Netflix Drops ‘Castle Rock’ with a Dark ‘Misery’ Prequel

Before IT: Welcome to Derry took over the horror world, Hulu’s short-lived series Castle Rock was already blending Stephen King’s darkest lore into one twisted universe. Across two seasons, the show mashed together pieces of Salem’s Lot, The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, Misery, and more—turning familiar King stories into something far stranger. The series was cancelled in 2020, leaving fans hanging on several cliffhangers.

But with Welcome to Derry blowing up on HBO Max, Netflix is stepping in to resurrect the overlooked gem. Both seasons of Castle Rock hit the platform December 16, 2025, giving horror fans a holiday binge soaked in King mythology.

The series originally premiered in 2018, with Season 1 following Bill Skarsgård as “The Kid,” a mysterious prisoner locked inside Shawshank State Penitentiary. Season 2 pushed the show into even darker territory, focusing on the chilling origin story of Misery’s Annie Wilkes, played with unhinged perfection by Lizzy Caplan.

Horror critics widely considered Season 2 the stronger outing, praising its sharper storytelling and brutal reimagining of iconic King characters. The finale even teased more mayhem ahead, including the return of Jane Levy as Jackie Torrance—Jack’s axe-swinging niece—before the series was abruptly axed.

Developed by Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason and produced by J.J. Abrams, Castle Rock is finally getting a second life. If you missed it the first time, Netflix just gave you the perfect excuse to dive back into King Country.