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Middle School Counselor Dead After Inappropriate Messages Sent to Teen

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A middle school counselor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been found dead after he was accused of allegedly inappropriately messaging a former 14-year-old student.

Police confirmed that Quinton Dixon was found dead at the age of 44 of an apparent suicide in an unused building at Glen Oaks Middle School on January 28, according to People.

Dixon’s death came two weeks after he had been placed on administrative leave from his job at Westdale Middle Magnet School. While he was on leave, an investigation was launched into the allegations made against him.

In January, he was accused of messaging the teenage girl via Instagram between November 2025 and January 2026.

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A warrant was filed in late January for his arrest on four counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, according to court records viewed by People.

The girl recounted to police that she came into contact with an adult male counselor from her former middle school. She said that he stopped his car next to hers and told her she looked familiar. She then told police that they briefly spoke before he asked her for her phone number or Instagram profile.

After she shared her Instagram information, she said she started to receive likes and messages from the man on Instagram.

The girl also told police that the man’s name was Dixon, adding that he said he coached the football team at the high school she is currently a student at. The victim also told police that Dixon allegedly called her “fire” and that he never forgot about her after she graduated from middle school.

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Police investigated the messages exchanged between Dixon and the student, which they characterized as being “consistent with grooming behavior in pursuit of an intimate relationship with the minor victim,” according to the warrant.

The warrant added that Dixon likely started talking to the girl on November 10, 2025, when he allegedly asked her about her sexual orientation in response to a photo of her with a female friend. The warrant also alleged that he asked the girl where she lives and offered to give her a ride home several times.

Following Dixon’s death, a spokesperson for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System told WBRZ that they were aware of the employee’s passing.

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The attorney for missing Virginia high school football coach Travis Turner addressed the charges of child pornography and solicitation levied against him amid his disappearance. “We remain prayerful for his safe return and for everyone affected by the circumstances surrounding his disappearance,” attorney Adrian Collins said in a statement on behalf of the Turner family […]

“We extend our condolences to the school community, family and loved ones as they process this information during this difficult time,” the spokesperson said in the statement.

Redell Norman, who attended Glen Oaks and coached football with Dixon, also opened up about his passing.

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“It’s unfortunate the circumstances of his untimely demise, but yes, I did know him and the situation is just so unfortunate, we just got to pray for everybody,” he told the outlet.

Meanwhile, a resident of the area said that the situation as a whole was upsetting. “It’s tragic all the way around, something that you really can’t explain about,” the person said.

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The Baton Rouge Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding Dixon’s arrest.

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Quinton Aaron’s Spiritual Wife ‘Banned’ From His Hospital Room (Excl)

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SnapInsta.to_466011739_18470682145041337_8873628868154081754_n-Margarita.jpg

The woman who has claimed she’s “spiritually married” Quinton Aaron is no longer allowed at his bedside as The Blind Side actor recovers from his spinal stroke, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly — and she’s not denying it.

An insider close to Aaron’s family revealed that Margarita has been “banned” from Quinton’s hospital room as his family investigates their suspicions further.

“I’m OK with it, I’m at peace with this. Quinton and I pray a lot and believe in God and believe in a higher power. I can feel his presence telling me this will work itself out,” Margarita exclusively told Us on Wednesday, February 4, when asked about her alleged ban.

Aaron is “not talking” yet, so he has not asked about Margarita, the source said.

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SnapInsta.to_466011739_18470682145041337_8873628868154081754_n-Margarita.jpg

Margarita Aaron and Quinton Aaron
Courtesy of Quinton Aaron/Instagram

Us is told the actor’s loved ones decided as a family not to discuss Margarita with Aaron because they want to “protect” him from her and continue to focus on his recovery.

The insider claimed that before Aaron’s relatives went public with their suspicions, Margarita allegedly tried to isolate his relatives from his hospital bedside.

Margarita, however, denied that.

“Hospital staff even told me they were limiting visitation. They were only giving everyone five minutes once a day to be with him,” she said in response.

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Related: Who Is Quinton Aaron’s Wife? Inside the Actor’s Marriage to Margarita

Quinton Aaron’s wife, Margarita Aaron, is asking for support after the Blind Side actor fell ill and was hospitalized. Margarita began a GoFundMe campaign in January 2026, revealing her husband — who is most famous for portraying Michael Oher in the Sandra Bullock film — was “on life support due to a severe blood infection.” […]

According to a source, one of Aaron’s family members confronted Margarita at the hospital. (On Tuesday, the star’s relatives raised alarm bells about the legitimacy of the pair’s marriage and accused Margarita of not being a registered nurse, as well as being married to someone other than Aaron).

“If his family confronted me, I’d like to know which one. Not one of his family members confronted me in the hospital, and if they did, they were an invisible ghost with a sheet because none of them showed up,” Margarita told Us. (Our insider scoffed at her response, saying she knows exactly which family member challenged her.)

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The source claimed Margarita allegedly denied the allegations before later admitting to hospital staff she was “spiritually married” to the actor and not legally wed.

Margarita shared a different story when addressing the accusations.

“That’s not true. I didn’t admit that to [the] staff,” she claimed to Us. “But we are spiritually married. We are tied as one.”

“I used to literally beg his family to come see him or try to even FaceTime him in the hospital. He used to say no one loves me. They love me for my name and what I can bring them.”

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Margarita does admit she is legally married to another man.

“I am separated from my ex and we are both working on this process to make sure a divorce gets finalized so we both can move on with our lives,” she explained. “I have watched Quinton in the hospital for seven days, I prayed, I watched this man go through trials and tribulations.”

Margarita wants the family to put down their swords.

“Instead of us fighting over him, let’s fight for his life and what is right,” she told Us.

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Aaron’s loved ones plan to investigate this matter further.

“Since the health crisis of our beloved family member Quinton Aaron, we have raised some suspicions about the legitimacy of Quinton and Margarita’s marriage to each other, as well as her legitimacy as a registered nurse. We have found some alarming details,” they said in a statement provided to Us on Tuesday. “We as a family believe Margarita isn’t who she claimed to be to us. This has caused us to want to investigate her further.”

Blind Side Star Quinton Aaron Reveals Shocking 200 Lb Weight Loss


Related: ‘The Blind Side’ Star Quinton Aaron Reveals Shocking 200-Lb. Weight Loss

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Quinton Aaron, best known for his breakout role in The Blind Side, has dropped 200 pounds — and says his biggest weight lifted was an emotional one. “Hey guys it has definitely been a tough few years since Covid. Made new friends and lost old ones. However, last year when I married my #puertoriqueña @margaritaleta75 […]

Aaron’s brother Jarred told TMZ that he believed Margarita was assisting in making “crucial and life-saving medical decisions.” (The outlet reported Margarita holds “no power of attorney” and has never made medical decisions on Aaron’s behalf.)

Last month, the family confirmed that Aaron had been put on life support at an Atlanta hospital after collapsing at home. They later shared he had suffered a “spinal stroke.”

“We acknowledge that you’ve heard about Quinton Aaron’s condition. We appreciate the overwhelming love, support and prayers that Quinton has received over the past few days from his fans, the public and our concerned community,” they said at the time.

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An update on Aaron’s condition was shared via a GoFundMe on January 26.

“He is alert, aware and recovering. The Aaron family has a lot to deal with for the betterment of their loved one, but will be sure to keep everyone posted regarding Quinton’s health as we see fit,” the update read in part.

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The campaign has raised almost $48,000 with more than 640 donations at the time of publication.

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Ari Fletcher Reveals Surgery Plans & Social Media Has Thoughts

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Ari Fletcher Sparks Reactions With Her Next Surgery Move & The TL Has Thoughts

Ari Fletcher has sparked reactions on social media after admitting she’s considering getting a lil’ cosmetic upgrade, and of course, folks online wasted no time weighing in with their thoughts.

RELATED: Still Goin’ Strong?! Ari Fletcher Gives Peek Into Nightcap Vibes With Moneybagg Yo Following Rumors About Her & Lil Baby (VIDEO)

Ari Fletcher Reveals Her Next Possible Cosmetic Tweak

LiveBitez dropped clips from Ari Fletcher’s recent livestream, where she sat pretty in her beauty room and opened up about getting a lil’ cosmetic upgrade. Ari told viewers she wants to redo her breasts because she’s not feeling how they look right now. She said she mainly wants a lift. Ari added that her skin might’ve stretched, making them sit lower, but joked they can’t drop any further since she has “a bra under her chest.” In another clip, the beauty entrepreneur shared a little trick she uses to make her chest look perkier, but once she tried it, she realized she wasn’t feeling how much bigger it made them appear. See the full video here.

The Internet Weighs In On Ari’s Lil’ Enhancement Tease

Meanwhile, over in LiveBitez’s comment section, some folks said Ari looks just fine and doesn’t need to change a thing, while others chimed in and agreed the body dysmorphia is real and hits hard.

Instagram user @im_him_bruetherrrr wrote,Love yourself ladies.” 

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Instagram user @krys_theladydoc wrote, The body dysmorphia in the industry is real.” 

While Instagram user @missnady_ wrote, She lost weight so her skin stretched and also yal seriously need to stop being bothered by what someone chooses to do on their body and diagnosing them with mental illnesses. 😂”

Then, Instagram user @sweetma4life wrote, Sad! The topic is always about booty, body, face or designer 🤦🏽‍♀️” 

Another Instagram user @milstyle8631 wrote, “They’re going to naturally drop with age smh once they start getting surgery they never stop looking for perfect.” 

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Instagram user @helpinghandsbyaj wrote, They look best when they hang, this perfection sh** getting out of hand. Omg this is sad!!” 

While another Instagram user @hereforlaughs.202 wrote, “Just leave it alone sister.”

Ari Gives Peek Into Date Night Vibes With Moneybagg Yo

Ari recently had the internet chatting for a whole different reason after dropping a clip with Moneybagg Yo. She gave fans a peek into their nightcap vibes, and the internet was here for it. The video showed them cruising through the city, locked in, and vibing to some music.

 

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RELATED: Not Pressed?! Fans Think Ari Fletcher Just Clocked The Rumors About Her & Lil Baby (PHOTOS) 

What Do You Think Roomies?

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Justin Bieber Didn’t Plan To Perform In His ‘Underwear’ At The Grammys

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Justin Bieber at the 2026 Grammy Awards

Justin Bieber may have stolen the show at the just-concluded Grammys by performing in boxer shorts, but reports suggest it wasn’t something that was planned.

The singer was nominated in 4 categories but didn’t go home with any award. However, he managed to set tongues wagging with what appears to be a new ink of his wife, Hailey.

A body language expert has since shared that Justin Bieber’s demeanor communicated a sense of “vulnerability,” following what had been a run of negative headlines for the singer.

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Justin Bieber Didn’t Plan To Perform In Shorts

Justin Bieber at the 2026 Grammy Awards
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Justin Bieber delighted fans with a sonorous performance of his song “Yukon” at the 2026 Grammy Awards held inside Los Angeles’ crypto.com Arena.

However, the 31-year-old singer set tongues wagging as he stripped to a light purple, custom satin boxers from his SKYLRK brand for the set, pairing the casual look with a pair of angel socks.

Yet, Grammys executive producer Ben Winston shared in his Monday appearance on “Rolling Stone Music Now podcast” that Bieber didn’t plan for it and probably came to the conclusion as he took to the stage.

“I don’t think he decided what the outfit would be until he walked on stage,” Winston explained, per the Daily Mail.

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The music executive went further to share that Bieber wanted to keep his performance simple and light as he wanted the focus to be on his music.

“He’s not even really going, ‘This is what I’m going to do.’ When we had reached out to him about his creative, he was just like, ‘I’m just going to get on stage and sing,’” Winston shared.

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The Singer Rehearsed For Only 15 Minutes

Justin Bieber at Coachella
JBDC/MEGA

The performance marked Bieber’s first in 4 years at the Grammys, following an extended stretch of concerning headlines in recent years.

He was nominated in 4 categories, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for “Swag,” Best Pop Solo Performance for “Daisies,” and Best R&B Performance for “Yukon.” However, he didn’t take home any awards.

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According to the news outlet, Winston shared that Bieber had a “brilliant” rehearsal for just 15 minutes before his performance.

“We are seven minutes into his hour-and-a-half rehearsal. And he goes, ‘How’d it look to you? You happy with it?’” he narrated.

“And I was like, ‘Oh, my God. It looked beautiful. I loved it.’ And he went, ‘Okay, fantastic. See you Sunday!’” Winston added.

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Justin Bieber’s Performance In His Underwear Received Mixed Reactions

The pop star’s performance in his underwear drew mixed reactions from fans, with some praising him for sounding and looking healthy.

One person noted, “Say whatever you want about Justin but one thing you can’t say is that the boy can’t sing, his vocals are out of this world.”

However, amid the praise, several criticized Bieber for his choice of outfit for his performance, with many pointing out how he arrived at the show fully clothed.

“Came wearing full clothes and performing in underwear. This poor guy is broke,” a person wrote on X.

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Another said, “I liked his vocals and how he did his own beat that was cool. Would’ve been way better with clothes on .

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The Singer’s Demeanor Communicates One Of Vulnerability

Justin Bieber at the 2026 Grammy Awards
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

While Bieber serenaded the crowd with “Yukon,” which he previously revealed was about his wife Hailey, the cameras panned towards her and captured her smiling with pride and satisfaction. Despite returning home that night without any awards, Bieber has earned 23 Grammy nominations across his career and has gone home with 2 wins.

Over the last few years, he has sparked fan fears for his health, as well as seemingly removed himself from the public eye.

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Sister Interview, Appears To Call Cap On Dad’s Car

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Rihanna Seemingly Addresses Baby Rumors, Talks "Little Pouch"

Whew… the Woods family drama isn’t slowing down. GloRilla and her sister, Victoria Woods, aka Scar Face, are trading shots — and this latest feud has the internet taking sides. While GloRilla’s been flaunting her success, Scar Face is calling her out in a new interview for allegedly leaving the family in the dust.

RELATED: That’s How You Feel? GloRilla Claps Back At Family Neglect Claims As Her Sister Victoria Woods Doubles Down (WATCH)

Scar Face Takes GloRilla Drama Straight To TV

Scar Face joined TMZ Live to spill all the tea on what she says is GloRilla’s lack of support for the family that struggled before her rise. While the rapper has shown off flashy gestures, like gifting her dad a Jaguar (which Scar disputes ever happened), her sister says the rapper prioritizes a few close friends over her own family. According to Scar, their mom is still grinding at FedEx, even after GloRilla claimed to have helped her parents retire. When asked what it would take to fix things, Scar Face named $2500, a figure far smaller than most would expect from a millionaire like Glo, making the whole situation feel even messier.

The Comments Section Did Not Play

Once the clip dropped, folks ran straight to TMZ’s Instagram comment section and had words. Fans came through ready to ride ten toes down for Glo, shading her sister for even bringing it up, while others cracked jokes like “Big Glo probably bought the couch in the background.” Meanwhile, some were left wondering… what exactly has Scar Face done for their parents?

One Instagram user @abaddyellowb_ commented, “If ENTITLED was a person‼️‼️‼️”

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This Instagram user @thebrandeemack said, “I would have flown to Memphis if that was my sister… wear her out

And, Instagram user @mrbrandonanthony added, “I’m sorry but I didn’t understand one syllable this person said.

Meanwhile, Instagram user @flowerdom joked, “😂Adding “at the end of the day the day gotta end” to my daily conversations.

While Instagram user @ms.thang_1 shared, “The question is what have YOU done for your parents?

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Finally, Instagram user @_youcancallmesunshine said, “I bet Glo bought that couch in the back lol

Sister Posts TMZ Clip, GloRilla Calls For Backup

Not even an hour after TMZ dropped the interview, Victoria reposted it on her Facebook with the caption “Bluffed called.” GloRilla fired back by telling fans she’d Cash App anyone who reported her sister’s page — after Scar Face claimed Glo once asked for her Cash App, then blocked her. As previously reported, GloRilla also updated her profile picture to what appears to be her sister working at FedEx and even dropped a link to the job site, Indeed. Looks like the drama keeps escalating, and the internet can’t get enough of this sibling showdown.

RELATED: Family Feud Or Facts? GloRilla Slammed By Sister For Allegedly Neglecting Mom And Siblings (VIDEO)

What Do You Think Roomies?

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SZA vs. Tammy Hembrow Who'd You Rather?! Bikini Babes In Stripes Edition

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SZA vs. Tammy Hembrow Who'd You Rather?! Bikini Babes In Stripes Edition

Thirsty Thursday never felt so good … SZA and Tammy Hembrow both rocked striped bikinis, but which lucky lady is grabbin’ hold of your vote?! The question here is: Who’d You Rather?! VOTE NOW!

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Noah Kahan Is Giving Fans the Chance to Attend a Listening Party (Plus, Win Experiences) Thanks to Mastercard

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Noah Kahan Is Giving Fans the Chance to Attend a Listening Party (and Win Prizes), Thanks to Mastercard

Music lovers, rejoice! Noah Kahan teamed up with Mastercard to debut the official music video for his latest single, “The Great Divide,” during a 2026 GRAMMY Awards commercial break in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 1.

Not only did fans get a look at the emotional music video ahead of his forthcoming album, dropping Friday, April 24, but now they’re getting the chance to experience the music live, both through Mastercard Priceless Experiences with Kahan and on The Great Divide Tour kicking off Thursday, June 11.

To celebrate, Mastercard launched a sweepstakes, encouraging eligible cardholders to find as many Easter eggs as possible in the music video, for a chance to attend an intimate album listening party with Kahan in Nashville, Tennessee, or a Priceless Experience to his summer tour, inspired by The Mastercard Collection, a global suite of elevated dining, entertainment, and travel benefits. 

“’The Great Divide’ has taken on a life of its own because of the fans,” he said in a press release.

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“This partnership with Mastercard felt like a natural way to honor that connection and turn it into something we can experience together. From the video to the moments we’re creating, it’s all about celebrating the community that’s been there from the start,” the songwriter added.

Christopher Polk/@polkimaging

And Kahan is just as excited about what’s ahead.

On the GRAMMYs red carpet, the hitmaker told ET’s Kevin Frazier, “It’s gonna bring a lot of really, really cool opportunities to fans to get closer to the music process.”

This includes hearing more about what inspired the heartfelt track.

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Christopher Polk/@polkimaging

“The song is about two people who are friends, but there’s a lot of distance between them. … I’m really happy to see people connecting with it and finding their own people in their lives that they wish they could reach out to as well,” he told ET.

“I’ve worked really hard to make this music as emotional as possible and have as much representation of where I am in my life and I hope they feel that too, he continued.

Christopher Polk/@polkimaging

And even if you don’t snag one of the sweepstakes prizes, you can still join the fun. Mastercard is giving World Elite and World Legend Mastercard (TM) cardholders special access through The Mastercard Collection to Preferred and VIP tickets for Kahan’s summer tour beginning Feb. 12.

For official rules and to enter the sweepstakes, visit priceless.com/noahkahansweeps before it ends on Feb. 11. No purchase is necessary to participate. Open to Mastercard cardholders prior to 2/2/26 who are permanent legal residents of 50 US/DC & legal age of majority.

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10 Stephen King Movies Worse Than the Books, Ranked

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Timothy Hutton and Amy Madigan as Thad and Liz in The Dark Half.

It’s beyond obvious to say that movie adaptations are tricky, but they’re also an inevitability, and sometimes, they’re done well. If you don’t like reading for whatever reason, some texts do thankfully translate well to the big screen. Take The Shawshank Redemption and Misery, for example. Both very good books (one a novella with a slightly different title, and one a novel, technically), and both very good movies (released in 1994 and 1990, respectively).

And what do you know? The original stories in both cases were written by Stephen King. His work’s been translated to film and television incredibly often over the decades, but below, only the movie adaptations are going to be covered. And, specifically, the ones that were noticeably worse than the books they were based on. Some of these movies were still good, but if they were good alongside source material that was great, they have a shot at showing up here.

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10

‘The Dark Half’ (1993)

Timothy Hutton and Amy Madigan as Thad and Liz in The Dark Half.
Timothy Hutton and Amy Madigan as Thad and Liz in The Dark Half.
Image via MGM

Considering how wild the premise of The Dark Half is, it’s probably just worth celebrating that a movie got it to work at all. The Dark Half is indeed a better movie than, say, Dreamcatcher, but the Dreamcatcher movie isn’t here because the Dreamcatcher book wasn’t all that good to begin with. The Dark Half, though, as a novel, was very good, and maybe also quite underrated overall, too.

In book and movie, there’s an author who effectively kills off a pseudonym he used to write under, but then that pseudonym comes alive, or comes back to life, but either way, he starts murdering people. It’s very distinctively about writing, so maybe that makes it feel a little more compelling when you actually read it, but The Dark Half (1993) works decently enough, all things considered. Being a little weaker than the source material isn’t the hugest of issues, in this particular instance.

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9

‘Doctor Sleep’ (2019)

Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat looks to the distance in Doctor Sleep
Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat in Doctor Sleep
Image via Warner Bros.

Doctor Sleep isn’t right up there as one of Stephen King’s best books published post-2000, but maybe it’s accurate to call it one of the better ones of the 21st century. There have been worse releases, for sure. Anyway, it’s a sequel to The Shining, and The Shining had a movie that ended pretty differently from the novel, so King’s original Doctor Sleep (the book) follows the ending of the book version of The Shining.

The adaptation of Doctor Sleep, on the other hand, tries to follow the ending of The Shining’s original text and movie. It wants to be a bit more than just a straightforward sequel, bringing together a book and a movie, even after the author of the former didn’t really like the latter adaptation. Points for trying, and Doctor Sleep (2019) sure is ambitious, but also, it might’ve been a better and more consistent movie if it hadn’t tried reconciling and continuing two different versions of The Shining.

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8

‘The Running Man’ (2025)

Glen Powell as Ben Richards frowning slightly in The Running Man
Glen Powell as Ben Richards in The Running Man
Image via Paramount

If you were a Stephen King fan in 2025, then not only did you get a new book (Never Flinch… it was a’ight), but you also got four film adaptations of King’s work that same year. Well, The Life of Chuck was first screened in 2024, but got a wider release in 2025. Also, that year saw the release of The Monkey, The Long Walk, and The Running Man.

The Long Walk was pretty strong, and pretty close to being as impactful and intense as its source material. The Running Man, though, didn’t quite get there. It captured the spirit of the book better than the 1980s adaptation, which was so loose it barely counts as an adaptation, but The Running Man (2025) did make some deviations in ways that didn’t always help. It’s a subdued example, as it’s a pretty solid popcorn flick that moves well and entertains a decent amount, but there’s a visceral quality and an extra sense of desperation in the original book that wasn’t fully captured.

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7

‘The Dead Zone’ (1983)

The Dead Zone Image via Paramount Pictures

Long before he wrote a story about going into the past to stop an assassination, Stephen King wrote a story about someone assassinating someone in the present to prevent the awful visions he sees of the future. The story about the past was 11/22/63, and the story about seeing the future was The Dead Zone, with the latter getting a movie adaptation not long after the book’s initial publication.

There are some parts of The Dead Zone movie that work the way the book does, but it frustratingly streamlines the plot while still feeling a bit too slow. The book takes much longer to get through, but it’s an unexpectedly effortless read, and it doesn’t feel like as much work as the comparatively brief movie. This is all a bit of a hot take, because some people seem to sort of like David Cronenberg’s The Dead Zone, but it’s just missing something to take it from okay to genuinely really good.

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6

‘Needful Things’ (1993)

Needful Things Image via Columbia Pictures

There’s a lengthy and impressively escalating build-up into all-out madness in Needful Things that works better across hundreds of pages than it does over a couple of hours. It’s the kind of thing that a miniseries could do justice, because you need the time to really showcase the town of Castle Rock and dig into various people living there, all before having the town fall apart with everyone turning on each other in increasingly violent ways.

You still get a sense of chaos alongside a good many deaths in the movie, but it comes down to impact once more. There just isn’t the same impact found in the film, even if it’s a perfectly decent flick. There’s a lot of work that goes into getting through a novel that’s on the longer side of things, as far as Stephen King’s are concerned (not quite The Stand, of course, but then again, not much is length-wise), but the novel of Needful Things is ultimately rewarding if you’ve got the time to spare.

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5

‘Cujo’ (1983)

The titular dog in the 1983 adaptation of Cujo standing outside, early in the film
The titular dog in the 1983 adaptation of Cujo standing outside, early in the film
Image via Warner Bros.

If you’re talking about Cujo, as in the book, it’s pretty mortifying stuff. There’s a horror of a very natural (rather than supernatural) kind here, and while plenty of Stephen King books are horrifying in fantastical and realistic ways simultaneously, Cujo is pretty much all about the realistic. There’s a dog who gets rabies and turns violent as a result, and a group of characters who are all put in immense danger because of this bad luck.

This 1983 adaptation of Cujo is mostly solid, but then it does alter the ending in a way that’s definitely nicer, but also not nearly as impactful.

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It’s not a long book, and the number of characters is also on the more manageable side of things, so Cujo technically should work well as a movie. And yeah, this 1983 adaptation is mostly solid, but then it does alter the ending in a way that’s definitely nicer, but also not as impactful; nowhere close, really. It’s like the inverse of the situation with The Mist, where the ending of the film adaptation went into considerably darker territory than the final few pages of the original novella.

4

‘It Chapter Two’ (2019)

Things are a bit complicated when it comes to the late 2010s adaptation of It, since the mammoth book was split into two movies. The reason for this was that one half of It has the main characters as kids, and then the other half of the novel has them as adults, with the same central foe taken on both times. But it’s not a neat tale of two age groups, since the novel of It cuts back and forth between the characters when they’re young and older.

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You lose a lot with It Chapter Two because of this. It feels repetitive in a way that the original story doesn’t really, with its interesting structure. It (2017) does well at capturing most of the stuff with the characters as kids, so it’s a bit harder to criticize, though the choice with that first film to divide the narrative in such a way did ultimately doom the second film.

3

‘Pet Sematary’ (2019)

Pet Sematary - 2019 Image via Paramount Pictures

Working in a brutally effective way on two fronts, Pet Sematary stands as one of King’s scariest and also one of his saddest books simultaneously. There’s an exploration of death and a look at the desire to defy it, which is all horrific in very human and raw ways, but then there’s an ability to actually maybe reverse death, and then in come the supernatural elements and eventual scares on that front.

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Neither movie adaptation of Pet Sematary quite delivers in the same way that the book does. The one from 1989 probably fares a little better than the version released in 2019, but not by a great deal, in all honesty. Things are followed decently well, so it’s more just a case that the really powerful parts of Pet Sematary have, so far, been far more impactful if you’re either reading the text or listening to an audiobook, compared to watching the whole story retold as a movie.

2

‘The Dark Tower’ (2017)

The Dark Tower - 2017 Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

There are seven main books in The Dark Tower series, plus an interquel, a novella, and a bunch of other stories (some short, some novels) that tie into the series in some way, but one thing’s fairly clear: none were really adapted in – or represented by – 2017’s The Dark Tower. There are some elements taken from books #1 and #3, and a suggestion that things could be happening in a way that’s different from the events of the book (keeping it vague at the risk of spoiling something), but still. You want a bit more of The Dark Tower when you watch The Dark Tower.

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Whatever it was trying to adapt or reflect, this movie failed. If it was trying to do its own thing, or build upon the main series, it didn’t really do that well, either. And The Dark Tower series is very long and complicated, so any sort of movie adaptation was never going to be easy, but this still felt like the wrong approach. The only reason it’s not #1 in this ranking is because of that ambiguity surrounding the extent to which it can be counted as an adaptation. Call it partially getting off on a technicality or whatever.

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‘Salem’s Lot’ (2024)

John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan wields a glowing cross in 'Salem's Lot' (2024).
John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan wields a glowing cross in ‘Salem’s Lot’ (2024).
Image via Max

Since ‘Salem’s Lot is such an incredible book, and quite close to one of Stephen King’s very best efforts overall, the movie adaptation being just average at best is extremely disappointing. That makes it stand out as an example of a movie that really isn’t much compared to what it could’ve or should’ve been. And further, maybe saying it’s kind of average is a stretch.

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This movie follows the same basic plot, with vampires slowly taking over a small town and the few humans left having to fight for their lives (not lives of the undead variety), but the slow burn of the novel is sacrificed for… nothing? There isn’t really anything gained by pacing this like a horror movie, or trying to pace it like a horror movie, since Salem’s Lot (2024) still feels slow, just not slow in a good or purposeful way. Even if you really hate reading, by no means should you watch this before getting around to the book (can’t be overstated just how much better it is).


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Salem’s Lot


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Release Date

October 3, 2024

Runtime

113 minutes

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Writers

Gary Dauberman

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Producers

Mark Wolper, Michael Bederman, Roy Lee, James Wan, Michael Clear, Judson Scott

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    Makenzie Leigh

    Susan Norton

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jordan Preston Carter

    Mark Petrie

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‘The Last of Us’ Showrunner To Adapt One of the Greatest Video Games of the Decade

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Baldurs Gate 3 Game Poster

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

After redefining what a video game adaptation can look like on TV, Craig Mazin is officially taking on his next challenge — and it’s a big one. The Baldur’s Gate series is in development at HBO, according to reports, with Mazin attached to create, write, executive produce, and showrun the project. This may also mean that The Last of Us will indeed end with Season 3, despite speculation it could go further.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been a genuine pop culture juggernaut since launching in 2023, pulling in more than 15 million players and quickly earning a reputation as one of the greatest RPGs ever made. Set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, the game is known for its morally messy choices, deeply written characters, sharp humor, and willingness to let players completely break (or save) the world in wildly personal ways. Mazin is clearly not approaching the adaptation as a casual hire.

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“After putting nearly 1000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur’s Gate 3, it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of The Coast created. I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can, and I’m deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property.”

Why Is Craig Mazin Making Baldur’s Gate?

The series will extend beyond the original Baldur’s Gate games, expanding the larger universe created by Hasbro Entertainment. Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, and Hasbro Entertainment’s Gabriel Marano will executive produce alongside Mazin. Marano emphasized just how long fans have been waiting for this moment:

“The fans have been eagerly awaiting an adaptation of Baldur’s Gate, and we could not ask for better partners than HBO and the incomparable Craig Mazin to build this world with.”

For HBO, this fits squarely into its prestige genre lane. Francesca Orsi, head of HBO drama programming, highlighted why Mazin is such a natural fit:

“His deep and long-standing passion for the source material paired with his remarkable talent for building immersive worlds filled with rich, compelling characters promises groundbreaking results.”

This project also continues Mazin’s deep relationship with HBO. His overall deal with the network and HBO Max was extended for four more years in 2024.

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Baldurs Gate 3 Game Poster

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Released

August 3, 2023

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ESRB

M

Developer(s)
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Larian Studios

Publisher(s)

Larian Studios

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Franchise

Baldur’s Gate

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Eric Dickerson Doubles Down On Bad Bunny Criticism, Calls NFL ‘Corrupt’

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Eric Dickerson
Doubles Down On Bad Bunny Criticism
… The NFL Sold Out!!!

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Nancy Guthrie Ransom Letter Deadline Passes Without Proof of Life

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Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping
1st Ransom Note Deadline Passes …
Son Makes New Plea For Proof of Life

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