Why 2025 Could Be Stephen King’s Best Year in Film and TV

Since the 1980s, Stephen King has occupied a unique space in pop culture. His stories spanned generations, inspired renowned filmmakers and established the author as one of the greatest creative forces in entertainment. Even so, his relationship with cinema and TV has always been marked by ups and downs, alternating brilliant works with forgettable adaptations.

Over the decades, some years stood out for the cultural impact of the author’s adaptations, but none managed to maintain consistent quality for long. In 2025, however, something different started to happen. The volume of productions increased, results improved and the public once again looked at King’s stories with excitement.

Stephen King is reborn on screen in 2025

For a long time, productions based on his books did not exceed 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. After Doctor Sleep, released in 2019, the public waited years for a big hit in theaters, and that hit came with The Monkey, directed by Osgood Perkins, based on a 1980 short story. The film reached 77% approval, became King’s most praised in five years and still earned almost 70 million dollars with a low budget.

Then, Mike Flanagan released The Life of Chuck, which had already premiered in 2024, but was widely released in theaters in June 2025. The film did not perform well at the box office, but received 80% approval from critics and reinforced Flanagan as one of the most respected filmmakers when adapting King.

Soon after, Francis Lawrence presented his version of The Long March. The film grossed $44 million, but impressed with its visual strength and emotional impact. With an 88% approval rating, it became one of the most celebrated adaptations of King’s career, even without a great commercial result.

Among these films, TV also contributed to The Institute, an MGM+ series inspired by the 2019 book. The reception was mixed among critics, but the public approved (71% on Rotten Tomatoes) and the production was renewed for a second season, something that no King series has achieved since Castle Rock, in 2018.

2017 is still the year to beat

Before 2025, Stephen King’s strongest year on screen was 2017. On TV, Mike Flanagan released Dangerous Game and Zak Hilditch presented 1922, both praised for exploring psychological horror in a mature way. In cinema, the absolute highlight was IT: The Thing, which redefined Pennywise, won over critics and surpassed 700 million dollars at the box office, becoming one of the biggest horror adaptations in history.

Also in 2017, three productions from 2007 gained cult status over time: No Smoking, 1408 and The Fog, reinforcing how certain works by King take time to be recognized. Mr. Mercedes emerged as one of the most enduring series based on his work, even with other productions of the year failing, such as The Dark Tower.

With so many successes in different formats, 2017 remained a reference. However, 2025 is approaching that level not just in quality, but in variety and consistency.

2025 could overcome everything with two decisive premieres

With just a few months left until the end of the year, there are still two highly anticipated adaptations: IT: Welcome to Derry and The Survivor. The first premieres on October 26th and is set before the events of IT and IT: Chapter 2, exploring Derry’s past and the emergence of Pennywise. The project is in the hands of HBO, with Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, the same people responsible for the previous films.

Furthermore, one of the showrunners is Brad Kane, writer of successful series such as Fringe, Black Sails and Warrior. The lineup indicates high investment and audience potential. The direct connection to one of the biggest box office films in horror history raises expectations even further.

The Survivor, scheduled for release on November 14, is directed by Edgar Wright and written in partnership with Michael Bacall. Wright has already discussed changes to the original ending with Stephen King himself, who not only approved but praised the result. When the author supports a change in his work, this usually has positive repercussions.

Stephen King’s endorsement could change everything

Stephen King watched the opening episode of IT: Welcome to Derry and called it “scary” and “amazing.” He also declared that Edgar Wright did “a great job” at the end of The Survivor. Although the author’s opinion does not always reflect public reception, his endorsement gives credibility and increases audience interest.

If IT: Welcome to Derry gets good reviews and secures renewal, it will be the first King-based series to move forward after years of cancellations. If The Survivor, in addition to being praised, does well at the box office, it will become the second commercial hit of the year after The Monkey.

In this scenario, 2025 would have critical, audience and box office successes, something that not even 2017 achieved with such a variety of formats.