Stephen King’s Field Workplace Struggles: Hollywood’s Misunderstood Obsession

Stephen King’s writings have lengthy been one of many greatest sources for variations in Hollywood, and 2025 has been no totally different. The Lengthy Stroll‘s launch this previous weekend marked the third launch for him this 12 months, with a fourth, The Operating Man, nonetheless to return.

Hollywood has handled King as an IP in recent times, hoping that his works could be the premise for large hits. However 2025 has been a tricky one for him. The Monkey carried out modestly ($68 million worldwide vs. $10 million price range), however The Lifetime of Chuck ($16.9 million worldwide, no recognized price range) was a misfire.

There was some optimism that The Lengthy Stroll could be a giant performer nonetheless. Lionsgate had a terrific advertising marketing campaign and leaned into the movie’s Starvation Video games connections. That is why it was considerably shocking to see The Lengthy Stroll‘s field workplace fall proper in step with projections and earn $11.7 million in its opening weekend domestically.

The film has been lauded by critics, holding one of many highest Rotten Tomatoes scores for a King adaptation at 89%. So why are The Lengthy Stroll and different films primarily based on his works failing to attach? A deep dive into Hollywood’s historical past with King films reveals the startling reality.

Stephen King’s Field Workplace Historical past Is not That Robust

Hollywood’s trendy obsession with Stephen King films might be traced again to 2017. Warner Bros. hit the jackpot with It, which tailored the primary a part of the long-lasting horror novel, because it grossed over $700 million worldwide. That is a report excessive for a King adaptation, and its opening weekend and home totals are nonetheless information for King when adjusted for inflation.

Studios have been chasing such a hit within the eight years since, with It: Chapter Two in 2019 the one one coming comparatively shut; the sequel was nonetheless seen as one thing of a disappointment, grossing $473 million worldwide, a 32% drop from its predecessor. However, this was nonetheless the final time a King film remodeled $100 million worldwide or had a gap weekend over $20 million.

Primarily based on how typically Hollywood takes a crack at bringing a Stephen King novel to life, there’s a notion that his films should do effectively, typically talking, on the field workplace. That might be the logical clarification for the inflow of variations that has carried on into 2025’s quartet of movies.

That’s simply not the case, and Hollywood has almost 50 years price of information to again this up. The common King film solely makes $63 million on the worldwide field workplace, not adjusted for inflation. That is not a tremendous determine. Adjusting for inflation, the common home whole for his films jumps as much as $75 million. That is extra respectable, however nonetheless effectively shy of being within the prime tier of yearly hits.

Going again to 1976, when Carrie grew to become the primary film primarily based on a Stephen King novel, the outcomes are literally fairly grim. Solely ten films primarily based on his works remodeled $100 million domestically, adjusted for inflation. That is out of 48 certified films. And apart from the 2 It movies, it hasn’t occurred since 2007’s 1408 ($118M adjusted vs $71M unadjusted).

Not solely do King’s films have a tendency to not make big sums on the home or worldwide field workplace by the tip, however in addition they often fail to have sizable debuts. Solely 4 have opened to greater than $20 million not adjusted for inflation, and two of them are the It movies.

If we take inflation under consideration, that quantity jumps as much as 15, however the expectations must also improve. The group is lower all the way down to seven if the bar is $30 million. Solely three have over $40 million: The Inexperienced Mile and each It films.

This is the reason the efficiency of The Monkey, The Lifetime of Chuck, and now The Lengthy Stroll should not actually be that shocking. Hollywood has had hassle translating the beloved writings of an icon into dependable field workplace outcomes for nearly 50 years.

These films might be saved by affordable budgets, as is as soon as once more the case with The Lengthy Stroll, reportedly costing solely $20 million. So whereas it might probably open to below $20 million and presumably end its field workplace run below $100 million worldwide and be worthwhile, it is going to extra possible go down as a movie that, on paper, ought to’ve finished lots higher.

Hollywood Values Stephen King Films Too A lot

With this field workplace knowledge in thoughts, it’s clear that Hollywood is overcommitted to adapting Stephen King’s works primarily based on the returns and basic viewers curiosity. There’s not a gentle demand that justifies so many variations of his works popping out each single 12 months.

That is to not insinuate that book-to-movie variations of his writings cannot produce hits. However, they’re fewer and farther between than the trade acts. In the event you take the 2 It films out of the equation, there hasn’t been a King film that remodeled $200 million worldwide, not adjusted for inflation, since 1999’s The Inexperienced Mile.

Adjusting figures for inflation helps classics like Carrie, Stand By Me, Distress, and The Shining all cross the $100 million mark domestically alone. These films are throughout three many years previous, although, suggesting that King’s variations aren’t connecting with audiences on the field workplace in addition to they used to.

It seems that the energy of King’s written work and his identify recognition is driving Hollywood’s curiosity in these variations. However, they don’t seem to be all fitted to big-screen reimaginings, nor are audiences exhibiting a requirement to see all of them on this format.

Hollywood could also be higher off slowing down on its output of King variations, then. That is simpler stated than finished, as The Woman Who Liked Tom Gordon, The Stand, Danny Coughlin’s Dangerous Dream, The Regulators, and remakes of Christine and Cujo among the many titles in varied phases of growth.

By taking a less-is-more method, Hollywood can make sure that every Stephen King film adaptation fulfills the promise of the unique works and might be occasions that demand seeing on the massive display screen. The extra they oversaturate the market with King films, the much less impactful they turn into.

It is attention-grabbing to me that King’s greatest film ever, It, got here amid one of many largest gaps in Hollywood pushing him for contemporary audiences. After 2013’s Carrie did strong numbers, Hollywood waited 4 years for the subsequent movie adaptation of his works.

That hole and tackling one in every of his most iconic works proved to be a recipe for fulfillment, however that logic hasn’t been utilized going ahead. Each studio is as a substitute mining his works to try to get their very own big hit, and that could be letting all of them down within the course of.

Films as nice as The Lengthy Stroll have every thing a studio would need to make successful. They simply cannot depend on King’s identify to promote the film. Shifting methods to eventize these releases, whereas retaining their often decrease prices, might assist the creator’s film variations turn into a extra constant supply of success.