The world of cinema was dealt quite a blow earlier this month when it lost director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. The acclaimed filmmaker gave us some of the most beloved movies ever made, including favorites like The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally…, This Is Spinal Tap, and A Few Good Men. As people grieve in their own way by watching some of his best work, another bona fide classic is coming to Peacock to help fans ring in 2026.
Released in 1990, Misery was Reiner's second and final Stephen King adaptation following Stand By Me in 1986. Regarded as a faithful adaptation of King's 1987 novel, Misery is a chilling look at fan entitlement that sees a woman keep captive her favorite author, demanding he write a new novel featuring her most treasured literary character. Grossing $62 million at the box office, Misery was a huge hit for Reiner and company, and would go on to earn star Kathy Bates her one and only Oscar for Best Actress.
Written by William Goldman and also starring the likes of James Caan, Frances Sternhagen, Richard Farnsworth, and Lauren Bacall, Misery is one of Reiner's highest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes. It holds a Certified Fresh score of 91%, with many critics calling it a "masterpiece." Part horror, part psychological thriller, Misery is definitely one of those movies that will have you on the edge of your seat watching Caan's character try and escape the clutches of Bates' unhinged nurse. The official synopsis reads:
"After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Bates), who claims to be his biggest fan. Annie brings him to her remote cabin to recover, where her obsession takes a dark turn when she discovers Sheldon is killing off her favorite character from his novels. As Sheldon devises plans for escape, Annie grows increasingly controlling, even violent, as she forces the author to shape his writing to suit her twisted fantasies."
Stephen King Thinks Rob Reiner's 'Misery' Is Even Better Than His Book
Kathy Bates and James Caan in Misery
Columbia Pictures
While there have been a lot of adaptations of King's novels over the years that the author hasn't been too fond of (The Shining and The Lawnmower Man among them), that's not the case with Misery. King loved what Reiner did with the movie, and even went so far as to call the film even better than the book he wrote, mostly due to the tremendous performances of Bates and Caan. Speaking with the New York Times in Sept. 2025, he commented:
"The combination of Kathy Bates and James Caan was magic, and it had a touch of humor in it that was really missing from the book."
In the filmography of Reiner, Misery has definitely got to be up there in the Top 5, which speaks to the movie's staying power over the years. Even now, 36 years later, it packs just as much of a punch as it did in 1990. Look for it to land on its new streaming home of Peacock starting Jan. 1, 2026.
