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Sam Hill is a news writer at Polygon covering gaming and entertainment. He's a Portland, Oregon–based journalist known for covering gaming, the outdoors, national parks, tech, food, and internet culture. He has written for a range of publications including Outside Magazine, Boston Magazine, Vice, the Seattle Times and Digital Trends.
In the 2004 novella adaptation, Depp plays a writer whose quiet retreat takes a disturbing turn
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Stephen King has spent decades turning our worst nightmares into some of Hollywood's most memorable horror movies. From supernatural terror to small-town nightmares, the author's work continues to inspire filmmakers, with a fresh wave of adaptations bringing his stories to new audiences.
The latest Carrie adaptation has already been renewed for a second season after earning rave reviews, while The Long Walk brought King's brutal dystopian story to theaters in 2025. Mike Flanagan is also still developing a television adaptation of The Dark Tower, and Netflix has plans to revisit Cujo, proving that Hollywood isn't running out of King stories to take to the screen.
But while the author's most recognizable works continue to attract attention, some of his lesser-known stories have slipped under the radar. One 2004 adaptation that explores paranoia, isolation, and the frightening possibility that you can't trust your own mind is suddenly finding a new audience on streaming.
That is Secret Window, the 2004 thriller starring Johnny Depp. Based on King's novella Secret Window, Secret Garden, the film follows a troubled writer whose quiet retreat becomes increasingly disturbing when a stranger accuses him of stealing a story. It's currently ranking No. 4 on HBO Max's movie chart, according to FlixPatrol, giving this overlooked King adaptation another moment in the spotlight.
What Is Secret Window About?
Directed and written by David Koepp (Stir of Echoes, Panic Room), Secret Window stars Depp as Mort Rainey, a successful writer struggling through a bitter divorce. Seeking some peace, Mort retreats to his secluded lakeside home in upstate New York, hoping to put his personal troubles behind him and get back to writing.
His solitude doesn't last long. A mysterious man named John Shooter (John Turturro) arrives at his door, accusing Mort of plagiarizing one of his short stories. Mort initially dismisses the accusation, but Shooter grows increasingly threatening as he demands justice for the alleged theft.
As the confrontation escalates and disturbing incidents begin to pile up, Mort struggles to establish what is really happening around him. Unlike King's more creature-driven adaptations, Secret Window builds its horror around psychological tension. Its remote setting, increasingly erratic protagonist, and growing sense of paranoia create a story in which the line between reality and delusion is harder to distinguish.
Although Secret Window has developed a following among Stephen King fans, its critical reception has been more mixed than that of the author's most celebrated adaptations. The film holds a 46% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared with a 65% audience score, with critics praising Johnny Depp's quirky performance while arguing that the story loses momentum toward the end.
Still, mixed reviews haven't stopped Secret Window from appealing to viewers drawn to psychological thrillers. Depp brings an increasingly unsettled energy to writer Mort Rainey, while John Turturro makes for an unnerving adversary. It may not rank among King's most acclaimed adaptations, but its atmosphere of paranoia and escalating dread offers a welcome alternative to the supernatural horror stories that often dominate his screen legacy.