Such is the case with Lord of the Flies, a four-episode miniseries adaptation of William Golding's 1954 novel of the same name. The series follows a group of young boys who become stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean after a plane crash, which kills all adults on board. However, they soon split into different factions vying for power, fighting one another as they descend into darkness. The series originally aired on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in February 2025, before being distributed to the US via Netflix on May 4, 2026.
Now, Stephen King has taken to X, revealing his positive opinion about Lord of the Flies. The horror author admits that he went into the series unsure if it would live up to the hype. However, having seen all four episodes, he can confidently state that the miniseries does Golding's original novel justice. His explanation also emphasizes how disturbing the series is when the children finally start embracing the wilderness and their roles as survivors. See King's full statement below:
LORD OF THE FLIES (Netflix): I had my doubts, but it's remarkable. Captures all the horror and mystery of lost children descending into...well, you decide.
King's impression of the series matches just how critically acclaimed the series has been since it originally released. Lord of the Flies reviews have emphasized the isolation and survival horror attributes of the series, propelled by a narrative that remains faithful to Golding's original work. According to the show's Rotten Tomatoes score, the miniseries holds a Certified Fresh 94% from critics based on 36 reviews, making the series an almost universally praised adaptation of the decades-old novel.
Given King's history as a horror author, he understands what works best to make a terrifying story stand out. In terms of Lord of the Flies, the TV series is a faithful rendition that offers an onscreen translation of the novel that ensures important story beats and ideas remain intact. This has helped it gain the major critical traction it has, since the themes and ideas from the original novel remain intact, used to emphasize the importance of the themes it commits to.
King's praise is a good sign for the success of Lord of the Flies on Netflix in the United States. As the show rolls out globally, it's clear there was an important emphasis on remaining true to Golding's work and the terrifying, horrific nature of what the children end up becoming as the show progresses. It's the kind of adaptation that, based on King's praise, ensures it remains faithful to the original while still maintaining a lens through which a modern audience can view it.
Release Date
2026 - 2026-00-00
Network
BBC One
Directors
Marc Munden
Roger Wong/INFphoto.com
English (US) ·