The number of adaptations of Stephen King's works has long been approaching infinity. The reason lies not only in the fact that since the 1970s, directors have regularly returned to his cult novels, but also in the remarkable productivity of the author himself. Almost every new work sooner or later receives a screen version. Let's take a look at which notable new films based on King were released last year.
The Monkey (2025)
Ratings:
Kinopoisk — 6.0,
Rotten Tomatoes — 77% (critics) and 55% (audience),
IMDb — 5.9.
The film directed by Osgood Perkins is based on the short story "The Monkey." The plot centers around a cursed mechanical toy: once it is wound up, and when the winding runs out, someone inevitably dies.
The film is presented in the genre of black comedy. Critics' ratings are generally decent, but the balance between horror and satire is not always maintained: the frightening premise gradually turns into outright parody. Nevertheless, the film remains an intriguing experiment and can entertain the viewer at least once.
The Institute (2025)
Ratings:
Kinopoisk — 6.6,
Rotten Tomatoes — 64% (critics) and 69% (audience),
IMDb — 6.7.
Another adaptation that, according to some viewers, is more expressive than the original. The series tells the story of kidnapped children who find themselves in a secret government institution in a quiet American town.
Some criticize the project for its slowness, but the deliberate minimalism of the visual style effectively conveys the atmosphere of the source material. Typically King-like motifs — fear, power, moral choice — are revealed gradually and with tension. The musical theme in the opening deserves special mention.
It: Welcome to Derry (2025)
Ratings:
Kinopoisk — 7.4,
Rotten Tomatoes — 81% (critics) and 82% (audience),
IMDb — 8.0.
The HBO project expands the mythology of the novel "It." The plot is based on just a few pages of the book and tells of one of the monster's past awakenings that kept the town of Derry in fear.
Director Andy Muschietti makes the story harsher and darker, deepening the origin of the ancient evil. The atmosphere of tension and bloody scenes enhance the horror aspect.
The Long Walk (2025)
Ratings:
Kinopoisk — 6.4,
Rotten Tomatoes — 88% (critics) and 85% (audience),
IMDb — 6.7.
A dystopian story about a future where the country is ruled by a military junta that organizes a brutal survival game. Participants must walk continuously at a set speed; anyone who leaves the course dies. The winner gets the right to fulfill any wish.
Director Francis Lawrence focused on minimalism, acting, and an atmosphere of hopelessness. The altered ending sparks debate and is perceived ambiguously.
The Running Man (2025)
Ratings:
Kinopoisk — 6.3,
Rotten Tomatoes — 62% (critics) and 78% (audience),
IMDb — 6.4.
A new attempt to adapt the novella "The Running Man" by director Edgar Wright. The main character, driven to despair, becomes a participant in a survival TV show: he is hunted by the state system, and anyone who reveals his location receives a monetary reward. With each day of escape, the prize fund grows.
The character does not expect to win but hopes to earn enough money to provide for his family and save his sick daughter. The film is dynamic and spectacular, although the ending softens the tragedy of the original. At the same time, the new version turned out to be closer to King's text than the classic adaptation with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Adaptations of Stephen King's works continue to be released with enviable regularity. Some projects reinterpret the original, while others expand the writer's universe, but interest in his stories remains high — both among viewers and directors.
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