Stephen King is no stranger to the world of film and television, as 44 theatrically released movies have been made from his work, as well as many other miniseries and TV movies. 2017 was a big year for King, with 6 adaptations of his stories being released last year, including Andy Muschietti's box office phenomenon
It.
King recently sat down with Entertainment Weekly to talk about his big year and what's coming next, and the horror legend also discussed the influence his work has on one of the biggest TV shows in the world,
Stranger Things. When asked about whether or not the sci-fi horror hit helped prepare audiences for a new adaptation of
It, King said:
I think that Stranger Things might’ve had something to do with it, but that’s kind of an incestuous thing 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.
King's influence on
Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer is evident in several aspects of the show, from
the font used in the show's title sequence to the way childhood is portrayed. King has previously talked about how he enjoys the show, and how it's like watching his own greatest hits.
Fans of King and King-inspired things have a lot to look forward to in the coming years, with
It: Chapter 2 coming in September of next year, and
Stranger Things 3 also likely coming sometime in 2019.