Summary
Stephen Kingintroduced readers and pop culture fans to unforgettable, strong characters like the Losers Club andiconic villains like Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and his impressive career continues. His next book,Never Flinch, will be published on May 27th, 2025, and it tells a story about his smart character Holly Gibney.Cynthia Erivo played Holly in the HBO adaptation ofThe Outsiderand the detective has shown up in many stories.
It’s also fun to hear about King’s TV and movie recommendations. Heshared his love for the zombie showThe Returnedandenjoyed the 1987 filmThe Stepfather, and that’s not all.King explained why he’s a big fan of a memorable movie set after the apocalypse, and it’s one that his many fans won’t want to miss.
In 2010,Stephen King wrote a piece forEntertainment Weeklyabout his favorite 2009 movies. He praisedThe Roadand wrote:
“Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the apocalypse comes to the screen with all its spare and deadly beauty intact. It’s often painful to watch (at my screening I actually heard the projectionist sobbing as the film neared its end), but Viggo Mortensen’s performance as the dedicated father is Oscar bait.”
The Roadhas a tragic endingand follows two main characters: Man (Viggo Mortensen) and Boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The movie is sparse, beautifully crafted, and emotional, and it doesn’t shy away from itsharsh themes of loneliness, life and death, and the hope for connection when all hope seems to be lost.
Stephen King fans can finda lot of similarities betweenThe Roadand King’s work, particularlyThe Long Walk, which is getting a movie adaptationthat will be released in September 2025. Both novels (and films) tell grim stories of characters trying to survive after the apocalypse, and there are more sad moments than happy ones. King and McCarthy also share a memorable talent for making people care about characters who are in terrifying situations. King put it best when he gave an interview toPBSin 2024 after his short story collectionYou Like It Darkerwas published. He said:
“I’m interested in what happens when regular people are suddenly confronted with something that’s totally out of their wheelhouse, something that’s entirely different.”
That sentiment can definitely be applied toThe Road, along withpost-apocalyptic movies from the 1980sand more recent releases such asThe Last of Usseason 2, which is currently streaming on Max.
Mortensen and Smit-McPhee received many award nominations thanks to their excellent and compelling performances. They were each nominated for the 2010 Critics' Choice Awards and also received nominations in the 2010 Best Actor and Best Performance by a Younger Actor categories at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.
According toBiography, when Cormac McCarthy passed away in June 2023, King was among many whoshared a moving tribute to the beloved author. King tweeted:
“Cormac McCarthy, maybe the greatest American novelist of my time, has passed away at 89. He was full of years and created a fine body of work, but I still mourn his passing.”
Where Can Stephen King Fans Stream The Road?
The Roadis available to stream on Peacock.Some exciting projects are coming to Peacock, includingtheFriday the 13thprequelCrystal Lake, and there’s also a great library of movies.The Roadis one ofthe best post-apocalyptic films, so Stephen King’s fanbase will definitely want to see it. Fans can also rent the movie on AppleTV.
What 2009 Movies Did Stephen King Praise?
Stephen King’s latest movie adaptationThe Long Walkwill be released in September 2025, but before then, fans can also go seeMike Flanagan’sThe Life of Chuck, will arrive in theaters on June 6th, 2025.
