Stephen King's Divisive '90s Thriller Seeks Redemption on Free Streaming

Apt Pupil, Bryan Singer’s 1998 adaptation of Stephen King’s novella from Different Seasons, is set to join Tubi’s free streaming library on July 1. Starring Brad Renfro and Sir Ian McKellen, the film was released at the peak of Singer’s Hollywood run—his follow-up to The Usual Suspects—and had been in development for nearly ten years, arriving on screen with a few changes from the original story.

The thriller struggled commercially, grossing almost $9 million in the U.S. and Canada against a $14 million production budget, and it opened to mixed reviews. Over time the movie has remained one of King’s more debated adaptations and has not often been included in wider conversations about his film work.

Production was marred by serious allegations beyond the film’s inflammatory plot. A 14-year-old actor filed a lawsuit claiming he was forced to perform a scene fully nude and said producers and the director were implicated; others backed the claim.

United States, Canada

apt pupil, stephen king, bryan singer, tubi, brad renfro, ian mckellen, different seasons, 1998 film, lawsuit, box office