Stephen King’s New R-Rated Dystopian Thriller Is Still No. 1 Everywhere

Stephen King has written some of the greatest novels of all time, many of which have been turned into some famous movies and TV shows. One of the most famous novels he’s ever written is IT, the horror novel adapted into multiple feature films, and even an HBO Max original prequel series that premiered last year. King has also written countless novels and short stories that have been adapted to the big and small screen, such as The Life of Chuck and The Dark Tower. Hollywood creatives have been adapting King’s work long enough now that many of his most popular books have several adaptations, and it’s likely that there are plenty more coming in the next few years.

The two biggest Stephen King adaptations to emerge in 2025 were The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk. The former is an inspiring sci-fi film starring Tom Hiddleston, and the latter is a harrowing survival horror film led by David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) and Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza). The Long Walk earned strong marks of 88% from critics and 85% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and it grossed $62 million at the global box office against a modest $20 million budget. It follows a group of young men who agree to participate in a walking competition where they must stay at a speed of three miles per hour or risk being shot dead if they fail. Francis Lawrence, famed for his work on The Hunger Games movies, directed the film, which is streaming exclusively on Starz in America. The film has found continued streaming success on both Starz and various VOD platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV.

Stephen King’s Hit Fantasy Series Officially Returns This Year

Just yesterday, it was announced that Stephen King’s next Dark Tower book will be released later this year on October 6. The ninth book in the series will follow Jack Sawyer, who was also the protagonist in past Dark Tower books such as The Talisman and The Black House. Mike Flanagan, who previously brought The Life of Chuck to the big screen, is working on a Dark Tower TV adaptation that aims to be more faithful to the source material than Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey’s film. Flanagan is also developing a Carrie series for Prime Video, coming later this year.

Check out The Long Walk on Starz in America, and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates and coverage of King’s future projects.