We kicked off this Fully-Booked: Literary Podcast episode with pure October energy, you know the vibe. Halloween’s here, and for us, it’s the absolute peak of the year. No awkward dinners. No forced gift-giving. No political debates over turkey.
Just candy, spooky vibes, black and purple everything, and the freedom to go full haunted house or keep it cute, if that’s your style. Meaghan, especially, is a full-on horror girlie, and she’s taking the lead this month as we dive into all things horror across books, films, and TV.
This episode set the tone for a month-long horror celebration. We’re focusing on horror adaptations from the past decade, 2015 to 2025, and let’s be real, there’s been a boom in quality.
While adaptations back in the day could be hit or miss, the past decade has been marked by thoughtful, high-budget, character-driven retellings. It’s like horror finally got the respect it’s always deserved, and honestly, we’re here for it.
A Decade of Killer Adaptations: The Best of the Best
The Haunting of Hill House
Meaghan brought the goods with a handpicked list of ten standouts, a mix of film and TV that have nailed the adaptation game. First up was The Haunting of Hill House (2018), Mike Flanagan’s powerhouse take on Shirley Jackson’s classic.
Even with deviations from the original, the spirit of gothic dread and emotional weight stayed intact. The Crain family’s trauma, bouncing between childhood and adulthood, was gripping. Flanagan knows how to get top-tier performances from his actors, and that really made this show stick.
The Long Walk
Another standout? The Long Walk (2025), based on Stephen King’s first-ever written novel, even though it wasn’t his first published. This dystopian gut-punch of a story follows boys forced into a deadly endurance contest, where slowing down means death.
The emotional stakes were sky-high, the cast was phenomenal, and Mark Hamill as the twisted general? Iconic. We both agreed it landed at exactly the right time, especially in our current world. Heavy, haunting, and heartbreaking.
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Fear Street trilogy
Then there was the Fear Street trilogy (2021), a triple-header of 90s nostalgia, summer-camp slashers, and creepy Puritan-era witchcraft, all rooted in R.L. Stine’s teen horror books. Not a strict adaptation, sure, but the spirit was there. These films were just fun. Like, ridiculously fun. They reminded us how thrilling horror can be when it doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers the scares.
Flanagan, King, and the Resurrection of Classic Horror
Doctor Sleep
Speaking of Flanagan, we couldn’t skip Doctor Sleep (2019), which bridges Stephen King’s The Shining universe and carves out something new. This sequel wasn’t just a follow-up; it was a rich, dark fantasy that explored trauma, addiction, and survival.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletterMeaghan reminded us that King famously hated Kubrick’s The Shining film (even if it was stylish), and Doctor Sleep felt like a way to reclaim the emotional core of that story. We both really appreciated how it merged Kubrick’s aesthetics with King’s soul.
Interview with the Vampire
Another brilliant adaptation? Interview with the Vampire (2022–present). This AMC series reimagined Anne Rice’s sensual, gothic tale with a modern lens, and honestly, it made the story stronger. Sam Reid as Lestat? No notes.
The show also didn’t shy away from the romantic relationship between Lestat and Louis, something the 90s film barely hinted at. The storytelling, performances, and moody visuals came together so beautifully, and Season 3 is about to go full rock star vampire. We’re ready.
Psychological Horror Hits Harder
Berlin Syndrome
Meaghan brought up Berlin Syndrome (2017), which was honestly one of the more intense entries. An Australian backpacker in Berlin falls for a charming guy, only to realize she’s been trapped in his apartment. This one’s a straight-up psychological nightmare, and it stuck with us.
It’s horror without monsters, just the terror of how real something like this could be. It’s the kind of film that messes with your mind long after the credits roll.
Related10 Books Like Stephen King’s The Long Walk
The Invisible Man
We also touched on The Invisible Man (2020), a chilling, modern rework of the H.G. Wells story. This version turns the invisible stalker into a metaphor for domestic abuse, gaslighting, and trauma, and Elizabeth Moss absolutely crushed it.
It’s not just scary because of the tech or the invisibility. It’s scary because of how believable it feels, especially when no one believes the woman at the center of it all. It’s smart, timely, and hits hard.
Adaptations That Reinvent, Reimagine, and Reignite
The Fall of the House of Usher
Some stories have been done to death, but then someone comes along and makes it fresh again. That’s what happened with The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), another Mike Flanagan masterpiece that pulls from multiple Edgar Allan Poe works and spins them into a sharp, sleek, modern family tragedy.
Each Usher kid faces a unique and gruesome downfall, tailored to their own flaws. It’s poetic justice with blood, and we loved every second of it. Flanagan’s gift for blending personal grief with horror is unmatched.
Dracula
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Then there’s Dracula (BBC, 2020). Look, we’ve all seen Dracula a dozen times, but this version? Claes Bang breathed new life (or unlife?) into the character. Genuinely scary, charmingly manipulative, and weirdly human at times, this Dracula stood out. The modern twist in the final episode didn’t feel forced; it felt earned. This one deserves way more hype than it got.
IT
And of course, there was It (2017 & 2019). We didn’t go deep because a full breakdown is coming later this month, but let’s just say this adaptation of King’s massive novel did justice to both timelines. It captured childhood trauma, friendship, fear, and the sinister weirdness of Derry in a way that few other adaptations have.
Quick Shoutouts and What’s Coming Next
Meaghan also threw in some honorable mentions: Gerald’s Game (2017), which manages to make one woman handcuffed to a bed one of the most tense and emotional films we’ve seen, and Nosferatu (2024), Robert Eggers’ moody, eerie reimagining of the unauthorized 1922 Dracula knockoff.
That one’s gothic gold, especially for anyone who likes their horror quiet, creepy, and drenched in shadows.
Carrie
We’re already excited for what’s coming next. More King. More Flanagan. And another Carrie adaptation is on the way, yes, another one, this time as a TV series. Honestly? We’re not mad about it. Horror, especially when done with care and respect for the source material, has so much life left in it.
Wrapping It Up With a Shiver
At the end of the day, we’re just really grateful for where horror is right now. The adaptations we’ve seen recently have been thoughtful, inventive, and often beautiful in their own twisted way. We’re living in a golden age of horror storytelling, where creators are treating the genre with real love and attention. So if you’re a fan of the scary, the weird, or the emotionally gut-wrenching, this decade’s got plenty to offer.
And remember: we’re talking all horror, all October long. So grab your candy, light a candle, and get ready to stay spooky with us.
