Mark Hamill Says That Categorizing Stephen King’s Work as Horror Is a “Shame”

Mark Hamill, the icon known for his role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, is seeing somewhat of a resurgence, thanks to the master of horror, Stephen King. Not only will audiences see him portray the ruthless Major in The Long Walk in September 2025, but Hamill is also featured in the recently released Mike Flanagan adaptation of The Life of Chuck, based on the author’s novella of the same name. The actor is a newcomer to the world of King adaptations (unless you count his cameo in Sleepwalkers), but that doesn’t mean he’s not familiar with the author’s work. When asked what his Stephen King origin story is, Hamill replies with a book that’s terrifying. Yet, he also takes the time to note that it’s “almost a shame” that King is “typed as a horror writer.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

The Star Wars icon sat down to talk about The Life of Chuck with Den of Geek. The conversation expands towards other cast members, who are also asked about their first contact with King’s books. When Hamill answers, he mentions several of the author’s notable works and uses The Shining as proof of King’s mistaken typecast:

“One of the first ones I read was Pet Sematary, which is absolutely, unbearably terrifying. Someone suggested to me, ‘You should read Shawshank Redemption, or The Body [adapted into Stand by Me], or Green Mile.’

“It’s amazing how versatile he is. It’s almost a shame that he’s typed as a horror writer when there’s so many other emotions that he elicits, not only in his non-genre work, but in something like The Shining. There are such human, relatable moments. I think that’s part of his gift, making you relate and believe in the people and the circumstances, so that when things go sideways, you’re unprepared.”

Hamill keeps mentioning The Shining, one of King’s most divisive adaptations, and one that he definitely doesn’t love. The actor admits that Kubrick’s film is what convinced him to read the novel of the same name, because with the book he could “read” a character”s thoughts:

“A lot is left to the audience in terms of interpretation, because that’s just the kind of director Kubrick is. He’s much more interested in the atmosphere and the composition. He’s a fabulous filmmaker, but when you read the book, you hear the character’s thoughts, you find out who the ghosts are, what incident occurred there that made it become haunted, all these things that you have to lose to make a movie two and a half hours long. So I walked straight from seeing The Shining to a bookstore to buy the book to figure out what the hell I just watched.”

Stephen King’s Work Transcends Genres (But He’s Undoubtedly a Horror Author)

Some of King’s most renowned works are not horror novels. Neither are the adaptations. Examples include Stand by Me and Mr. Mercedes, emotionally rich and character-driven stories that feature the author’s signature skills when giving life to complex characters with distorted moral compasses. When it comes to transcending genres, King often steps into fantasy, dystopian thrillers, and science fiction, but at the very core, it’s undeniable that he’s the master of horror. He may be typecast, but that fixation with the genre is what makes him such a beloved writer.

Source: Den of Geek