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Stephen Kings Upcoming Adaptations: From Carrie TV Series to Cujo Remake
Stephen King, the prolific author of more than 70 novels, has long been dubbed the "king of horror". While his stories have repeatedly crossed the screen, many remain untouched, and recent announcements reveal a surge of new projects that will bring King’s work to audiences in the coming years.
The most eye‑catching development is a fresh television adaptation of Carrie. Mike Flanagan—known for The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass—will take on the roles of showrunner, writer, and director for an eight‑episode series slated to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in October 2026. King himself is listed as an executive producer, signaling his approval of Flanagan’s vision. The new series will be the first ever episodic rendition of the 1974 novel, which has previously been adapted into a 1976 film, a 1999 sequel, a 2002 TV movie, and a 2013 film.
In film, a project in the pipeline is a adaptation of the novella Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream, first published in 2024 as part of King’s collection You Like It Darker. Reports indicate that James Ashcroft—who directed the 2022 film The Whisper Man—was being considered to helm the adaptation. The story follows a school caretaker who witnesses a murder and is subsequently suspected of the crime. Although the project was announced in 2025, no further updates have surfaced.
Ben Young, whose work includes Extinction and Devil’s Peak, has attached himself to a feature film adaptation of King’s short story Mister Yummy. The narrative centers on Ollie Franklin, an elderly man who experiences visions of a man he loved in his youth and reflects on the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Deadline reports that the project is in its early stages and will focus on character‑driven horror.
The television series The Institute will return for a second season later in 2026. The first season, based on King’s 2019 novel, concluded with several character deaths and will be followed by an original story written for television. An actor from the series described the upcoming season as "torture" for the characters, underscoring the show’s commitment to psychological horror.
Flanagan is also set to re‑imagine The Mist. The 2007 film, which received a 74 % rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, was criticized for its ending, and the 2023 television adaptation garnered a 58 % rating. Flanagan’s new take will reportedly adopt a Lovecraftian tone, aiming to address the shortcomings of previous adaptations.
The survival thriller The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon will be adapted for the first time by director JT Mollner, who wrote the screenplay for The Long Walk. The novel follows a girl lost in the woods and has not previously been filmed. Mollner’s involvement signals a fresh attempt to bring the story to the screen.
IT: Welcome to Derry, a television series that explores the backstory of Pennywise the clown, has already produced two seasons and is preparing a third. The first season is set in the 1960s, with the next two set in the 1930s and 1908, respectively. The show’s premise relies on the idea that Pennywise returns every 27 years, and the third season is expected to premiere in 2027.
Paramount has announced a film adaptation of King’s epic novel The Stand, with Doug Liman—known for The Bourne Identity—attached to direct. The project is in early development, and it remains to be seen whether it will move beyond the planning stage.
Netflix announced in 2025 that it is developing a remake of the 1983 film Cujo, which was based on King’s 1981 novel. Darren Aronofsky, who directed Requiem for a Dream, was reportedly in talks to direct the new version. Aronofsky’s experience with unsettling material suggests the remake could stay true to the novel’s disturbing tone.
Other projects that have been reported but remain in development hell include adaptations of The Jaunt, Overlook, Christine, Elevation, Later, The Regulators, Billy Summers, and The Dark Tower. While these titles have not progressed, the slate of new adaptations demonstrates that King’s catalog continues to attract filmmakers.
In summary, the next few years will see a mix of new television series and feature films based on Stephen King’s work. The Carrie series, Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream film, Mister Yummy movie, The Institute season 2, Flanagan’s The Mist, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, IT: Welcome to Derry season 3, the Stand film, and the Cujo remake are all in various stages of development. Fans and industry observers will watch to see how these projects translate King’s storytelling to contemporary media.
The most eye‑catching development is a fresh television adaptation of Carrie. Mike Flanagan—known for The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass—will take on the roles of showrunner, writer, and director for an eight‑episode series slated to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in October 2026. King himself is listed as an executive producer, signaling his approval of Flanagan’s vision. The new series will be the first ever episodic rendition of the 1974 novel, which has previously been adapted into a 1976 film, a 1999 sequel, a 2002 TV movie, and a 2013 film.
In film, a project in the pipeline is a adaptation of the novella Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream, first published in 2024 as part of King’s collection You Like It Darker. Reports indicate that James Ashcroft—who directed the 2022 film The Whisper Man—was being considered to helm the adaptation. The story follows a school caretaker who witnesses a murder and is subsequently suspected of the crime. Although the project was announced in 2025, no further updates have surfaced.
Ben Young, whose work includes Extinction and Devil’s Peak, has attached himself to a feature film adaptation of King’s short story Mister Yummy. The narrative centers on Ollie Franklin, an elderly man who experiences visions of a man he loved in his youth and reflects on the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Deadline reports that the project is in its early stages and will focus on character‑driven horror.
The television series The Institute will return for a second season later in 2026. The first season, based on King’s 2019 novel, concluded with several character deaths and will be followed by an original story written for television. An actor from the series described the upcoming season as "torture" for the characters, underscoring the show’s commitment to psychological horror.
Flanagan is also set to re‑imagine The Mist. The 2007 film, which received a 74 % rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, was criticized for its ending, and the 2023 television adaptation garnered a 58 % rating. Flanagan’s new take will reportedly adopt a Lovecraftian tone, aiming to address the shortcomings of previous adaptations.
The survival thriller The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon will be adapted for the first time by director JT Mollner, who wrote the screenplay for The Long Walk. The novel follows a girl lost in the woods and has not previously been filmed. Mollner’s involvement signals a fresh attempt to bring the story to the screen.
IT: Welcome to Derry, a television series that explores the backstory of Pennywise the clown, has already produced two seasons and is preparing a third. The first season is set in the 1960s, with the next two set in the 1930s and 1908, respectively. The show’s premise relies on the idea that Pennywise returns every 27 years, and the third season is expected to premiere in 2027.
Paramount has announced a film adaptation of King’s epic novel The Stand, with Doug Liman—known for The Bourne Identity—attached to direct. The project is in early development, and it remains to be seen whether it will move beyond the planning stage.
Netflix announced in 2025 that it is developing a remake of the 1983 film Cujo, which was based on King’s 1981 novel. Darren Aronofsky, who directed Requiem for a Dream, was reportedly in talks to direct the new version. Aronofsky’s experience with unsettling material suggests the remake could stay true to the novel’s disturbing tone.
Other projects that have been reported but remain in development hell include adaptations of The Jaunt, Overlook, Christine, Elevation, Later, The Regulators, Billy Summers, and The Dark Tower. While these titles have not progressed, the slate of new adaptations demonstrates that King’s catalog continues to attract filmmakers.
In summary, the next few years will see a mix of new television series and feature films based on Stephen King’s work. The Carrie series, Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream film, Mister Yummy movie, The Institute season 2, Flanagan’s The Mist, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, IT: Welcome to Derry season 3, the Stand film, and the Cujo remake are all in various stages of development. Fans and industry observers will watch to see how these projects translate King’s storytelling to contemporary media.
