10 Stephen King Stories That Haven't Been Adapted Yet (But Should)
9. Later
This 2022 novel is one of the most quintessentially Stephen King stories he's written in recent years, following a young boy who can speak to the recent dead and must use this secret skill to thwart a terrorist attack and the violent actions of his mother's plotting ex-girlfriend.
Short but bracing, moving and surprisingly humorous, Later is a dark, fantastical coming-of-age story that fits very much into classic King territory, dealing with a child imbued with a higher purpose when all they want to do is live a normal life, and its various plot twists only make it that much more compelling.
A delicate tale of family, coming-of-age, and motherhood, as well as a breakneck thriller, Later's cinematic potential is gigantic; its visceral imagery and powerful character development a sight to behold right until its haunting final chapter, which will break your heart but leave you hopeful.
Give this thing to the right director and young actor raring to go, and you've surely got yourself a winner, full of darkness but sprinkled with hope.