Stephen King’s work has been adapted numerous times, and his latest story brought to the screen, The Long Walk, introduces significant changes, especially in the story’s conclusion. While the novel ends with Ray Garraty winning the walk, battered but victorious, the film shifts the outcome entirely. Instead of Garraty, Pete McVries becomes the winner, spurring a potential revolution by killing The Major, a plot point absent from the original book. These changes highlight how adaptations often reshape narratives to suit different themes or audiences.
Expanded Romantic Subplot in “It: Chapter Two”
The film adaptation of It: Chapter Two expands on subtle hints from the novel about the relationship between Richie Tozier and Eddie Kasbrak. What remains only implied in King’s book becomes explicit in the movie, showing the two characters as lifelong romantic partners. This shift deepens the emotional stakes of the story, making Eddie’s eventual death resonate more powerfully for viewers familiar with their shared history.
Significant Deviations in “The Shining”
Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining remains one of the most debated Stephen King adaptations due to its numerous differences from the book. King himself has expressed dissatisfaction, particularly citing Kubrick’s portrayal of Jack Torrance as starting antagonistic and only growing worse, whereas the novel presents him as a troubled man who slowly unravels. The film also alters the climax: while the book’s Overlook Hotel burns to the ground, the movie shows Jack freezing to death in the hedge maze, with the hotel left intact. This fundamental change in tone and story resolution contributes to King’s criticism.
the book is hot and the movie is cold; the book ends in fire and the movie in ice.
—Stephen King, Author
Different Fate for Tad in “Cujo”
King’s psychological horror Cujo takes on a softer note in its film adaptation, particularly regarding the fate of Tad. The novel, which King reportedly wrote during a period of substance abuse, ends tragically with Tad’s death after being trapped with his mother inside their broken car during a sweltering heatwave. The movie, however, allows Tad and his mother to survive, lessening the emotional weight of the story’s climax and slightly tempering the horror.
Swapped Character Death in “Pet Sematary” (2019)
The 2019 remake of Pet Sematary adjusts the tragic death that is central to the narrative. The original book and earlier adaptation focus on the death of the Creed family’s young son, Gage, struck by a semi-truck. The new film reverses this, portraying a fake-out death where Gage survives and the older sister, Ellie, dies in his place. Ellie’s resurrection drives the story’s horror themes forward, culminating in her pulling the rest of her family back from the dead, adding a fresh twist to the familiar tale while maintaining much of King’s original atmosphere.
Bleak Conclusion in “The Mist” Film
Frank Darabont’s The Mist film diverges sharply from the novella by providing a substantially darker ending. In King’s story, a faint hope remains as David and other survivors hear a radio transmission suggesting a safe refuge in Hartford. However, the movie kills that hope entirely. After days of evading monsters within the mist, David methodically ends the lives of those with him to spare them a worse fate, only to be saved moments later by an arriving military squad. This heartbreaking conclusion amplifies the film’s despair and hopelessness compared to the source material.
Nearly Complete Reimagining of “The Running Man”
Stephen King’s The Running Man novel and its 1987 film adaptation starring Arnold Schwarzenegger share surprisingly little beyond the title and a basic premise. The movie dramatically reworks the story into a more conventional action thriller, distancing itself from the dystopian, satirical critique present in King’s original work. Fans of either version can appreciate each for vastly separate experiences, as the film stands as a wholly independent narrative.
Altered Ending for Danny in “Doctor Sleep”
As a sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep, directed by Mike Flanagan, skillfully merges elements from both King’s book and Kubrick’s film, addressing inconsistencies between the two. One significant change involves the fate of Danny Torrance. While the book sees Danny surviving his encounter with Rose the Hat and the True Knot, the movie kills Danny during this final confrontation at the Overlook Hotel, which again remains standing in the film’s continuity. This shift adds a more tragic and definitive resolution to Danny’s story on screen.
