If You’re Excited For The Life Of Chuck, Check Out These 10 Other Stephen King Movies & TV Shows

Author Stephen King seems to have another big-screen classic on the way with the sci-fi drama The Life of Chuck, an adaptation of his novella of the same name. Directed by horror movie and TV icon Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck is a star-studded movie depicting the emotional and mind-bending life of Tom Hiddleston’s protagonist, Charles Krantz, which all seems to lead to the end of the world.

2025’s The Life of Chuck is an exciting story for both King and Flanagan, given that they are famously known for creating more horror-centric stories. However, since premiering at the Toronto Independent Film Festival, Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck has been declared one of the best Stephen King movie adaptations of all time. This early reception has made the film’s theatrical release on June 6, 2025, much more exciting. While the public has to wait a bit longer, King has other similar films and TV shows based on his work for people to enjoy in the meantime.

10

Mr. Mercedes (2017-2019)

An Underrated And Thrilling Suspense Drama

Brendan Gleeson as Bill Hodges in Mr Mercedes

Mr. Mercedes features a classic crime thriller as it follows a detective trying to find the killer responsible for an unsolved massacre when the latter begins taunting him from the shadows. The series surely isn’t a feel-good story like The Life of Chuck. Like many of Stephen King’s stories, Mr. Mercedes highlights the dark potential of humanity as Brendan Gleeson’s Bill Hodges investigates the killer’s dark deeds, all while exploring the dangers of obsession and unresolved grief. On top of that, the performances delivered by Gleeson and co-star Harry Treadaway keep this show a gripping game of cat and mouse.

9

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

A Grounded Exploration Of Trauma And Domestic Violence

Dolores and Selena in the garden in Dolore Claiborne

After Kathy Bates terrified audiences as Annie Wilkes in Misery, the Oscar-winning actor returned to the Stephen King universe as the titular protagonist of Dolores Claiborne. This thriller movie follows Dolores when she is accused of murdering an elderly woman and reunites with her estranged daughter, forcing them to confront their traumatic past together with Dolores’s abusive dead husband.

The way the film explores issues of physical and sexual abuse in a world that seems stacked against women has made it one of Stephen King’s most insightful and grounded tales. Considering the film’s script was written by Andor creator Tony Gilroy, it’s no surprise that Dolores Claiborne continues to stand out among King’s numerous adaptations.

8

Hearts in Atlantis (2001)

An Overlooked But Compelling Stephen King Adaptation

Ted carrying Carol in Hearts in Atlantis

Loosely based on a novella linked to The Dark Tower books, this film shows a boy befriending a stranger with telekinetic powers on the run from the “low men.” Hearts in Atlantis is notable for featuring the late Anton Yelchin in his award-winning feature film. However, while there is a great supernatural mystery surrounding this movie, Hearts in Atlantis shines brightest as a miraculous coming-of-age story, the kind that King is skilled at creating. The movie focuses more on how Anthony Hopkins’s superpowered character and his new friend change each other’s lives for the better, showcasing the power of intergenerational friendships.

7

11/22/63 (2016)

An Emotional Adventure Through American History

George McKay and James Franco sitting in a car in 11/22/63

This Hulu miniseries follows an English teacher whose friend shows him a hole that can send him back in time, tasking him with preventing John F. Kennedy’s assassination. 11/22/63 features several thrills as James Franco’s protagonist faces off against the monsters of the past, as well as history itself, which refuses to be changed. As the series builds up to the fateful day and unweaves the many mysteries surrounding JFK’s assassination, 11/22/63 adds plenty of drama as its protagonist finds a new life and new love in the past, making it a gripping and emotional time-traveling adventure.

6

The Dead Zone (1983)

An Iconic Vision Of Terror From Director David Cronenberg

Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone.

Featuring Christopher Walken in one of his most defining roles, director David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone follows a man who, after waking up from a coma, gains the ability to see the lives and past and future of whoever he touches. While the film includes plenty of terror with Walken’s nightmarish visions, much of the story is carried by the protagonist’s personal journey.

As Johnny Smith struggles to live with his newfound fame as a psychic, he is also forced to rebuild his life now that his girlfriend has moved on with hers while he was asleep. Overall, The Dead Zone is the best kind of superhero movie, one that prioritizes the humanity of its hero.

5

Stand by Me (1986)

A Moving And Nostalgic Coming-Of-Age Classic

stand by me main cast featuring jerry o'connell as vern pointing

Director Rob Reiner adapted this iconic tale from King’s 1982 novella, The Body, which follows a group of young friends who venture into the woods to see a dead body in the summer of 1959. As the protagonists face off against junkyard dogs, speeding trains, and even knife-wielding local bullies, Stand By Me presents an epic childhood adventure and a remarkable coming-of-age story. Told through the lens of protagonist, Gordie, looking back on his childhood, it’s a poignant story about what time takes from us and how we change.

Stephen King has succeeded in conveying the terrors of growing up in the most unconventional ways, and Stand By Me displays that talent best in this without relying too much on the author’s traditional brand of horror. The film is especially carried by the realistic performances by its four child leads, making Stand By Me all the more entertaining and heartbreaking.

4

Doctor Sleep (2019)

A Haunting Sequel That Lives Up To Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

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Another film directed by Mike Flanagan, this horror movie does the impossible and presents an exceptional sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining. Following the now grown-up Danny Torrance, who struggles with alcohol addiction like his father, Jack, before him, Doctor Sleep finds Danny protecting a young psychic girl from a cult of immortal drifters hoping to kill her to absorb her power and extend their lifespan.

Tom Hiddleston as Chuck Krantz Smiling in The Life of Chuck

Related

Do you think The Life of Chuck will be Mike Flanagan’s best Stephen King adaptation?

The Life of Chuck marks Mike Flanagan’s third Stephen King adaptation and comes with a pretty high bar for the filmmaker after his previous success adapting both Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. Having already made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award, and currently holds an 85% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, it certainly seems like it could be his best King adaptation yet. That said, without having seen the film, I think it will ultimately depend on how he tackles the novella’s unique chronological structure and combines it with the genuine sense of heart Flanagan often pours into even his most terrifying projects, even though Chuck is his first non-horror title.

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While King famously hated Kubrick’s version of The Shining, Flanagan stays true to both men’s stories as he continues Dan’s frightening, dreamlike journey as he encounters the ghosts of his past, brought on by both literal spirits and his own guilt-ridden memories. Doctor Sleep even delivers the climactic book ending that King and his fans wanted to see in the original 1980 film, making it a worthy adaptation of both Kubrick’s film and King’s books.

3

Gerald’s Game (2017)

One Woman’s Waking Nightmare Confined To A Single Bed

Carla Gugino looking intense in Gerald's Game

The Life of Chuck isn’t Mike Flanagan’s first film adaptation of Stephen King’s work. The director first associated himself with King by adapting the author’s suspense novel, Gerald’s Game. This Netflix film follows a woman who is handcuffed to a bed during a romantic getaway with her husband, only to find herself trapped there after the latter suddenly dies.

Tom Hiddleston as Chuck Krantz in The Life of Chuck

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The Life Of Chuck Perfectly Continues Mike Flanagan’s Impressive 13 Year Rotten Tomatoes Streak

Mike Flanagan’s most recent project is already living up to the director’s impressive standards, earning yet another fresh Rotten Tomatoes score.

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It seemed like a story confided mostly to a bed could have been a flop. However, Flanagan succeeds in turning King’s novel into a frightening and phantasmagoric odyssey into the protagonist’s mind. As Carla Gugino’s character struggles to survive, she is forced to face hallucinations and her own repressed trauma in the vein of Dolores Claiborne.

2

The Green Mile (1999)

A Heartbreaking Portrait Of Love And Human Morality

Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey looking scared in his cell in The Green Mile

This acclaimed drama film shows Tom Hanks as a prison guard who discovers a man on death row has miraculous healing powers, raising questions about his innocence. Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Green Mile has long been recognized as one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

While The Life of Chuck seems to emphasize the positive aspects of life and humanity, The Green Mile goes the opposite way. The latter shows how hope and beauty tend to get snuffed out by senseless death, and how the brightest and most gentle souls are often ground down by the cruelty of the world. As such, it serves as a cautionary tale about what humanity can and should be. Such a heartwrenching story is carried by its exceptional performances, with the late Michael Clarke Duncan stealing the show as gentle giant John Coffey.

1

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

An Inspiring Prison Drama And One Of Stephen King’s Most Adored Films

Red and Andy talking in The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption follows Andy Dufresne, a man who, after being imprisoned for murders he claims he didn’t commit, is forced to spend years in the titular state prison. During his time there, he fends off abuse from his fellow inmates and the prison guards alike, Andy never loses hope or his humanity. While Shawshan, Redemption showcases the very worst of humanity, the Oscar-nominated film also shows its very best.

Tom Hiddleston softly smiling in The Life of Chuck

Related

How does The Life Of Chuck teaser trailer pull off getting viewers hyped in such a short amount of time?

There is finally a teaser trailer for The Life Of Chuck out and in just a short amount of time I have become extremely hyped for this film’s release. The teaser itself is just over one minute long, but it does such a brilliant job of exciting audiences because it leans into the star power behind it. This movie is adapted from a Stephen King story, but not one of his horror movies. The teaser showcases this by putting up the names of his more profound work, like The Green Mile and Stand By Me. Mike Flanagan is also known for his work in the horror genre, so when his name comes up on the screen it states this film is from his heart and soul. It then goes onto list the insane amount of star power that is a part of the cast, which is led by Tom Hiddleston. I was already looking forward to The Life Of Chuck, but this teaser trailer took that excitement to a whole new level thanks to smart marketing. 

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As Andy forges an eternal friendship with fellow inmate Red and begins his long plan to escape, the film gives much-needed hope to audiences as the protagonist fights for freedom and salvation. In the end, director Frank Darabont took one of Stephen King’s novellas and created one of the most beloved and uplifting drama films of all time, the perfect thing to watch before The Life of Chuck.

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The Life of Chuck

R

Drama

Fantasy

Science Fiction

ScreenRant logo

8/10

Release Date

May 30, 2025

Runtime

110 minutes

Director

Mike Flanagan

Writers

Mike Flanagan, Stephen King

Producers

D. Scott Lumpkin, Elan Gale, Trevor Macy, Molly C. Quinn, Melinda Nishioka

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Tom Hiddleston In The 49th Annual People's Choice Awards 2024

    Tom Hiddleston

    Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz

  • Headshot Of Matthew Lillard

    Matthew Lillard

    Gus

Main Genre

Drama

Character(s)

Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz, Gus, Felicia Gordon, Albie Krantz, Janice Halliday, Marty Anderson, Miss Richards, Sarah Krantz, Miss Rohrbacher, Sam Yarbrough, Bri, Chuck (teen), Vera, Chuck’s mother, Cat McCoy, Ginny Krantz, Lily, Chuck (pre-teen)

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