rotten Tomatoes

    King disliked it. Everyone else made it a landmark.

  3. Misery (1990)

    86% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Annie Wilkes is still the scariest fan in movies.

  4. It (2017)

    85% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The biggest horror film ever made.

  5. The Long Walk (2025)

    The top-rated King movie on Rotten Tomatoes

    A brutal, moving survival story. Streaming on HBO Max.

  6. Gerald's Game (2017)

    91% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Mike Flanagan cracked the 'unfilmable' book.

  7. The Dead Zone (1983)

    89% on Rotten Tomatoes

    David Cronenberg and Christopher Walken.

  8. 1922 (2017)

    92% on Rotten Tomatoes

    A farm, a well and rats.

  9. Doctor Sleep (2019)

    79% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Flanagan reconciles the book and Kubrick.

  10. The Mist (2007)

    73% on Rotten Tomatoes

    The ending everyone argues about. Flanagan is remaking it.

  11. The Monkey (2025)

    77% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Osgood Perkins' gory slapstick. On Hulu.

  12. Christine (1983)

    69% on Rotten Tomatoes

    John Carpenter's killer car.

  13. Dolores Claiborne (1995)

    88% on Rotten Tomatoes

    Kathy Bates again, in an underseen gem.

  14. 1408 (2007)

    80% on Rotten Tomatoes

    John Cusack and one very bad hotel room.

  15. Cujo (1983)

    60% on Rotten Tomatoes

    A rabid dog and a hot car. Netflix is remaking it.

New and coming King

  • Carrie (series, 2026)

    Mike Flanagan's eight-episode series premiered on Prime Video on October 7, 2026, and was renewed for a second season (Entertainment Weekly).

  • The Mist

    Flanagan will make a new film for Warner Bros., announced in February 2026, with no date yet (MovieWeb).

  • Also in the works

    Netflix's Cujo, A24's Fairy Tale series, IT: Welcome to Derry season 2 set in 1935, and Flanagan's long-planned Dark Tower (MovieWeb).

How we picked

We kept to horror and horror-adjacent King, so The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me sit this one out. Scores from Rotten Tomatoes' ranking of every King movie.

Next: Mike Flanagan ranked · psychological horror · highest-grossing horror.

Questions

What is the best Stephen King movie?

For horror, Carrie (1976). By Rotten Tomatoes score, The Long Walk (2025) now ranks first.

What is the newest Stephen King adaptation?

Mike Flanagan's Carrie series on Prime Video, which premiered October 7, 2026.

Is The Mist being remade?

Yes. Mike Flanagan is making a new version for Warner Bros., announced in February 2026.

What is the highest-grossing Stephen King movie?

It (2017), which is also the highest-grossing horror film of all time.

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