The Shining, It, And More

In the past year, Mark Hamill has quietly become something of a Stephen King regular, and now he has revealed his favorite books from the author. Best known as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, Hamill has recently taken a sharp turn, starring in two major Stephen King movie adaptations, 2024’s The Life of Chuck and 2025’s The Long Walk.

Now, in a recent interview with The New Yorker, Mark Hamill has revealed his favorite Stephen King books of all time, who the actor describes as “much more versatile a writer than he gets credit for.” Surprisingly, Hamill lists The Shining, The Dead Zone, It, and On Writing among his favorite books. Speaking on The Shining, Mark Hamill stated:

I went to see The Shining on opening weekend, and I was just so knocked out that I went directly from the theatre to a bookstore to buy the book. […] I remember enjoying it so much that I would slow down — like, ‘Oh, I’m reading too fast.’ This is the first King book I ever read, and it’s the one that made me a gigantic fan.

When it came to The Shining, Hamill said that he refused to read it in daylight, waiting until the house was dark and quiet, to maximize the chills. Furthermore, although he didn’t get a chance to audition for David Cronenberg’s adaptation of The Dead Zone, Hamill still calls the story “fantastic” and admitted he wanted to be part of it:

I didn’t get an audition, but I still read the book. It’s such a fantastic premise […] Anyways, the movie was great; Martin Sheen was perfect. […] I don’t hold grudges, I’m not like that.

Hamill also divulged that “I only recently read “It,” which is so scary,” describing the Bill Hader movie as “almost hard to watch, it’s so gruesome and horrible. I don’t know why people like that—but I also do.” Lastly, Hamill discussed his reasons for choosing Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft among his favorites, stating that:

When I met King in person the first time, what I really wanted to do was pick his brain. […] This book is like sitting in a room and asking him all those questions. I can’t recommend it highly enough, because it answered so many of mine.

What Mark Hamill’s Stephen King Book Picks Mean

Mark Hamill’s favorite Stephen King books reveal an appreciation for stories that blur the line between the supernatural and something deeply human. The Shining and It are terrifying, but they’re also grounded in real fear, trauma, and emotion. That emotional realism seems to be what resonates most with Hamill, who’s spent his own career balancing larger-than-life roles with grounded performances.

His love for The Dead Zone shows interest in morally complex, character-driven stories, and it’s not hard to imagine Hamill thriving in a role like Johnny Smith. However, it’s also telling that he didn’t include The Long Walk on the list despite starring in the movie, instead highlighting just how long Hamill admired King’s work before becoming part of it.

Our Take On Mark Hamill’s Favorite Stephen King Books

Mark Hamill at TIFF — Mark Hamill, Celebrities arrive at ‘The Wild Robot’ premiere during the 49th Toronto International Film Festival

Mark Hamill’s favorite Stephen King books show that he’s more than just a genre icon, he’s a true fan of storytelling. These books explore fear, mortality, and moral conflict in different ways, and that lines up perfectly with the roles Hamill gravitates toward: flawed characters in strange, unsettling worlds. It also helps explain why The Long Walk appealed to him.

Although it’s a dystopian thriller, at the heart of The Long Walk is human limits — physically, mentally, and emotionally — which mirrors themes from his favorite King novels. Therefore, Mark Hamill’s choice to step into the role of The Major makes sense, as he isn’t looking for the biggest franchise or the flashiest role, but stories that stay with you.