Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation ofThe Shiningis a horror classic, but authorStephen Kingbelieves the1997 ABC TV miniseriesis more faithful to his novel. Horror fans will soon be able to decide for themselves, thanks to a new Blu-ray version of the latter.
Scream Factory has announced an all-new two-disc special edition of the three-episode, 4.5 hour miniseries. Special features have yet to be announced, but Scream Factory rarely skimps on the extras, so horror fans can look forward to an impressive array of featurettes and commentaries. The miniseries starsWings’Steven Weberas Jack Torrance, a struggling writer who accepts a job as winter caretaker at the remote Overlook Hotel. While staying there in isolation with his wife, Wendy (Rebecca De Mornay) and son, Danny (Courtland Mead), he slowly succumbs to madness as the ghosts of the hotel drive him to murder and mayhem. Wendy and Danny’s only hope may be Danny’s burgeoning mental powers and the man he shares them with, Overlook chef Dick Hallorann (Melvin Van Peebles). The film also starsPat Hingle,Elliott Gould, andMiguel Ferrer, and features cameos by a number of horror luminaries, includingFrank Darabont,Sam Raimi,Richard Matheson,Shawnee Smith, and King himself.The ShiningBlu-ray will be released on June 08, 2025; it will retail for $35 USD, and can be preordered onShoutFactory.com.
Why Does Stephen King Prefer ‘The Shining’ Miniseries to the Movie?
King’s works have been frequently adapted for the screen - for bothgoodandill- but Kubrick’s adaptation ofThe Shiningraises the legendary horror author’s hackles, despite its widespread acclaim. King intended for Jack Torrance’s descent into madness to be gradual, and for the audience to sympathize with him, which is why he objected to the casting of the wild-eyedJack Nicholsonfrom the outset. Furthermore, he wantedWendy Torranceto be a strong-willed character, butShelley Duvall’s Wendy appears to be terrified of her husband even before he becomes infested with supernatural evil. The film goes on to diverge from King’s source material in a number of ways, including the climax; while Kubrick staged it as a tense chase through the snow, followed by afamously enigmatic final shot, King’s is more spectacular, with deadly living topiary animals and a fiery demise for the Overlook Hotel. King took matters into his own hands for the miniseries; he wrote and produced it himself, and had frequent collaboratorMick Garris(Sleepwalkers,The Stand) direct.
Although it has been outshone (no pun intended) by its cinematic predecessor,The Shiningwas well-received upon its original broadcast on ABC in the spring of 1997. However, it has not fared well in retrospect; the climax, which features the kind of CG one would expect to find in a 1997 miniseries, has aged particularly poorly. However, there remains interest in revisiting the world ofThe Shining:Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of King’sShiningsequelDoctor Sleepwas met with acclaim upon its release in 2019.
Scream Factory’s Blu-ray release of 1997’sThe Shiningwill be available on July 24, 2025, and can be pre-ordered now. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
