A Classic Stephen King Adaptation the Author Hated Is a Halloween Hit on HBO Max

A Stephen King adaptation is never far from the streaming charts. Last year, global viewers couldn't get enough of titles like The Life of Chuck, The Long Walk, the Glen Powell-led The Running Man, and the HBO spin-off series IT: Welcome to Derry, with King's impact on horror arguably unmatched. The biggest new series on streaming this weekend is yet another King adaptation, unsurprisingly helmed by his biggest directorial admirer, Mike Flanagan.

Currently the third-most-watched title on Prime Video in the U.S., Flanagan's Carrie stars Summer C. Howell as the famous titular teenager, as tragedy strikes and a move to public school awakens her telekinetic powers. Samantha Sloyan, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard also star in a series that is proving a fair hit with critics. In his review, Collider's Nate Richard admitted that "Not every deviation works," but added, "it's definitely worth a watch for those who hold the novel near and dear to their hearts."

It seems Flanagan's new Carrie series has inspired others to head back into the vast array of King adaptations to keep them entertained this spooky season. At the time of writing, Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of The Shining is one of the most-watched movies on HBO Max in the U.S. Starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, the film is regarded today as one of the finest horror films of all time from a master director at the top of his game. However, King famously despised this adaptation, rather humorously comparing it to "a big, beautiful Cadillac with no motor inside." He disliked the two main characters and was frustrated by the lack of "warmth" in the film.

'The Shining' Wasn't Always Considered a Masterpiece

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Time can prove wonderful to certain films, and a cruel mistress to others. For The Shining, its reputation has aged like a fine wine. The film was a small hit at the box office, but underperformed compared to other horror films of the time, especially considering its quality. But its underperformance wasn't helped by a disappointing critical reception at the time, even receiving two nominations at the inaugural Golden Raspberry Awards. Somehow, Duvall and Kubrick were both nominated for Worst Actress and Worst Director, respectively, which is frankly unfathomable these many decades later.