Although Stephen King’s recent adaptations struggled to find box office success, 2025’s underratedThe Life of Chuckdid deservedly win over critics. Horror legendStephen King’s recent box office runhasn’t been particularly impressive thanks to high-profile flops like 2022’sFirestarterremake and 2024’s straight-to-VOD re-imagining ofSalem’s Lot.
2025’s upcoming King adaptations,The Long WalkandThe Running Man, hope to turn this cold streak around beforeDoug Liman’s movie version ofThe Standenters production. However, the mixed reviews received by 2020’sChildren of the Cornand 2022’sMr. Harrigan’s Phoneprove that this won’t be easily done.
The Life Of Chuck Is Now Available On Digital After A Disappointing Box Office Performance
Mike Flanagan’s Underrated Stephen King Adaptation Deserves Streaming Success
That said, King’s 2025 started strong with the arrival ofLonglegsdirector Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey. A blackly comedic adaptation of the story of the same name from King’s collectionNight Shift,The Monkeywas both a critical and commercial success upon release. However, even its good reviews couldn’t compare to King’s next underrated adaptation.
Told in reverse chronological order,The Life of Chuckis an immersive, poignant story of the eponymous, seemingly average Chuck Krantz and his impact on the world around him.
Director Mike Flanagan’sThe Life of Chuckwas released in June 2025 and earned only $10 million at the box office, but the novella adaptation was a huge hit with critics.The Life of Chuckearned aRotten Tomatoesrating of 81%, making the movie King’s most critically successful adaptation in half a decade.
Told in reverse chronological order,The Life of Chuckis an immersive, poignant story of the eponymous, seemingly average Chuck Krantz and his impact on the world around him. While King’s thrillers, horror, and mysteries might be his best-known literary efforts,The Life of Chuckproves that the author has a sweeter side sometimes.
Despite being King’s best-reviewed movie in years,The Life of Chuckmade only $10 million upon release. That said, Flanagan’s film only received a limited release in the US and is yet to be released in many territories, meaning this number is not necessarily indicative of the movie’s overall performance.
The Life of Chuckis now available to purchase on Prime Video.
Regardless of its box office struggles,The Life of Chuck is a must-watch for King fans, Flanagan aficionados, and anyone looking for an uplifting, life-affirming story to get lost in. AsThe Stand’s upcoming movie adaptation proves, King’s books are often ambitious doorstoppers with countless subplots and secondary storylines.
As such, Flanagan’s film represents a refreshing break from the author’s usual output. For Stephen King fans who want to see a self-contained story from the more hopeful side of the author’s oeuvre,The Life of Chuckis now available to purchase on Prime Video.
