10 Most Memorable Quotes From Stephen King Books & Movies 

Stephen King is known as the King Of Horror for a reason; for years and years, he has been writing scary stories, and many of these have been made into movies, allowing fans to enjoy the haunts and spooks in a whole new way.

While these terrifying tales have iconic plots, characters, monsters and settings, they also feature some legendary quotes and sayings that are too good not to reference and mention. There are many options to choose from, but these are most memorable lines from Stephen King’s books and movies.

10 Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.

Not all of Stephen King’s pieces are full of all terror, all the time, as The Shawshank Redemption is one of his. The novella, from 1982, was titled Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, and a film version was released in 1994. It focused on Andy Dufresne’s and Ellis “Red” Redding’s time in the Shawshank State Penitentiary.

And the most well-known quote from this story is likely this one: Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.

9 We all float down here.

In 1986, It came out, followed by a miniseries in 1990, a film in 2017, and chapter two of that film in 2019. As many know, they all centered around a group of seven friends who were being taunted and tortured by Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Without a doubt, the most quoted, seen, and heard line from It is “we all float down here”. This is something Pennywise says, usually while holding up a creepy red balloon. 

8 I am your number one fan.

People may say they are Stephen King’s top fan, but hopefully, they don’t take their interest and devotion as far as Annie Wilkes (played by Kathy Bates) did in Misery, a novel from 1987 and a movie from 1990.

Bates did win the Academy Award for Best Actress, though, which means that this was the only one of King’s film adaptations to win an Oscar. Yes, she played the part of “number one fan” almost too well!

7 Sometimes dead is better.

Next up are words from Pet Sematary, which was released in 1989, as well as based on the novel from 1983.

Even those who haven’t watched or read this (or at least haven’t in some time) know the general idea. That is why the most memorable quote from Pet Sematary is “sometimes dead is better”.

6 It stays awhile like an old friend…

This quote, which can be found in Salem’s Lot, is not so much about the story and, instead, is a fan favorite part that true fans know, recite, and maybe even have displayed in their homes.

“But when fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.”

5 Everyone isn’t bad, Mama! Everything isn’t a sin!

One of Stephen King’s most popular characters is Carrie White. This girl did not have it easy, and her mother did not help things. That is why she was quoted with saying the following: “Everyone isn’t bad, Mama! Everything isn’t a sin!”

Carrie was published in 1974, the original flick came out in 1976, and these are words that have been heard and read several times over the years, thanks to this classic tale.

4 Heeere’s Johnny!

There is one Stephen King story, in particular, that seems to be more beloved than the rest, and it certainly seems to be the most quotable. In fact, the next four lines are all from this one movie: The Shining.

It starred Jack Nicholson as a disturbed writer named Jack Torrance, and this actor/character led to one of the most well-known movie scenes of all time… Jack used an axe on a door, and once he got through, he said, “Heeere’s Johnny!”

3 Redrum. Redrum. Redrum.

Stephen King’s version of The Shining was released in 1977, and Stanley Kubrick’s movie was put out in 1980. Besides Jack Torrance, there were a couple of other main characters, such as Danny Torrance, who had “the shining” and who received his own sequel, Doctor Sleep.

And this line of Danny’s is pretty notable and scary (whether it is backwards or forward), as well, becoming so iconic that even those who haven’t seen the movie are likely familiar with it.

2 All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

As many know, The Shining starts out with this family moving into the Overlook Hotel for the season, as Jack takes on the role of the establishment’s caretaker. It is cold, they are out in the middle of nowhere, and things start to go south.

During the excitement, Jack gave the world another iconic line, typed over and over on his typewriter: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

1 Come play with us, Danny. Forever… and ever… and ever.

And, of course, there are The Grady Twins, who are not necessarily main characters of this tale. But they are two from the world of Stephen King who are seen on products, used as the inspiration for Halloween costumes, and even quoted.

While standing at the end of the hallway in their blue dresses, they ask Danny to come play with them… forever.

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