13 best Stephen King movies ranked from creepy to absolutely terrifying

5. The Mist

• Release Year: 2007
• Director: Frank Darabont

Now we’re getting into actually pretty scary territory. The Mist follows a group of townspeople who find themselves in a dangerous situation when a thunderstorm causes a mysterious mist to take over their surrounding area. We focus on several people who are trapped in a grocery store when the mist begins and watch as they figure out what to do next. Once it’s discovered that whatever’s in the mist is deadly, the characters butt heads on whether or not they should stay in hiding or go outside and find help.

The movie is extremely creepy as it deals with themes of paranoia and the unknown. And if you’ve seen The Mist, you’ll know the ending is truly unforgettable. (No spoilers!) You can watch this one on Peacock and Fubo.

4. Pet Sematary

• Release Year: 1989
• Director: Mary Lambert

Pet Sematary is one of my favorite Stephen King books, and while the adaptations haven’t come close to the quality of the source material, I still love the original movie from 1989. The movie follows a family who moves to a new, rural town after the husband gets a new job, and they discover they now live near a pet cemetery where animals — or anything buried there — can come back to life. But it’s with a price. Though the original movie is from the ’80s, it still holds up. One scene of the wife’s late sister Zelda is just as chilling as it is on the page!

The original Pet Sematary and its sequel Pet Sematary Two are currently streaming on Max, while the 2019 remake is on Paramount Plus. A new movie in the franchise, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, is also streaming on Paramount Plus.

3. The Shining

• Release Year: 1980
• Director: Stanley Kubrick

The Shining is without a doubt the best movie on this list in terms of quality, though I wouldn’t say it’s the scariest. The psychological thriller follows a family who relocates to an empty hotel to take care of it during the offseason, which works perfectly as the husband is a writer who needs some peace and quiet. (Seeing a pattern with Stephen King’s stories?) But what they don’t realize is that the hotel has a dark past, and it doesn’t take long for the son to catch on with his psychic powers.

Stanley Kubrick is one of my favorite directors of all time, and although King did not approve of the adaptation, I think it’s near-perfect. The suspense is fantastic and the story is so compelling.

2. It

• Release Year: 2017, 2019
• Director: Andy Muschietti

The Shining is my favorite movie on this list, but It is the best story. The book and adaptations hold such a special place in my heart, and it’ll go down as one of the most iconic horror stories of all time. Who hasn’t at least heard of Pennywise? It is a sprawling tale spanning nearly three decades, focusing on two primary timelines. The movie follows a group of kids who are terrorized by a supernatural force, a.k.a. “it,” which has the power to turn into whatever you are most afraid of. And every 27 years, it comes back.

There are multiple It adaptations in the franchise, starting with the miniseries from 1990, along with the newer version in the 2010s which was split into two movies, It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019). The book is by far the scariest, but the newer adaptation is really, really creepy. All three titles mentioned are available to stream on Max.

1. Carrie

• Release Year: 1976
• Director: Brian De Palma

And now we’ve made it to the scariest Stephen King adaptation… Carrie! What else could it be? The original adaptation is so incredibly chilling; I still remember watching it for the first time with my cousin when we were kids and being so disturbed. The movie follows a teenager named Carrie White who doesn’t exactly live a normal high school life. Her mother is extremely religious and abusive, and Carrie is an outcast amongst her peers because of it. She’s bullied horribly, and all of this mistreatment and pressure escalates to an unforgettable prom night.

There was a sequel in 1999, The Rage: Carrie 2, along with two other adaptations, one in 2002 and one and 2013. That said, the original movie from 1976 starring Sissy Spacek is by far the best adaptation; Spacek gives an iconic performance you just won’t be able to stop thinking about.

If you haven’t seen the original Carrie, do yourself a favor and add it to your watch list as soon as possible. The original, the sequel, and the 2013 adaptation are all available on Max. The 2002 version is streaming on Tubi.

What do you think is the most terrifying Stephen King movie, book, or short story of all time?