Summary

King's latest stories focus on heavy themes, offering a realistic and emotionally grounded take on horror.
The author praises 2009's The Last House on the Left remake for superior acting, story, and moral compass.
Multiple classic Stephen King horror movies, including Carrie and Cujo, have gotten or are getting remakes with fresh takes.

From The Long Walk's sad premise to the joyful tearjerker The Life of Chuck, Stephen King's latest adaptations are heavy and emotional. Both of these stories are a bit different from what the author usually writes, as instead of featuring ghosts and villains, the horror is more realistic and grounded. There are plenty of reasons to see The Life of Chuck, and it's definitely a feel-good movie.

Even if King doesn't only write terrifying stories, he talks about the horror genre all the time, and fans have started relying on his clever recommendations when looking for a series to binge or a classic film to check out. A few years ago, King shared how impressed he was with the remake of an older horror movie. It's interesting to hear his thoughts given the movie's low Rotten Tomatoes rating.

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By Alyssa Avina

Stephen King Praised The 2009 Remake Of Wes Craven's The Last House On The Left

John (John Goldwyn) and Emma (Monica Potter) in The Last House On The Left (2009)

In an article for Entertainment Weekly about his favorite 2009 horror films, Stephen King praised the 2009 The Last House on the Left remake. He wrote:

"Easily the most brilliant remake of the decade, and not just because the 1972 original was such a crapfest. This beautifully photographed — but hard to watch — movie is the standard by which all horror/suspense films should be judged: The acting is superior (Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul is especially fine), the story makes sense, and, most importantly, Last House‘s moral compass points to true north."

King continued:

"We don’t want these creeps back for six or eight sequels; they are monsters, and we want them dead. This film is on par with The Silence of the Lambs."

The 1972 original is one of Wes Craven's most unforgettable horror movies since it tells the story of criminals who kidnap and then abuse Mari Collingwood (Sandra Peabody) and Phyllis Stone (Lucy Grantham). It has particularly violent deaths and its disturbing subject matter is tough to get through. It was Craven's directorial debut, and in contrast to his well-known and beloved movies Scream and A Nightmare On Elm Street, it feels like something that could really happen. Of course, that's likely why it's so devastating and difficult to watch.

King appreciated the cinematography of the 2009 The Last House on the Left remake, along with Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul's performance. Although not a lot of horror remakes are worth watching since so many don't have much to say, King thinks this is one of the more well-done remakes out there. The story is the same as the original, and Sara Paxton plays the main character Mari. Her parents, who get revenge on the horrible killers who take their daughter, are played by Monica Potter and Tony Goldwyn. The Last House on the Left remake definitely benefits from a talented cast, and some might like this one better because the ending is much different.

While the remake only has a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score, compared to the original's 64%, King makes several good points. As the author suggested, other horror filmmakers could use The Last House on the Left as a blueprint when approaching a remake. The ending is also as haunting as the final moments of The Silence of the Lambs. Every horror remakes needs strong performances, a logical storyline, and in some cases, a new ending. This one checks all those boxes.

Several Classic Stephen King Horror Movies Have Gotten Remakes (And One Exciting One Is On The Way)

Julianne Moore and Chleo Grace Moretz in Carrie (2013)

Since Stephen King is such a popular horror storyteller, it's no wonder that many of his books have gotten more than one adaptation. Some of the most disappointing ones include 2013's Carrie, 2022's Firestarter, and 2023's Children of the Corn. It seems likely that Mike Flanagan's Amazon Prime Video Carrie show will be much more compelling, especially since he's promised a fresh take on the creepy coming-of-age story.

Besides Carrie, which will likely be a moving and dark series about technology and bullying, King fans can also look out for the upcoming Netflix remake of Cujo. The Last House on the Left remake altered the ending from the original movie, and perhaps the Cujo remake will feature a different ending as well. There's also the remake of the 1987 film The Running Man starring Glen Powell, which will be released on November 7th, 2025. Given King's large body of work, fans can likely expect even more remakes of movies in the future, from his scariest horror films to his more realistic fare.