Stephen King’s original horror movie is about to get harder to watch.

King remains one of the most prolific and successful authors ever in the horror genre. Most of King’s books and short stories have now been adapted into feature films and TV shows, including classics like The Shining, Pet Sematary, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, It, Cujo, and many more. Last year was an especially busy year for King adaptations, with movie releases including The Monkey, The Long Walk, and Edgar Wright’s The Running Man. More King adaptations are on the way, including a fresh take on the first King book to ever be adapted.

Now, the first ever King adaptation, 1976’s Carrie, is poised to leave Tubi at the end of the month. Directed by Brian De Palma, the horror film is based on King’s 1974 novel of the same name and remains one of his most beloved adaptations. The 2013 version of Carrie from director Kimberly Peirce is also leaving Tubi at the same time.

The departure of both Carrie movies from the popular ad-supported streaming service comes right before a major new franchise release in the form of Mike Flanagan’s Carrie TV show. The series, which stars Summer H. Howell, is set to premiere on Prime Video on October 7 and will consist of eight episodes. Matthew Lillard, Amber Midthunder, Samantha Sloyan, Heather Graham, Katee Sackhoff, Alison Thornton, Josie Totah, Joel Oulette, and Siena Agudong also star.

It’s possible that Carrie will make the jump to Prime Video ahead of the TV show’s premiere. With the first trailer for the Carrie TV show having now been released, interest in revisiting the 1976 original is sure to increase, and it would make sense for Prime Video to make itself the home for all franchise-related content.

The De Palma film was critically well-received upon its release and remains the most popular of all Carrie adaptations. The movie, which stars Sissy Spacek as the title character, currently sports a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise aimed at the movie’s scares and its exploration of challenging teenage years. Carrie was also a financial success, grossing $33.8 million on a tiny budget of only $1.8 million.

After multiple subsequent Carrie adaptations fell flat, including the 2013 film starring Chloë Grace Moretz, the upcoming Flanagan horror show has the opportunity to rival the original. Flanagan has emerged as one of the most celebrated names in horror in recent years with his TV shows like The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher.

Flanagan is also no stranger to King adaptations. The filmmaker has previously adapted Gerald’s Game (2017), Doctor Sleep (2019), and The Life of Chuck (2024). He’s also set to continue his working relationship with the author through a Dark Tower TV show, which remains in development.​​​​​​

It remains to be seen how Flanagan’s take on Carrie fares with audiences, but De Palma’s film is sure to remain the defining feature film adaptation for the foreseeable future. If viewers want to refamiliarize themselves with the seminal 1976 horror film before the show’s premiere, time is evidently running out to do it for free on Tubi.

Release Date

November 3, 1976

Runtime

98 minutes

Director

Brian De Palma

Writers

Lawrence D. Cohen

Producers

Paul Monash

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  Piper Laurie

  Margaret White

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