How Well Do You Know Stephen King's Movies?

By: Mohammad Agha
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Well Do You Know Stephen King's Movies?
Image: AP Photo/Francois Mori, File

About This Quiz

Stephen King has been the master of horror for decades now. His terrifying novels have been published since the 1970s, and Hollywood has been quick to snatch up the film rights to King's stories and turn them into movies or TV series. 

In 1967, King sold his first short story, "The Glass Floor" to "Startling Mystery Stories", a US digest that printed unusual and bizarre mysteries. King's career began to take off following the release of 1973 novel "Carrie". After the New American Library purchased paperback rights from Doubleday, the novel became a significant piece of horror history. 

King's resume boasts some of the best horror movies of all time, resulting in numerous awards and nomination. While some of King's adaptations blur genre lines and some of the films have been lost in the shuffle, let's relive some of the best work brought to you the legendary author.

In this quiz, we will ask you trivia questions from the past five decades of Stephen King movie and TV adaptions. From the original Pet Sematary up to the recent remake of IT, we're going to cover a lot of ground in this one. Let's hope your knowledge of King and his various works are up to the task!




Stephen King
Library of Congress
Let's start at the beginning: which of King's novels was the first one to be turned into a feature film?
Carrie
IT
The Shining
Cujo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

'Carrie' was published in 1974 and was quickly adapted into a movie by director Brian De Palma, which was released in 1976. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Advertisement

The Shining
Warner Bros. (presents)/Hawk Films (made by)/Peregrine/Producers Circle (in association with)
Which film legend directed 'The Shining'?
John Carptener
Steven Spielberg
David Cronenberg
Stanley Kubrick
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stanley Kubrick directed 'The Shining', although King reportedly wasn't a fan of the way the film turned out. The film starred the great Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance.

Advertisement

Pet Sematary
Paramount Pictures
What is the came of the Creed family cat who gets buried (and resurrected) in 'Pet Sematary'?
Mittens
Fluffy
Church
Patches
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Church didn't come back the same, but Louis Creed refuses to learn the lesson that "sometimes dead is better." Stephen King was present for most of the shooting of the film, due to the close proximity to his home in Bangor, Maine.

Advertisement

Jack Nicholson The Shining
The Producer Circle Company/Peregrine Productions/Hawk Films
What is the name of the cursed hotel in 'The Shining'?
The Overwatch Hotel
The Overlook Hotel
The Rocky Mountain Inn
Widow's Peak Hotel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Overlook Hotel is full of secrets and ghosts from the previous decades. The front exterior of the hotel was The Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon. The interior shots were built at Elstree Studios in London, UK.

Advertisement

Stand By Me
Act III Productions / Columbia Pictures
What is the name of the original novella that was the source material for 'Stand By Me'?
Standy By Me
Gordie
The Body
Friends Like These
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

'Stand By Me' was a break from King's usual horror genre, as it focused on a coming-of-age tale about a group of 12-year-olds. Stephen King reportedly told director Rob Reiner that this movie was the best adaptation of his work.

Advertisement

The Running Man
Braveworld Productions / Carlos Apolo Moran
Which famous action star was the leading man in 'The Running Man'?
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sylvester Stallone
Kurt Russell
Bruce Willis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This was after 'Conan', 'Terminator', and 'Predator', so Arnie was a certified blockbuster A-lister by the time 'The Running Man' came out. Arnold Schwarzenegger rode in a bus named "Running Man" when he ran for governor.

Advertisement

Children of the Corn
Image Entertainment
What is the name of the bloodthirsty deity worshipped by the cult of children in 'Children of the Corn'?
Satan
He Who Must Not Be Named
He Who Walks Behind The Rows
He Who Demands Sacrifice
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The evil deity promises the children a successful corn harvest if they sacrifice all the adults in town. During the original trailer for the film, Stephen King's name was misspelled as "Steven".

Advertisement

Cujo
Paramount Pictures
What type of animal terrorizes the Trenton family (and others) in 'Cujo'?
Bear
Dog
Lion
Wolf
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cujo is a huge St. Bernard dog, who happens to go crazy after being bitten by a rabid bat. During filming, five St. Bernards were used during the shoot. They also used someone in a dog costume and a mechanical head during the shooting.

Advertisement

Annie Wilkes
Stephen King/Castle Rock Entertainment
Which of the following Academy Awards did 'Misery' win in 1991?
Best Picture
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Director
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cathy Bates won for her performance as the violently insane Annie Wilkes. It's the only King movie to win an Oscar, so far. Kathy Bates stated in her Academy Awards acceptance speech, "I would like to publicly apologize to James Caan for the ankles."

Advertisement

The Shawshank Redemption
Columbia Pictures
Which pinup girl was hanging on Andy's wall when he escaped from Shawshank State Penitentiary?
Rita Hayworth
Raquel Welch
Marilyn Monroe
Brigitte Bardot
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although the poster changed over the years, it was Welch's famous fur bikini pose that was hanging the night Andy escaped. The Shawshank Redemption was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Advertisement

The Green Mile
Castle Rock Entertainment,Darkwoods Productions,Warner Bros. via youtube
What is the name of Del's beloved pet mouse in 'The Green Mile', which John Coffey resurrects and Paul (Tom Hanks) continues to look after?
Mr. Jingles
Mr. Jenkins
Mickey
Mr. Scurries
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The mouse survives for decades after Coffey's death, and presumably, Paul was also gifted (cursed?) with an incredibly long life. The Green Mile was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously, and Best Sound at the 2000 Academy Awards.

Advertisement

The Mist
Dimension Films / Darkwoods Productions / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
True or False: Stephen King liked the changed ending of 'The Mist' by director Frank Darabont better than the ending he wrote for the book.
TRUE
FALSE
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

True! The book ending was less tragic, as the survivors drive off towards Hartford in search of sanctuary. Stephen King was reportedly frightened by the adaption of his novella.

Advertisement

It
New Line Cinema
Which actor replaced Tim Curry as the murderous clown Pennywise in the 2017 remake of 'IT'?
Miles Teller
Joe Keery
Ansel Elgort
Bill Skarsgard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While it would be hard to out-do Curry's original performance, Skarsgard's version of Pennywise was still downright terrifying. Skarsgard reportedly got inspiration from movies such as The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, and The Silence of the Lambs.

Advertisement

Netflix
Netflix
What was the first Stephen King movie or series to be released as a Netflix Original?
1922
Gerald's Game
The Mist (TV Series)
Into The Tall Grass
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

'Gerald's Game' was released on September 29, 2017 -- one month before '1922' -- making it the first Netflix Original for a King story. The film was based on Stephen King's 1992 novel with the same name.

Advertisement

11.22.63
Carpenter B. / Bad Robot Productions / Warner Bros. Television
What is significant about the title of the Stephen King adapted Hulu miniseries '11.22.63'?
Day that man landed on the moon
Day that Alcatraz closed
Day that JFK was shot
Day that Hurricane Flora hit
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The series is about a man named Jake (James Franco) who travels back in time to try and save JFK from being assassinated. In the Stephen King novel, the main character travels back to 1958, where the TV series travels to 1960.

Advertisement

Screen Shot 2019-08-23 at 2.40.20 PM
Horror Trailers HD / Greengrass Productions / Laurel Entertainment Inc. / ABC
'The Stand' was a four-part made for TV miniseries that aired in 1994. Which network did it originally air on?
ABC
NBC
CBS
Fox
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This King miniseries about a weaponized flu virus that kills over 99% of the world's population aired on ABC. The series won two Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Miniseries or a Special, and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Miniseries or a Special.

Advertisement

Cell
Benaroya Pictures / International Film Trust / 120dB Films / Cargo Entertainment / The Genre Company / Don Nafia
What is the name of the event in 'Cell' that causes almost every cellphone user to become a rabid killer?
The Signal
The Pulse
The Dialtone
The Buzz
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Pulse" is used to describe the moment that some message was sent through global mobile networks, brainwashing most of the population. In the closing credits of the film, the catalyst signal plays for the audience for approximately 10 seconds.

Advertisement

Carrie
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures / Screen Gems / Misher Films
How many movie and television properties have been made out of 'Carrie', one of King's very first books?
2
3
4
5
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There was the original 1976 film, a 1999 sequel movie (not based on a King book), a 2002 made-for-TV film, and a 2013 feature film remake. The original 1976 film was the first Stephen King novel adapted into a movie.

Advertisement

Secret Window
Columbia Pictures
Which of the following actors starred in 'Secret Window', the movie adaption of King's book 'Secret Window, Secret Garden'?
Tom Cruise
Johnny Depp
Tom Hanks
Leonardo DiCaprio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Depp stars as Mort Rainey, a mentally ill author who ends up murdering his wife and her lover. John Turturro reportedly appeared in the movie, because his son is a huge fan of Stephen King.

Advertisement

The Dead Zone
Dino De Laurentiis Company
'The Dead Zone' was a 1983 film that featured a man named John Smith (Christopher Walken) who develops.....
Superhuman strength
X-Ray vision
Telekenesis
Ability to foresee deaths
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Smith can use human contact to foresee a person's death. Then he has to decide whether to actively try to alter the future or not.

Advertisement

Maximum Overdrive
De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Which actor portrayed Bill Robinson in 'Maximum Overdrive'?
Charlie Sheen
Patrick Swayze
Emilio Estevez
Tom Hanks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Emilio Estevez portrayed Bill Robinson in the 1986 movie Maximum Overdrive. This is the only film that Stephen King directed. The film is loosely based on a short story written by King titled "Trucks".

Advertisement

Gerald's Game
Intrepid Pictures
Which state was the 2017 film 'Gerald's Place' set in?
Kentucky
Alabama
Arkansas
Minnesota
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gerald's Game is set in Fairhope, Alabama. The film stars Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood. In the film Gerald states his dog's name is Cujo, which is a nod to Stephen King's book by the same name.

Advertisement

Stephen King
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert via Youtube
Which film had the tagline, 'Fear can hold you, prisoner. Hope can set you free'?
The Stand
The Green Mile
Stand by Me
The Shawshank Redemption
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tagline was for the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption. The movie starred Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and Bob Gunton. The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards.

Advertisement

1408
di Bonaventura Pictures
Which Stephen King film did John Cusack not appear in?
Cell
Stand By Me
1408
The Mist
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Cusack has appeared in three Stephen King films, including Stand By Me, 1408, and Cell. He did not appear in The Mist. His first lead role in a Stephen King movie 1408 released in 2007. Cusack was nominated for a Saturn Award at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films for his role as Mike Enslin.

Advertisement

Dark Tower
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Which actor portrayed Roland in 'The Dark Tower'?
Idris Elba
Matthew McConaughey
Denzel Washington
Morgan Freeman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Idris Elba portrayed Roland Deschain in the 2017 film The Dark Tower. The film adaptation of Stephen King's book series of the same name. The movie wasn't received well by critics and was nominated for Biggest Disappointment of the Year at the Golden Schmoes Awards.

Advertisement

It
New Line Cinema / Lin Pictures / RatPac-Dune Entertainment / Vertigo Entertainment / KatzSmith Productions
How many times is the name 'Pennywise' said in 'It' (2017)?
53
117
20
4
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The name Pennywise is said four times in 2017 horror film. Bill SkarsgÄrd, who played Pennywise in both It and the sequel, is born in 1990, the same year the original IT movie was released.

Advertisement

You Got:
/26
AP Photo/Francois Mori, File