Summary
If there is an author who is used to people talking about their endings, it’sStephen King, and he once sharedthe conclusion to one of his popular books that fans were most upset about. King has crafted some wild and tragic endings in his decades-long career, from Carrie’s shocking death to the sad and uncertain tone of the final pages ofThe Mist. With many adaptations on the way, includingthe upcoming movieThe Long Walk, audiences will have even more chances to compare the movie and book endings.
King’s first novel,Carrie, was published in 1974, and since then, he has penned countless novels, novellas, and short stories. His chilling and creepy story"Gramma" was turned into an episode ofThe Twilight Zone, and he wrote the screenplays for a few of his adaptations, including 2014’sA Good Marriage. But, whileeveryone enjoys hearing what horror movies King lovessince he gives solid recommendations, it’s also fun to hear about what his fans thought of the ending of one of his most celebrated books.
In an early May 2025 interview on the podcastStill Here Hollywoodhosted by Steve Kmetko,Cujostar Dee Wallace shared thatStephen King was glad that the movie had a different ending from the book. According toEntertainment Weekly, Wallace said:
“Stephen King wrote us afterCujo andsaid, ‘Thank God you didn’t kill the kid at the end. I’ve never gotten more hate mail for anything else I’ve done.'”
Wallace explained that she wanted one detail altered whenCujowas adapted for the big screen and said:
“The movie is very different from the book. The dog’s possessed by a demon and the kid dies. And when they brought me aboard, I said, ‘The kid can’t die.'”
After starring in the horror moviesThe Hills Have EyesandThe Howling,Dee Wallace played Donna Trenton inCujo, which was released in 1983. While he dies at the end of the novel, Tad Trenton (Danny Pintauro) survives in the last moments of the film adaptation.Cujodefinitely has one of the cruelest conclusions of King’s books as no one wants to imagine a child dying. No matter whichdirector takes on the upcoming Netflix remake ofCujo, it will be interesting to see whether the ending follows the original novel or, like the first adaptation, goes in a different direction.
Wallace was impressive as a parent in a terrifying situation, and, according toJo Blo, in an interview on the podcast The Kingcast,King said Wallace deserved an Oscar nomination. He also said he believes she needed to win the Best Actress Academy Award. The author also shared that he saw theCujomovie in the theaters instead of seeing it at a special screening, which is another fun behind-the-scenes detail.
It’s interesting to hear that King was happy that the ending of theCujomovie was altered from the book as sometimes, it can be challenging for an author when their work is adapted. But, of course, King has had more than a few stories adapted for the big screen and a lot of experience with the process. As of the time of this writing,Rotten Tomatoes has a list of 65 films, and that number will only grow asfans look forward to seeingMike Flanagan’sThe Life of Chuckin June 2025.
