Summary
- Stephen King acknowledged influence of Stranger Things on IT popularity in 2017.
- Both IT & Stranger Things share themes of kids fighting supernatural evil.
- Fans can anticipate upcoming Stephen King and Stranger Things content in 2025.
As soon as Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) disappeared in the pilot episode of Netflix' s Stranger Things, fans were hooked, and the story drew immediate comparisons to Stephen King's beloved work. Although not everyone loved the ending of one of King's most well-known novels, the author has had an incredible career with countless dark, memorable, and moving stories adapted for the big and small screen. If someone enjoys tales about child characters who stand up to evil and form deep friendships that carry them through adulthood, or they like seeing kids with unique powers, chances are they've seen every episode of Stranger Things and are big King readers, too.
Stephen King's interviews are always compelling as he's always honest about how he feels about adaptations of his work, and it's always great to get a glimpse into his creative process. A few years ago, the author shared his thoughts on comparisons between his book IT and Stranger Things, and his comments make perfect sense.
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What Did Stephen King Say About Comparisons Between Stranger Things And IT?
In a 2017 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King was asked about the popularity of his creepy clown story IT. The first movie was released in 2017, and the sequel came out in 2019. When asked if the surge in popularity could have been because fans were enjoying Stranger Things season 1, which premiered on Netflix in 2016, King said:
"I think that Stranger Things might've had something to do with it..."
The author then dove into comparisons between his work and the Netflix sci-fi series about kids in Hawkins, the Upside Down, and all the creatures found there. King continued:
"because so much of Stranger Things reminds me of stuff that I've written. But I think that played a part. Obviously the idea of a bunch of kids fighting a supernatural terror just sort of appealed to people, and they saw a chance to root for the good guys, which doesn't always happen in horror movies."
It's fascinating to hear King's take on this subject, and his perspective makes sense. Fans definitely love IT and Stranger Things because of the kind, underdog characters who fight evil and try to save each other. Although the events of IT are confined to Derry, Maine and it's possible that the evil in Hawkins will affect the rest of the world, both stories have a similar tone. As King pointed out, masked villains and paranormal entities often kill likable horror movie characters before audiences have a chance to fully cheer them on. Of course, final girls are the exception.
If the IT and Stranger Things child characters were all part of the same story, it's easy to imagine them becoming close friends and being on the same team. There are also some interesting comparisons between King's villain Pennywise, who has connections to The Dark Tower, and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). They both have a disturbing ability to manipulate their intended victims, and they both target child characters.
Stephen King and the Duffer Brothers are mutual fans of each other, although Stephen King once shared how he felt about one aspect of the previous season. According to Digital Spy, King tweeted his praise for Stranger Things season 4 in 2022, although he didn't love that the season was split up into two parts. That's a fair piece of criticism and fans wonder if season 5 is going to be separated, too.
The Duffer Brothers appreciate Stephen King's work, and they gave an interview to Deadline and shared the original idea behind their hit Netflix series. Ross Duffer said:
"The original pitch for Stranger Things was, what if Stephen Spielberg is filming a long lost Stephen King book you’ve never read?"
Stephen King & Stranger Things Fans Have A Lot To Look Forward To
Fans of Stephen King's work can check out his upcoming adaptations The Life of Chuck, which will be released on June 6th, 2025, and The Long Walk, which comes out September 12th, 2025. Fans of IT will also get the chance to dive back into this dark and creepy world when the HBO prequel series IT: Welcome to Derry comes out in 2025.
Of course, Stranger Things season 5 is also coming in 2025, although no one is quite sure when it will be released. At the time of this writing, it's been three years since season 4 arrived on Netflix and the series further explored Vecna's evil rise to power.
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