Stephen King Directed A Movie Once & Decided Never To Do It Again (2024)

If there's one name that has become synonymous with horror, it's Stephen King. King, who worked as an English high school teacher before his breakout hit Carrie was published in 1974, is known for being tremendously prolific, which has resulted in classics such as Misery, Pet Semetery, and It, to name a few. Due to the popularity of his books, his work has been adapted time and time again by Hollywood. While King is usually positive regarding interpretations of his work, he did famously dislike Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining, despite it being considered a cinematic horror classic.

With King and Hollywood's decades-long love affair in mind, it's surprising then that King didn't attempt to adapt more of his work. After all, as the old adage goes, "If you want something right, you got to do it yourself." Since King's vision for his stories is so clear, it seems like he would be a natural fit as a director. However, he has only ever directed one film based on his work. So what was the film, and why did he decide to hang up the director's mantle for good?

Stephen King Directed Maximum Overdrive

Stephen King wrote the screenplay and directed Maximum Overdrive, which was released in theaters during the summer of 1985. When a rogue comet passes by Earth, machines begin to gain homicidal sentience, including a number of big rigs. Bill Robinson (Emilio Estevez), a short order cook at the Dixie Boy truck stop, leads a rebellion against the machines with his fellow survivors, including a screaming honeymooner played by Lisa Simpson herself Yeardley Smith, a Little Leaguer who knows Morse Code, and Bill's truly horrendous boss who owns a helpful, if troubling amount of weapons. The film also includes cameos by AC/DC, who provide the music for the film, a young Giancarlo Esposito, now known for his deliciously villainous roles on The Boys and Breaking Bad, and King himself. It is a campy film where trucks are the stand-ins for zombies and the Soviets, of all people, end up saving the day off-screen.

What is Maximum Overdrive based on?

Maximum Overdrive is based on King's short story Trucks. It was originally published in Cavalier magazine in 1973 and later as part of the short story collection Night Shift in 1978. The original story has a lot of the same elements, such as a group of survivors trapped in a truck stop while trucks go on a rampage, as well as using Morse Code as communication between the trucks and humans. (The vibe is not dissimilar to the 1990 Kevin Bacon-helmed classic Tremors.) However, the short story ends on a much more dour note, where it's implied that the machines, even when they start to break down and run out of fuel, will use automation to create more machines and continue to run rampant. Interestingly, this story was actually adapted twice. The second attempt was a television movie, also called Trucks, made in 1997. This second adaptation is more faithful and as a result, retains the downer ending.

What Did King Have To Say About Directing Maximum Overdrive?

Maximum Overdrive currently holds a 14% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned both King and Estevez Golden Raspberry Award nominations for Worst Director and Worst Actor respectively. While it would be ideal to claim that the film was just misunderstood in its time, a rewatch confirms that is indeed a bonkers mess, something that King himself has admitted on multiple occasions. King has been open throughout the years about his past struggles with substance abuse, including cocaine addiction. (He has even stated that Misery is "a book about cocaine".) Unfortunately, Maximum Overdrive was made during the midst of his addiction. Communication problems were present from the jump, including a language barrier, since the majority of the crew were Italian and didn't speak English. Tragically, Armando Nannuzzi, the cinematographer, lost an eye due to a freak accident on set, which resulted in him as well as 17 others suing King and Dino De Laurentiis Productions for unsafe working practices. It's no wonder Estevez has stated that he regretted making the film and has even commented that King has apologized to him on numerous occasions.

Believe it or not, Stephen King's Maximum Overdrive has its share of defenders. It has become a cult classic due to its strange tone, rocking soundtrack, fun cameos, and the iconic Happy Toyz Truck that inadvertently brings to mind Peter Parker's foe, The Green Goblin. King and Estevez might not look fondly on it, and for good reason, but Maximum Overdrive isn't a boring movie to say the least. It's a fascinating time capsule and a glimpse into an artist trying his hand at a different medium. Although King might not have ended up being a great director, his singular attempt is certainly memorable.

Stephen King

Stephen King is one of the most prolific living authors. A master of horror, King's classic works include The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, It, and the Dark Tower series. Many of his books and short stories have been adapted to film and television, including The Shawshank Redemption, Lisey's Story, 1408, Secret Window, and The Stand.