Summary

  • Only one film adaptation of Stephen King's novels has won an Oscar, and that film is Misery, a psychological horror masterpiece.
  • Misery received critical acclaim for its departure from fantasy elements, with Kathy Bates winning the Best Actress Oscar for her role as Annie Wilkes.
  • While other King adaptations have received nominations, including Carrie, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile, the Academy rarely recognizes horror movies in the Best Picture category.

Stephen King’s novels and short stories have made the jump to other media for years, most notably to the big screen, but only one movie adaptation of King’s works has won an Oscar. Stephen King has been terrorizing generations of readers for decades, and it all began in 1974 with Carrie. Since then, King has introduced readers to a variety of monsters (both human and supernatural) and has allowed them to explore different fears, rightfully earning the name of the King of Horror. Of course, King’s works have been a source for filmmakers and writers, and many of his stories have gotten TV and movie adaptations.

Carrie was also the first Stephen King novel to be adapted to the big screen, two years after the novel was published. Other King novels that have gotten the film treatment are Pet Sematary, The Shining (though with many, many changes to the source material), The Green Mile, and It, the latter being split into two movies. Unfortunately, not all movies based on King’s works have been a success, and out of those that have, only one has won an Oscar, and it’s not only one of Misery.

Misery Is The Only Stephen King Horror Movie That Won An Oscar

Annie happily showing Paul something in Misery

In 1987, King brought the psychological horror novel Misery, which introduced readers to romance novelist Paul Sheldon and his self-proclaimed number-one fan, Annie Wilkes. Misery was a big success, with critics praising King for not relying on fantasy elements. Misery got its film adaptation shortly after, with Rob Reiner as director and starring James Caan as Paul Sheldon and Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes. Misery, then, follows Paul, who after a serious car crash, is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes, who takes him to her remote cabin to recover. However, when Annie learns that Paul is killing off her favorite character from his novels, her fanaticism takes a dark and violent turn, and Paul has to find a way to escape.

The film adaptation of Misery was released in 1990 and was a critical and commercial success, and even King has named it one of his favorite film adaptations of his works. Misery earned various nominations for different awards, including the Academy Awards. Kathy Bates was nominated for Best Actress at the 63rd Academy Awards in 1991 and took the Oscar home, making Misery the only King movie to have won an Academy Award. Prior to Misery’s Oscar nomination, the only King horror movie to have received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress was Carrie (for Sissy Spacek), along with a Best ing Actress nomination for Piper Laurie.

What Other Stephen King Movies Have Been Nominated For An Oscar

Andy and Red in the yard in The Shawshank Redemption

Misery and Carrie aren’t the only movies based on Stephen King’s novels and short stories to be nominated for an Oscar. Stand By Me, also directed by Rob Reiner, was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, but lost against A Room with a View; The Shawshank Redemption is the most-nominated King movie, with nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Morgan Freeman), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score; and The Green Mile, which was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor in a ing Role (Michael Clarke Duncan), Best Sound, and Best Picture, being the only one that got a nomination for the latter category.

Unfortunately, the Academy rarely recognizes horror movies, with only a couple of horror movies having been nominated for Best Picture, which makes Kathy Bates’ win even more special. As Stephen King continues writing new horror stories, there will be more and more adaptations of his works, and maybe one will finally win the Oscar for Best Picture.