“The Life of Chuck”: Tom Hiddleston Headline Stephen King Movie
Based on the novel by King Stephen, “The Life of Chuck” records the life of accountant Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) in three reversed acts.
Do you like movies? Live for TV? USA Today’s Watch Party Newsletter has all the best recommendations delivered to your inbox. Sign up now and become one of the cool kids.
As long as that legendary Master of Horror Stephen King maintains a book lover at night, the filmmakers have adapted his novels and short stories. That is, there was a stone-cold classic (“shining”, who?), and there were some Clankers.
For all “dark towers”, there is “it” but two of them are good. So is the new: Mike Flanagan’s uplifting film The Life of Chuck (now theatres) stars Tom Hiddleston as the title character whose life story is told in reverse chronological order, based on the novels from King’s “It Bleeds” collection.
It’s a pretty big 2025 for King and his constant readership. In 2019, we’ve already seen the release of “The Monkey.” This fall will bring the dystopian thriller The Long Walk (September 12th). And in front of the book, King’s latest novel, Never Flinch, is new in the store, and Hansel & Gretel is a children’s book with Maurice Sendak on September 2nd.
In honor of “Chuck,” the most important King films are ranked here.
15. “Gerard Game” (2017)
Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood play a couple taking a romantic vacation to rekindle their marriage. The wife is handcuffed to the bed, her husband has a heart attack, and there is no neighbor to call. She struggles to keep her sanity in stressful situations. (Please do your best and try not to see the super large, creepy Moonlightman.)
Where to see: Netflix.
14. “Running Man” (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ynjdx192hg
What if this futuristic action flick isn’t exactly faithful to the ’82 Kingbook (written as Richard Bachmann)? It’s a fun time to watch Arnold Schwarzenegger as a framed soldier in a brutally deadly game show.
Where to see: Paramount+, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
13. “Monkey” (2025)
Golly and the glorious, ridiculous horror comedy have Theo James playing the role of twins. The twins thought they would remove the cursed monkey toys as children and return to life to bring about a bloody mountain of death. Certainly, it’s very dementia, but this eccentric film also has deep mortality rates.
Where to see: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
12. ‘The Green Mile’ (1999)
The sentimental prison drama based on King’s serial novels gets its hook thanks to two emotional punches: Tom Hanks and Michael Clark Duncan. Hanks plays a death row prison guard who doesn’t know what to make, a kind but mysterious giant (Duncan), convicted of murdering two girls with strange abilities.
Where to see: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
11. ‘1408’ (2007)
In the most underrated King film, a supernatural skeptic (John Cusack), who writes about ghostly places, is interested in the legendary creepy rooms of New York’s skyscrapers. It’s surprisingly strange, but it’s also a thoughtful study of irony and belief.
Where to see: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
10. “Doctor Sleep” (2019)
Ewan McGregor starred as the adult Danny Torrance in the sequel to “The Shining,” and survived the horror at the Overlook Hotel decades ago, now settling down after helping a long-time alcoholic and young psychic girl (Kylie Curran). By taking over the “shining” theme and characters, you’ll mine the familiar ground, but it’s best to follow your own path as a reluctant hero’s journey.
Where to see: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
9. “Stand by Me” (1986)
King is as much an American master as he is frightening, and Rob Reiner’s four incompatible adult stories and their adventures, the adventure to find the corpse is first class in capturing the fleeting nature of friendship and the innocent nature of childhood.
Where to see: Paramount+, Pluto TV, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
8. ‘The Mist’ (2007)
How do you make the King’s novel even darker? Director Frank Dalabont can do it well in this story of the main people in a small town stuck in a supermarket thanks to the mysterious mist outside and the hidden creatures of monsters. Come for delusion and tribalism and stay for the end of the gut punch.
Where to see: Paramount+, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
7. “Misery” (1990)
In modern take, Nut’s Annie Wilkes might make Tiktok or simply slip into the author’s Paul Sheldon DM to profess her fandom, but it would have been mistakenly not as perfect as this pre-internet chiller. Kathy Bates won her Oscars and then some, raising Annie’s horrifying worship of James Kern’s Sheldon to an intrusive, youryoureyes level.
Where to see: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
6. “Dead Zone” (1983)
Christopher Walken is a psychiatrist school teacher who “sees” someone’s secrets when he touches, including his vision for the nuclear Holocaust after shaking the hand of a Senate candidate (Martin Sheen). More than 40 years later, the film’s political bends are more timely than ever.
Where to see: Pluto TV, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
5. “Carry” (1976)
Sissy Spacek exudes the quiet and tortured bounty as a teenager. The final 30 minutes are a surprising change from childhood innocence to murderous hysteria.
Where to see: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
4. ‘it’ (2017)
Taking the friendship thing from “Stand by Me,” weaving a delicious evil clown in a shy wardrobe, “it’s spelled on many different levels, and you’re desperately trying to get a penny-wise. Warning: It may not be for someone who’s distorted by a bucket of blood coming out of the sink.
Where to see: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
3. “The Life of Chuck” (2025)
A dance-filled Stephen King film that is more life-affirming than you probably expect. Featuring Tom Hiddleston as a businessman with some sweet moves, it’s a proudly unconventional flick that starts at the end of the world and ends in a ghost attic, with everything in between being a thought-provoking joy.
Where to see: In the theater.
2. “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
There’s nothing too scary here except for prison guards. Instead, what makes “Shawshank” an all-timer is the central friendship between the two prisoners (played by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) who realizes that they are “busy and busy to die.”
Where to see: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.
1. ‘The Shining’ (1980)
The King hated Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, but it’s the best of the whole thing. Come to the infamous scene – “Heeeeere’s Johnny,” someone? – and stays for the exceptional quest of isolation, the descent into madness of one man, and the horrifying effect on his family.
Where to see: Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home.