Whereas Stephen King has been adapted into a wide range of media, from movies and miniseries to TV shows and even audio dramas, there are still some King stories that still require picking up a good old book, for now at least. King has written over 65 novels and over 200 short stories, so there’s still a plethora of interesting ideas that haven’t been explored in adaptations, and these might be the most interesting.
The long walk
Unlike many other Stephen King books and stories, The long walk would be a cheap film to produce. Many young filmmakers dream of producing an independent version of this film for this reason. Directing skills could be flexible with little to no budget, as all that’s really needed is a long road and great actors.
In the world of this short story, a rigid police state leads a 450-mile march where those who can’t keep up die and the first to finish triumphantly earns a life of luxury. Released in 1979, the near future in which this novel is set could very well be today, which would only make the political statement stronger. This production is one that may become a reality in the future, but for now it is tied to its pages.
Strawberry Spring
Strawberry Spring is a short story by Stephen King and also a term that refers to a false spring at the end of winter. Although this story was not produced as a film, the audio drama was a source of strawberries of its kind: a potential tease that wasn’t long enough.
The original story debuted in a magazine with broad detail that the audio drama expanded and embellished, but without the visual element it was unsatisfying. The great cast paired with King’s great ideas brought the story to life in such a way that listeners hope the elusive killer Springheel Jack will one day appear on the big screen.
From a Buick 8
While scary cars are a semi-common factor in The Stories of Stephen King, this Buick has never seen the spotlight of the big screen. Maybe too similar to Christina To be made into a movie, this particular story of a self-healing, hurting car follows Ned, who mourns the loss of his father in a drunk driving accident. After contacting his father’s colleagues at the State Police barracks, he begins to suspect that the car possessed on the lot may have something to do with his father’s death. Following this discovery, his mission is to destroy this nasty Buick.
Like many King stories, From a Buick 8 was picked up and dropped several times for a production contract. Rumors say a 2023 film adaptation is coming, but as similar ideas were teased in 2018 and 2019, skepticism remains until a trailer is released.
Thousand 81
With cool scary cars in the brain, Thousand 81 is about a station wagon at an abandoned rest area or a sentient, murderous alien disguised as a station wagon at an abandoned rest area. You’ll have to read the story to find out, because this scary news won’t be in theaters anytime soon. Thousand 81 was picked up for production in 2019 but never went further.
joyland
Different from the sci-fi themes of many Stephen King novels, joyland is a mysterious crime story that would expand the scope of his film collection. Although its content differed from King’s other works, like many others, this was meant to be made into a series, but never made it past pre-production. If this were ever produced as a movie or series, it could open up the possibility of a small collection of Stephen King crime films, including Later and The Colorado Kid.
Duma key
Following the Stephen King trend, there have been various rumors over the years about Duma key be made into a movie. However, that’s where most of the similarities end. This the story explores griefself-discovery, family drama, art and redemption, with just a hint of supernatural and psychological activity horror. Duma key would be an intriguing addition to the Stephen King film canon, as it would add a level of depth to his collection.
Gwendy’s Button Box
It’s a shock that Gwendy’s Button Box has not been a box office hit to date. This short story follows a young girl who receives a mysterious box that provides gifts and trinkets as long as she never presses one of the colored buttons. Besides how alluring temptation can be, this novella is part of a trilogy, perfect for the horror world.
Regulators
Written under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachman, Regulators is set in an alternate reality to his novel and film Despairwhich would create an interesting juxtaposition if Regulators were to be made into a film. The overlap of actors such as Tom Skerritt and Ron Perlman would make this pseudo-sequel disorienting, and while there’s talk of making a movie, no casting decisions for King’s adaptation have not yet been announced.
Insomnia
Set in the same town where Pennywise hunts his victims, Derry, Maine, Insomnia is a great novel that never had its day in the sun. Insomnia follows a grief-stricken widower who suffers from insomnia every night until he can’t sleep at all. He begins to hallucinate and realizes that these visions and auras might just be real. Unlike most Stephen King novels, there never was and currently is no plan to put Insomnia on the big screen.
black house
Although they are not part of a series, The talisman and black house are loosely connected. With overlapping characters and close parameters, it would make sense that now that The talisman is becoming a Netflix series by Steven Spielberg and the Duffer Brothers, it’s only a matter of time before black house follows suit. Until then, read black house in tandem with The talisman or independently; in any case, leave the lights on.