I am a horror fan. I have been since I was a child. I was raised on horror—The Twilight Zone, Jaws, all things vampires. And, of course, Stephen King.
I grew up in New England, so the Maine native was always a topic of conversation. One of the many reasons I liked his movies was that so many of them took place in the backyards of where I grew up.
If I could live my dream career, it would be as a horror filmmaker. Probably a writer and director.
I even just published a book of short horror stories. Shameless plug.
Anyway, I know that horror isn’t for everyone.
My therapist and I like to talk about movies, and he always tells me he doesn’t watch horror. I was also talking with someone today who said they don’t like horror, but they do enjoy some Stephen King.
So, I was inspired to write this article.
Let’s start with Stand By Me.
The 1986 adventure film was directed by the late, great Rob Reiner. As many people know, Stephen King did not like Kubrick’s version of The Shining. But he loved Stand By Me, which was based on his story The Body. He cried in the theater watching it and gave a ton of praise to Reiner.
The movie couldn’t be more nostalgic. If you grew up, you will love this movie.
It might be too long for a tattoo, but I would love to get this someday:
“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”
Anyway, Stand By Me is an adventure, coming-of-age story about four boys who set out to find a dead body. It’s not horror at all—this is probably the safest entry point into Stephen King.
The Long Walk is a newer movie.
The 2025 dystopian thriller follows 50 boys competing in a contest where one person wins a wish and riches… and the other 49 are shot dead where they stand.
Now, I want to point something out. I said this list is for people who don’t like horror. This movie, however, is extremely heavy. It’s not traditional horror, but the concept is intense.
The movie is based on the 1979 book of the same name, which also happens to be one of King’s earliest works.
So while it’s not scary in a jump-scare way, just know what you’re signing up for with this one.
Speaking of something a bit lighter, let’s talk about The Life of Chuck.
This 2024 movie is directed by Mike Flanagan, who has taken on quite a few Stephen King adaptations like Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game. He also just wrapped production on a Carrie television show.
The Life of Chuck is based on a novella by Stephen King and is more of a fantasy drama. Both the book and the movie are told in three parts.
There is one moment that might feel a little unsettling—but not in a jump-scare way. It’s the kind of thing that sticks with you.
The film stars Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill, with narration by Nick Offerman.
You’re not a fan of horror, but are you a fan of sci-fi?
I sure hope so.
Then check out The Running Man.
The original 1987 film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, and it was recently remade with Glen Powell. The newer version is more faithful to the book and focuses on contestants who must survive 30 days while being hunted, with a massive cash prize on the line.
This one leans more action and sci-fi than horror, making it a great option if you want Stephen King without the scares.
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 Oscar-nominated film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The prison drama is based on Stephen King’s Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Both follow an imprisoned banker who spends decades behind bars, befriends a fellow inmate, and quietly works toward something more.
The Green Mile is another Oscar-nominated prison drama. This one stars Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan and has a slight supernatural element to it.
The film follows a death row inmate who appears to have a mysterious gift and may not be what people think he is. The 1999 film was directed by Frank Darabont and is based on Stephen King’s book of the same name.
“If you’ve avoided Stephen King because of horror, start here. You might be surprised what you’ve been missing.”