Stephen King shared universe potential in The Institute adaptation is capturing attention as fans and critics anticipate its upcoming release on MGM+ in 2025. Building on the momentum of several recent adaptations, there is growing excitement that this new series may achieve what previous adaptations have not: seamlessly connecting the worlds and characters from King’s vast library.
The Institute Has a Unique Chance to Connect the Stephen King Multiverse
The Institute, based on Stephen King’s novel, centers around a group of children with extraordinary powers who are taken and experimented on by a mysterious organization known as the Institute. As the children gradually uncover the unsettling truth about their captors, their journey turns to a desperate bid for freedom. This premise alone resonates with themes and plots found throughout King’s other works, where shadowy agencies exploit supernatural abilities, and young characters confront forces much bigger than themselves.
Past adaptations have left many of King’s storylines disconnected, often existing in isolation despite sharing similar concepts. For example, Firestarter features The Shop, a group conducting questionable experiments on people with powers, mirroring the Institute’s motives. The Dark Tower explores telepaths called the Breakers, imprisoned by the Trans Corporation to serve their destructive agenda. Other King works—like The Shining and Doctor Sleep—feature children with psychic talents, echoing those trapped in the titular facility.
The Institute adaptation offers a prime opportunity to create subtle but meaningful links to iconic characters such as Carrie White from Carrie, Danny Torrance from The Shining, Charlie McGee from Firestarter, and even the telepathic children from Tommyknockers. Bringing these elements together would reward longtime fans attuned to the intricate threads running through King’s universe and introduce newcomers to the breadth of his storytelling.
While Stephen King himself has historically kept such connections restrained, focusing on certain crossovers in novels but rarely unifying his worlds fully on screen, the upcoming series could reference or feature characters like Joe (Leo) from The Stand and other gifted individuals, deepening the sense of a hidden, intertwined universe.
With a cast that includes Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Barnes, Julian Richings, Martin Roach, Robert Joy, Jason Diaz, Dan Beirne, Hannah Galway, Simone Miller, Birva Pandya, Jane Luk, Viggo Hanvelt, Arlen So, Tyler Murree, Fionn Laird, and Joe Freeman, and led by director Jack Bender, The Institute is positioned to both honor King’s legacy and chart new territory by acknowledging these recurring supernatural themes.
Building on the Lessons and Hype from Castle Rock
Years before The Institute adaptation, Hulu attempted an ambitious crossover with Castle Rock, set in King’s fictional Maine town. The anthology series drew from several storylines—making references to the Shawshank Penitentiary, The Green Mile, Stand By Me, Christine, and The Shining—embracing the idea of a loosely shared horror universe. Castle Rock, with showrunner Dustin Thomason and a cast including Bill Skarsgard and Melanie Lynskey, illustrated how much King’s fans appreciate seeing connections among their favorite stories. The show received strong reviews from both viewers and critics, but ultimately only lasted two seasons.
Castle Rock’s blend of disparate narratives proved that a shared universe can appeal to audiences both familiar with King’s collective works and those new to his brand of supernatural drama. It’s clear that introducing characters and arcs from across the Stephen King mythos creates both recognition and a sense of overarching suspense, qualities that keep audiences engaged through intricate plotlines and emotional journeys.
Similarly, Netflix’s adaptation of The Fall of the House of Usher built a story by drawing on several Edgar Allan Poe tales, showing that audiences are open to, and even excited by, creative reinterpretations that merge familiar elements into something new. MGM+ can leverage this approach with The Institute by integrating references, cameos, or thematic parallels from other King stories, all while staying true to the novel’s core narrative.
The Significance of a Stephen King Shared Universe on Screen
The Institute’s adaptation stands at an inflection point for Stephen King’s stories on television. In recent years, television and film have seen a surge in interconnected universes—from superheroes to science fiction—yet King’s extensive catalogue is uniquely suited for a similar treatment. The ties between stories like The Institute, Firestarter, The Tommyknockers, and The Shining not only provide fertile ground for narrative expansion, but also promise broader engagement across King’s existing and new audiences.
Recent successful King adaptations, such as The Monkey and the highly anticipated The Life of Chuck by Mike Flanagan, reinforce the appetite for new takes on classic source material. In 2025, with the simultaneous excitement for HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry and the arrival of The Institute, the time is ripe for these adaptations to experiment with ambitious crossovers and shared storytelling.
Looking ahead, if The Institute succeeds in weaving together elements from multiple stories, it could inspire future miniseries or movies—possibly even triggering a full-fledged horror universe. Whether focusing solely on Easter eggs, or bringing beloved characters face-to-face, this approach would deepen fans’ appreciation and offer an emotionally charged journey that reflects both the horror and hope threaded through King’s work.
As 2025 approaches and anticipation grows for The Institute, viewers will be watching closely to see if the adaptation fulfills the promise of uniting Stephen King’s broader universe—a move that fans have long awaited and that could redefine how we experience his stories on screen.
