Stephen King’s Favorite Film Adaptation Stand by Me Leaving Netflix Soon

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Stephen King is a hugely popular and successful author, famous for his scary novels. Many of his books, like Carrie and It, have been made into films and television series over the years. However, one adaptation he particularly enjoys, Stand by Me, will unfortunately be removed from Netflix on March 1st.

The film Stand by Me features a talented group of young actors—Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell—who later became famous. The movie follows these friends as they embark on an adventure to find the body of a missing boy in the town of Castle Rock.

The story begins with grown-up Gordie reflecting on the death of his friend, Chris, which brings back memories of the summer of 1959. That summer, Gordie, Chris, and their friends set out to find the body of a missing boy named Ray Brower. One of their group, Vern, overheard his brother mention finding the body but didn’t tell anyone.

Gordie and his friends set out to find a missing boy’s body, dreaming of being recognized as heroes. While the idea seems simple, the movie Stand by Me is actually a moving story about friendship, dealing with difficult childhood experiences, and the bonds between people. During their search, the friends open up to each other and reveal their deepest, most personal struggles.

The movie follows a group of kids growing up in a town that feels hopeless, but they manage to create their own path forward. It beautifully highlights the importance of childhood friendships, emphasizing that those connections are truly special and unlike any others we experience.

The beloved movie was mostly shot in Oregon, with the town of Brownsville standing in for the made-up town of Castle Rock.

Stand by Me Is One of the Highest-Rated Stephen King Adaptations

Stand by Me is still considered one of Stephen King’s best adaptations. Critics give it a high “Certified Fresh” score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences love it even more, giving it a 94% rating. Stephen King has even said it’s his personal favorite adaptation of his work.

Stephen King told Rolling Stone that the film adaptation of his book wasn’t predicted to do well, and it initially played in only a few theaters. Despite this, Stand by Me became a big hit, earning $52.3 million at the box office on an $8 million budget.

Stand by Me is a classic movie about growing up that resonates with a lot of viewers. Stephen King was deeply touched by the film – he even said it made him cry – and described the story as being very personal to his own life in an interview with Rolling Stone.

Stephen King’s work is frequently adapted into movies and TV shows, but not all of those adaptations have been well-received – or even liked by King himself. He’s famously a fan of the film adaptation directed by Rob Reiner, as well as the movies made by Frank Darabont, including The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. More recently, King has been impressed by Mike Flanagan, who is currently working on three adaptations: a limited series based on Carrie, a TV show based on The Dark Tower, and another new project.

Just a heads-up for my fellow movie lovers: Stand by Me is still available on Netflix, but it’s leaving on March 1st, so make sure to catch it while you can! I always love revisiting that film.

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2026-02-15 05:06