Stephen King’s status as the master of horror is well-earned. With 88 books and counting to his name, the author’s ability to tap into the human psyche and uncover what scares us the most has become uncanny — and Hollywood took notice a long time ago. Not including sequels, more than 40 films based on King’s work have been made since 1976’s Carrie. In 2019 alone, we got a remake of Pet Sematary, It: Chapter II, and Doctor Sleep (aka the cinematic follow-up to The Shining).
Ranked from simply scary to sleep-with-the-lights-on levels of fear, these movies all had theatrical releases (that means Salem’s Lot fans are out of luck), and they all showcase exactly why King will always be the true master of horror in the realms of literature and film.