The 10 best horror movies adapted from books

With Halloween just around the corner, what better time to awaken the age-old question that has plagued Hollywood for decades — is the movie or the book better? The aforementioned question has been asked numerous times — especially around properties such as Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. That being said, one could argue that the question is most often raised when it comes to the colossal horror genre — where a variety of horror features are based on bestselling books.

When it comes down to the vicious rivalry, devoted cinephiles will swear up and down that on-screen adaptations are far superior in regards to showcasing a particular narrative. On the other side of the coin, unwavering bookworms will argue day and night in defense of novels that tell an incredible story. 

But when all is said and done, there’s enough credible material to insist that both film and book adaptations of a particular story are significant enough in their own right — especially when each adaptation presents a whirlwind of detail and information. As a result, here are the 10 best horror movies adapted from books.

The Ring

As one of the most sinister and twisted adaptations on this list, it comes as no major surprise that 2002’s The Ring — which serves as the American adaptation of Hideo Nakata’s Ring — is one of the scariest movie adaptations of all time. Based on Koji Suzuki’s incomparable 1991 novel, The Ring includes a plethora of spine-tingling elements which left audiences too terrified to even speak at the time of its worldwide release. With the movie eventually spawning a strong lineup of similar Japanese horror adaptations, it certainly deserves a spot here.

Rosemary’s Baby

Etched in the panels of history as one of the most impactful horror flicks of all time, true horror fanatics will fondly remember that Rosemary’s Baby is based on Ira Levin’s iconic 1967 novel. Despite being directed by now-disgraced filmmaker Roman Polanski, the pulse-pounding ‘68 feature takes a deep dive into the sheer terror of a Satanic cult and the twisted worshiping of the Devil — a horrid fact that Rosemary must come face-to-face with. With lines of dialogue pulled straight from the novel, it’s no surprise that the movie is one of the best horror adaptations out there.

Pet Sematary

Penned by legendary horror author Stephen King, it wasn’t going to take long before one of his iconic novels served as inspiration for a blood-curdling film adaptation. With the first film version being released back in 1989, Pet Sematary immediately became a household name in the spooky realm and eventually claimed its spot in history as one of the scariest horror flicks ever. But, of course, with King placing pen to paper and writing the entire narrative, it’s certainly not hard to understand why this adaptation is one of the very best.

It

Unsurprisingly, one of the scariest film adaptations on this list was also penned by famed author Stephen King. With several adaptations based on King’s ‘86 novel already existing, It showcases a horrifying coming-of-age story that includes a group of outcast-esque children engaging in an intense battle with a supernatural entity. All unsettling elements included in both the film and television adaptations as well as the novel itself have catapulted the narrative into mainstream success over the years — especially with a terrifying villain such as Pennywise at the helm.

Dracula

As one of the most iconic horror stories of all time, the narrative and character surrounding Dracula have been adapted for nearly a century now. Of course, having Hollywood legends such as Bela Lugosi starring as the titular vampire has certainly helped Dracula’s case and helped the story to become such a renowned commodity. More specifically, Bram Stoker’s Dracula has received a variety of media adaptations over the years — which only solidifies its case as a large handful of these adaptations to be thought of as some of the best in the genre.

Jaws

Helmed by legendary auteur Stephen Spielberg, the famed creature feature Jaws is memorably based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel about a vengeful great white shark. As to be expected, the movie does boast several differences in comparison to the bone-chilling book, but that certainly doesn’t mean that the film is any less important when it comes to conveying a message of pure terror. As a result, there’s no debating the fact that Jaws is considered to be one of the very best horror movies adapted from a book.

The Shining

What’s that, another Stephen King adaptation? Well, it only makes sense for The Shining to end up on this list — especially when you consider the fact that it’s considered to be one of the best horror movies in the history of the spooktacular genre. Based on Stephen King’s iconic 1977 novel, The Shining is a large piece of cinematic brilliance that effectively changed the horror genre forever. However, King himself has maintained dissatisfaction with Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation, explaining that the movie features far too many differences compared to the book.

Psycho

You’d be hard-pressed to find anybody that didn’t discuss Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho whenever the genre of horror is mentioned in passing. Etched in history as one of the most influential horror movies of all time, Psycho presented itself as the film adaptation of legendary serial killer Norman Bates. But prior to the film’s unfathomable sequences and horrifying moments, the horror flick is famously based on Robert Bloch’s unforgettable 1959 novel. Decades later, there’s simply no denying that the movie is absolutely one of the best.

The Silence of the Lambs

Without a doubt, The Silence of the Lambs has gone down in history as one of the greatest horror movies of all time — if not for the simple fact that the film boasts a terrifying villain like Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Based on Thomas Harris’ memorable string of novels, the 1991 original has made itself a household name in the world of horror for a variety of different reasons — all of which scare us to our very core. That being said, there’s absolutely no discounting the film’s ever-present impact on horror fanatics as far as the eye can see.

The Exorcist 

Typically regarded as one of the greatest horror movies of all time, folks might be shocked to learn that William Friedkin’s The Exorcist is actually based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel. Showcasing one of the most chilling horror stories ever, the critically-acclaimed film follows a 12-year-old girl who has been possessed by a vengeful demon. Before hitting the silver screen, Blatty’s novel was a bestselling hit and first introduced the world to one of the most unsettling narratives ever crafted in the horror genre. As such, The Exorcist remains at the top of the list to this day.