While Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of The Shining is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made, the relationship between the film and its source material remains a point of interest. For fans looking to revisit the Overlook Hotel, the film is preparing for a change in its streaming availability.
The Shining is currently scheduled to depart AMC before October 1. This change occurs alongside a “spooky season” focus on titles such as the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and the original 1973 version of The Exorcist.
The History of the Adaptation
Kubrick’s vision for the story is iconic. To provide an alternative take, King eventually wrote and produced a 1997 television miniseries adaptation of The Shining that stayed closer to the book’s narrative. However, that version has never achieved the cultural permanence of Kubrick’s visually iconic, if narratively divergent, film.
The Modern King Renaissance
The streaming shift for The Shining comes at a time when King’s relationship with Hollywood is highly productive. After years of various adaptations, a new wave of filmmakers has found success by balancing specific emotional beats with modern cinematic flair. This is particularly evident in the works of Mike Flanagan, who bridged the gap between the novel and the 1980 film with the 2019 adaptation of Doctor Sleep.
Flanagan’s momentum continues with The Life of Chuck, which won the prestigious People’s Choice Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
Other recent projects have also earned high marks from the author. King has offered significant praise for the 2025 slate of adaptations, including The Monkey and The Long Walk. He was particularly vocal regarding Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, starring Glen Powell. King reportedly compared the high-octane production to a modern-day Die Hard, marking a positive response to recent cinematic takes on his stories.
While The Shining remains the most famous example of a creative divergence between a novelist and a director, its shifting availability ensures that a new generation of viewers can decide for themselves if the film has simply become its own separate entity from the original nightmare.
