A beloved and chilling piece of cinema history has returned to the spotlight. The 1976 adaptation of Stephen King’s debut novel Carrie is now streaming on Netflix, giving horror fans the perfect chance to revisit one of the genre’s most celebrated films—just months before award-winning creator Mike Flanagan releases a brand-new television adaptation.
Directed by Brian De Palma, the original Carrie stars Sissy Spacek in an Oscar-nominated performance as Carrie White—a painfully shy high school student plagued by bullying at school and strict religious control at home from her mother, Margaret, played by fellow Oscar nominee Piper Laurie. After a traumatic incident at school triggers her telekinetic abilities, Carrie’s pent-up rage leads to one of the most unforgettable climaxes in horror history.
Released two years after King’s novel hit shelves, the film became a box office sensation, earning over $33 million against its modest $1.8 million budget. Critics hailed it as a groundbreaking fusion of supernatural terror and emotional depth. Today, it still holds an impressive 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers praising its haunting visuals, emotional intensity, and De Palma’s daring direction. The film’s iconic prom night sequence has been referenced and parodied countless times across popular culture.
Publications from The Guardian to Empire have long celebrated Carrie as a horror masterpiece, crediting Spacek’s transformative performance and De Palma’s visionary style. Roger Ebert’s Chicago Sun-Times review memorably described it as both “spellbinding” and “an observant human portrait.”
The story has been revisited multiple times, including a 1999 sequel (The Rage: Carrie 2) and remakes in 2002 and 2013. However, none have managed to capture the critical acclaim of De Palma’s original.
That could change in the coming year. In 2024, Amazon’s Prime Video confirmed a new Carrie series led by horror auteur Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep). The show will star Summer H. Howell in the title role, with Scream actor Matthew Lillard, Siena Agudong, Kate Siegel, Samantha Sloyan, and Amber Midthunder rounding out the cast.
In a recent interview, Lillard called the project “fantastic,” noting that Flanagan’s version will be a more faithful interpretation of King’s novel, delving deeper into the book’s multiple perspectives and exploring the experiences of students, parents, and teachers alike. The actor praised the young cast as “brilliant” and expressed excitement about the series’ polished production, which already has multiple episodes completed.
For now, fans can revisit the original that started it all. Carrie (1976) is streaming on Netflix, offering both longtime horror lovers and new viewers a chance to witness the film that set the standard for supernatural thrillers.
