Published Jun 28, 2026, 11:15 PM EDT
Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
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Mike Flanagan's upcoming Stephen King adaptation is one of the most anticipated horror shows of the year, but it looks like it already has a worthy rival in the genre. Only a few weeks ago, one could argue that Mike Flanagan's small-screen take on Stephen King's Carrie would be 2026's best horror TV show. However, now it seems like another show has potentially taken over the title even before Carrie's release.
Given how Carrie has already been adapted multiple times in the past, it is hard not to be curious about how Mike Flanagan will make his TV show stand out. Considering Flanagan's long history of horror hits, however, it seems likely that he will bring a whole new spin to the original Stephen King book with his creative vision.
Owing to this, Carrie already seems to have the potential to become 2026's best offering in the horror genre. Interestingly, though, another Stephen King-inspired show now stands as Carrie's biggest rival. The show in question boasts an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 98% and has also been renewed for season 2.
Before Mike Flanagan’s Carrie, We Already Have A Stephen King-Inspired Hit In 2026
Apple TV's Widow's Bay is not a direct Stephen King adaptation. However, the show seems to borrow from many Stephen King stories and their tropes. For instance, in one of its earlier episodes, Widow's Bay introduces a deadly fog, reminiscent of Stephen King's The Mist. In another episode, it also features a terrifying clown, reminding viewers of Pennywise from Stephen King's IT.
Even its secluded small town island setting seems similar to the one in Stephen King's Salem's Lot. Like Stephen King's villains, the "monsters" in Apple TV's Widow's Bay also seem far more intimate and human as they come out and play instead of merely hiding in the shadows. Similar to Stephen King's stories, Widow's Bay also makes a viewer nervously chuckle instead of merely instilling chills and thrills.
These parallels between Widow's Bay and Stephen King's books are intentional. As the show's creator, Katie Dippold, also confirmed that she drew from the King of Horror's works and wanted to tap into the same atmosphere as his stories (via Boston Globe).
Surprisingly, however, even though Widow's Bay seems to honor many Stephen King stories and even delivers a masterful blend of horror and comedy, Stephen King gave it a rather underwhelming review by just calling it "good":
Regardless of what Stephen King thinks about Widow's Bay, it has turned out to be one of the best TV shows of 2026. This makes it the perfect rival to Mike Flanagan's Carrie, which was earlier expected to be 2026's best horror offering.
While the Carrie TV adaptation can still top Widow's Bay, the original Apple TV show will be tough to beat since its critical and commercial success currently puts it among the best horror TV shows of the century.
2026 Is Proving To Be Even Better For Stephen King TV Adaptations Than 2025
TV adaptations of Stephen King's works rarely left their mark. Barring a few recent exceptions, like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider, and 11.22.63, most TV shows based on Stephen King's works have been forgettable. This trend, however, started changing in 2025. Two small-screen Stephen King adaptations, It: Welcome to Derry and The Institute, premiered in 2025.
Surprisingly, both performed well enough in their opening seasons to return for more installments. The Institute was not exactly a critical hit, but it has the potential to get a lot better in season 2. Its season 2 is also set to release in 2026 itself, which could potentially make the year even better for Stephen King adaptations.
With Mike Flanagan as its creator, it almost seems like Carrie is bound to succeed both commercially and critically. The Institute season 2 can also achieve the same if it manages to justify its existence by expanding its Stephen King book's lore in a meaningful way. Hopefully, both upcoming Stephen King adaptations will come close to being as good as Apple TV's Widow's Bay.
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Carrie
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Summer H. Howell
Carrie White
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Matthew Lillard
Principal Grayle
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Samantha Sloyan
Margaret White
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English (US) ·