Even though he only just announced it, it seems all but inevitable thatStephen King’s upcoming 2025 book,Never Flinch,will be adapted as a TV series within the next few years.King confirmedNever Flinchwill be another crime story, and it’s set to be released on July 03, 2025. The announcement also revealed a very familiar face to King’s Constant Readers will return:Holly Gibney, the reclusive private investigator with obsessive-compulsive disorder and a savant’s memory and knack for pattern recognition.
Outside ofRandall Flagg, Holly Gibney has appeared in more separate stories than any Stephen King character. It’s a testament to how much King loves the character, considering she only first appeared a decade ago in 2014’sMr. Mercedes. In the years since, she’s been a major supporting or main character in five moreStephen King books, not including next year’sNever Flinch. With that book’s release, it’s all but inevitable that Holly will appear in a TV adaptation once more.
Holly Gibney’s Return In Stephen King’s Never Flinch Makes A TV Adaptation Likely
Holly Has Already Appeared In Two TV Adaptations, With A Third In Development
Stephen King’s works are ripe for adaptations, which is exactly why there are dozens and dozens of Stephen King adaptations across screens big and small. While his horror work has been the focus, the crime thriller novels he’s written in the past decade have also gotten some TV adaptation love. Interestingly, the character of Holly Gibney has been in both:
Justine Lupe first portrayed her in theMr. Mercedesseries, whileCynthia Erivo portrayed Holly Gibney inThe Outsiderminiseries.
Never Flinch
August 02, 2025
A third TV show is already on the way, too:King’s novel,Holly, is also in development for TV. Jack Bender, the executive producer and co-director of the Mr. Mercedes adaptation, revealed it during a Q&A at the Chicago Printers Row Lit Fest, saying, “I’ve been fortunate to know and work with Stephen King – talking about writers. His new book Holly, by the way, is great. We’re going to make a show out of that. We haven’t announced it.” With Holly Gibney returning for a third time on TV, though it’s not yet known if one of the previous actresses will portray her or if it will be an entirely new actress, it now seems inevitable that King’s upcomingNever Flinchwill also get a TV adaptation.
Never Flinch’s Premise Sounds Perfect For A TV Show
A Crime Thriller With A Compelling Villain Is An Intriguing Premise
Never Flinchhas an interesting premise that would, in theory, translate well to the TV medium. The description of the story sets up a novel with two separate narratives that become more intertwined. The story, which will be told in the third person, will feature different perspectives, which would be a very cool format for a TV series, with each episode switching to following a new character’s point of view. Scribner’s official synopsis is long, but smartly doesn’t give much away:
When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to ‘kill thirteen innocents and one guilty’ in ‘an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,’ Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution? As the investigation unfolds, Izzy realizes that the letter writer is deadly serious, and she turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help.
Meanwhile, controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist Kate McKay is embarking on a multi-state lecture tour, drawing packed venues of both fans and detractors. Someone who vehemently opposes Kate’s message of female empowerment is targeting her and disrupting her events. At first, no one is hurt, but the stalker is growing bolder, and Holly is hired to be Kate’s bodyguard — a challenging task with a headstrong employer and a determined adversary driven by wrath and his belief in his own righteousness
Stephen King’s 2025 Book Confirms His Second Biggest Universe After The Dark Tower
Stephen King’s next book, Never Flinch, has been confirmed to release in 2025 and confirms his second biggest universe after The Dark Tower.
One of those perspectives in the book will be that of Trig, an obsessive man who is slowly growing consumed with thoughts of vengeance. It appears he will be the main antagonist ofNever Flinch, and, considering King has a knack for crafting memorable villains, whether human or supernatural, Trig seems poised to be added to that pantheon of great baddies. An excellent villain would make for a fun time in a TV adaptation, and it would be great to see Holly Gibney square off against a foe worthy of her skills.
Why Stephen King’s Books With Holly Gibney Make Such Ideal Adaptations
King’s Crime Stories Have Been Well-Received By Critics & Audiences Alike
Beyond the specific focus ofNever Flinch, a smart thriller with compelling characters always has the potential to make a great adaptation. The procedural format of unraveling a mystery lends itself to episodic storytelling, and it seems King’s stories pack an extra punch.The Outsiderminiseries has a 91% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whileMr. Mercedes, which ran for three seasons, also has a stellar 91% rating. They also have fresh ratings with audiences of 82% and 76%, respectively. Clearly, the appetite is there for more King thrillers.
A smart thriller with compelling characters always has the potential to make a great adaptation.
Crime stories are also arguably easier to adapt than King’s horror stories or his sprawling epics, as well. They tend to be more self-contained and tightly-woven narratives, without bringing in a lot of the greater universal lore for which King has become known. With the shapeshifting abilities of the titular character,The Outsiderdid incorporate some of King’s trademark supernatural elements, albeit in a more understated way than his usual monsters.
However, evenThe Outsider’s El Cuco required a lot less in terms of VFX budget than the usual Stephen King adaptation, where special effects, whether CGI or practical, are often required. It’s definitely an added bonus when there’s lower barrier for entry to adapt a Stephen King book, especially in the current era of crime-saturated media. It’s not clear ifNever Flinchwill be more like the crime story Mr. Mercedes or the supernatural thrillerThe Outsider. Either way, it won’t be a surprise when it gets announced as a TV show within the next year.
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
