8 Thrilling Stephen King Movies Streaming Now On Prime Video—Don’t Miss Them!
The only thing more exciting than a Stephen King novel is the adaptation of one of his stories. Will casting directors see these characters as we envisioned them? Will whoever is helming the film be one of the few capable of capturing the sinister vibes King’s work is known for? These questions get us out of our homes and to the theater every time. It’s also why many of us still hope to see the newest version of Salem’s Lot in our lifetimes.
So, obviously, when we clocked eight Stephen King adaptations streaming on Prime Video this month, we cleared our calendars. However, we figured we should alert our Constant Readers before closing the office this week. Check these titles out and see if you’ll also be skipping out of your responsibilities early today.
Big Driver (dir. Mikael Salomon)
A famous writer seeks revenge after surviving a brutal attack. This is based on a Stephen King novella of the same name and has a stacked cast. How did the stars align for Ann Dowd, Maria Bello, Olympia Dukakis, and Joan Jett to be in the same movie? Seeing Joan Thee Jett in a King film adaptation will add 15 years to my life expectancy. She’s the biggest reason why I’m thinking of checking this out, even though I usually have reservations when it comes to dudes spearheading movies about sexual assault. This could be one of the few that does not make me roll my eyes. I missed this movie when it premiered in 2014. However, knowing a Stephen King movie was given life on Lifetime has always piqued my interest. That is not exactly a collaboration I expected to see, so I have questions.
The Children of the Corn (dir. Fritz Kiersch)
A young couple gets trapped in a town where a child cult kills anyone over the age of 18. No one has done more to raise awareness of creepy children or small towns than Stephen King has. I do not do kids or cornfields, and it is because of King. I look forward to sending him some therapy bills someday soon. Also, I refuse to believe I am alone here because this movie kicked off a franchise that produced its latest installment this decade. This movie also lives rent-free in my memories because Linda Hamilton starred in it before she became the final badass of the Terminator franchise. She’s an icon and the reason most of us are tuning into the final season of Stranger Things. So, The Children of the Corn has cool points to spare while also being the perfect watch for these last few days of summer.
Creepshow 2 (dir. Michael Gornick)
This anthology takes viewers through three tales from the latest issue of a boy’s favorite comic book. I don’t know if the Creepshow movies were the first anthologies I saw as a kid or if they were the first time my brain registered the format. The movies hold a special place for me, even with their issues. This script was written by the late George A. Romero, making it just one of his collaborations with Stephen King that you can find streaming on Prime Video this month. Although I have thoughts about how it’s aging, I can’t deny its importance in either of the writers’ horror legacies. Plus, it just warms my heart to know that they liked and respected each other enough to work on so many projects together. It’s like having your two favorite uncles team up to give you extra birthday presents that your parents think you are too young to have.
The Dark Half (dir. George A. Romero)
A writer’s alter ego becomes a real entity that wants to take over his life. I’m so happy to see it streaming on Prime Video this Halloween season. This adaptation stars Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, and Michael Rooker. They all seem cool, and I am happy for them, but what makes me giddy is that George A. Romero wrote and directed this film. This is one of the few Romero and Stephen King collaborations I haven’t seen, and I plan to change that immediately. I recently watched the entire Night Of The Living Dead franchise in order and have made it a goal to track down the handful of films I have not seen on the beloved filmmaker’s resume. This is by far one of the titles on this list that I am most excited to dive into.
The Dead Zone (dir. David Cronenberg)
A man wakes up from a coma to discover his loved ones have moved on and that he can now see the future. I read this novel and watched the first two seasons of the television adaptation in my youth. I enjoyed it both as a horror and science fiction nerd, and I always meant to check out the movie. However, I only just recently watched this film for the first time. This is another David Cronenberg-helmed title that lives up to the hype. I also loved seeing Christopher Walken in a leading role. Walken was younger than I had ever seen him, and I was unprepared. May I also point out that Debra Hill produced this movie? This has quietly become one of my favorite Stephen King stories, and I love that it seems to work in all mediums.
Maximum Overdrive (dir. Stephen King)
Machines come to life and choose violence, which forces a group of people to battle for their lives. This adaptation gets extra points because Stephen King adapted and directed this title. Who better to put King on screen than the man himself? I sincerely wish he had directed more of his films because, as a kid, I realized that not all his movies were created equally. Maximum Overdrive is based on his short story “Trucks” and is one of the few King stories I’m unfamiliar with. It also has my attention because the hold 1980s Emilio Estevez has on me should be studied. As a child of the 90s, I made it my business to watch all of his movies, even if they weren’t in my genre. I wish I could say this crush ended, but I don’t see why I should start lying to people now. I’ll be starting my King-A-Thon here for many reasons.
Riding the Bullet (dir. Mick Garris)
A man hitchhiking to see his dying mother is picked up by a mysterious stranger holding a deadly secret. This macabre tale stars David Arquette, Barbara Hershey, and Erika Christensen in some of the most chaotic casting I’ve ever seen (this is a positive thing). Many believe that Arquette’s only horror movies are in the Scream franchise and a couple of over-the-top horror comedies, but that is false. He’s a wild card that has popped up in so many random titles that it’s hard to keep track of them. Frequent Stephen King collaborator Mick Garris also adapted it for the screen. The same Mick Garris of Dread Central’s Post Mortem with Mick Garris, which recently ended its impressive run. We highly recommend adding this one to your watchlist if you haven’t seen it. We also suggest that you check out his podcast for obvious reasons.
Thinner (dir. Tom Holland)
An overweight attorney begins to rapidly lose weight once he is cursed by a relative of a woman he killed in a car accident. Tom Holland co-wrote and directed this big-screen adaptation. Holland directed hits like Fright Night (1985) and Child’s Play (1988), so I will not hear any slander against him. However, this is possibly the story on the streaming guide that has aged the worst. I have not read or watched Thinner since I was a kid, but both versions made some bold choices. It was one of the first times that I registered that you just can’t root for some protagonists and that privilege prevents people from owning the shit they have done to others. I also remember catching strays for liking ice cream and being a woman of color. It was a lot, so it’s not one of the movies I’m foaming at the mouth to revisit. However, if you are a completionist, I salute you.
Do these eight thrilling Stephen King movies on Prime Video make you want to plan a marathon this weekend? If so, find me at @misssharai because I plan to do the same.
Categorized:Editorials Streaming Guides
