Stephen King’s Misery Leaves Netflix This April

Stephen King fans have limited time to revisit one of his most acclaimed screen adaptations. Misery, Rob Reiner’s 1990 thriller based on King’s 1987 novel, will leave Netflix on April 1, 2026. The Oscar-winning film only arrived on the platform on March 1, making its streaming run a short one.

The departure marks another shuffle in the ever-changing world of King adaptations on streaming. Earlier this year, Netflix also confirmed it would lose John Carpenter’s Christine, underscoring how quickly these titles can rotate out of digital libraries.

An Oscar-Winning King Adaptation

Directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by William Goldman, Misery adapts King’s claustrophobic novel about a bestselling author held captive by his “number one fan.” James Caan stars as novelist Paul Sheldon, while Kathy Bates delivers the performance of a lifetime as Annie Wilkes.

Bates won the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 63rd Oscars, becoming the first performer to win an Oscar for a Stephen King adaptation. Despite Hollywood’s long history with King’s work, Misery remains the only adaptation to take home Academy gold. The film was both a critical and commercial success, earning $61.3 million worldwide against a $20 million budget.

King himself has praised the adaptation, calling the lead performances “magic” and noting that the film injected touches of humor absent from the novel. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 86 percent critics score and a 90 percent audience rating, cementing its reputation as one of the most faithful and effective King adaptations.

A Key Title in Reiner’s Hot Streak

Misery arrived during a remarkable run for Reiner, following hits like Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally…. The tight, snowbound thriller showcased a very different tone, trading sweeping romance and nostalgia for dread and psychological warfare.

For readers tracking King’s ever-expanding presence on screen, the shuffle comes amid continued momentum for the author’s work, from comic adaptations like Marvel’s upcoming take on Stephen King’s N. to new film and television projects in development.

For now, though, the focus is on Annie Wilkes and that infamous sledgehammer scene. Misery leaves Netflix on April 1, 2026, with no new streaming home announced. If it’s been a while since you revisited King’s most intense chamber piece, this is your final window to press play.

Part of our full guide: Stephen King Adaptations in 2026: What Is Filming, What Was Cancelled and What Is Next