5. Insomnia (1995)
Why It Should Be A Movie...Insomnia tells the story of Ralph Roberts, who, having lost his wife in a terrible accident, finds himself having trouble sleeping, only to discover that he's starting so see some seriously weird things, like ribbons attached to people's heads, and little bald men in lab coats. The idea of somebody experiencing insomnia and seeing crazy stuff might feel like an idea you've heard a dozen times before, but trust me when I say that this is one of King's most underrated novels, and totally deserving of a ballsy, cerebral David Lynch-esque movie adaptation.
Why It Never Will Be... As far as Stephen King adaptations go,
Insomnia is backed up there in the realms of obscurity, and even amongst fans of the author, this one divides the line. That's to say, there's not a major hollering for this to get the big screen treatment anyway, but the fact that the story is so strange and less accessible from a marketing point of view ensures that we probably won't see this one in theatres anytime soon (if ever). It certainly doesn't help that the director of
Wrong Turn tried to get this made in 2007, and the project has fallen through since, even with King's blessing.