Netflix Just Revived One of Stephen King’s Most Ambitious Time-Travel Stories

Published 01/09/2026, 12:14 AM CST

A Stephen King adaptation has resurfaced on Netflix, and with it the faint question of how this one managed to go unnoticed in the first place.

Released nearly a decade ago, the time-travel miniseries arrived with strong reviews, an 88 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. It passed through fan circles quietly, leaving little behind except the sense that it had been punctual and polite.

Netflix, never sentimental about timing, has given the series another turn.

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Stephen King’s time travel miniseries is quietly hooking Netflix viewers

Produced by J.J. Abrams, the series 11.22.63, starring James Franco and Sarah Gadon, is adapted from Stephen King’s time-travel novel of the same name. Nearly a decade after its original release, the eight-episode limited series is now trending at No. 3 on Netflix’s Top 10. The series was available on Hulu for years until the streaming giant removed it in 2024.

But perhaps now, after the end of IT, Welcome to Derry, 11.22.63, is just the right series to binge-watch. As for the story, the series follows high school teacher Jake Epping, who time-travels to 1960 to stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. However, as the past begins to resist his efforts by creating dangers that threaten to derail his plan, the series quickly turns into chaos, doubt, and moral conflict. 

While the series is well written, the cast, including James Franco, George MacKay, and Josh Duhamel, showed an impressive performance, which explains why it is trending on the platform’s Top 10 charts among some of the best thrillers.

'11.22.63' Cast on Netflix: Meet the Stars Behind Stephen King’s JFK Assassination Miniseries

Alongside 11.22.63, there is another thriller series based on Harlan Coben’s novel, trending on the Netflix top 10 

Harlan Coben’s Run Away makes an interesting debut on Netflix

Another crime-thriller success currently trending on Netflix is Run Away. The eight-episode series, based on a novel by Harlan Coben, ranked No. 1 on U.S. streaming charts soon after its debut on January 1. While the limited series is unlikely to return for a second season, it has already made an impressive impact.

Featuring a well-known cast led by James Nesbitt, alongside Minnie Driver, Ruth Jones, and Lucian Msamati, the series holds an 82 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

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For those who have yet to watch the series, the story follows Simon Greene as he searches for his missing daughter, Paige, while he stumbles upon dark secrets involving cults and even his own wife, Ingrid.

All in all, both series make for a solid watch as audiences wait for the next Stephen King or Harlan Coben adaptation.

Netflix’s ‘Runaway Season 2’: Is the Harlan Coben Starrer Returning Post Hit Debut?

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Have you watched 11.22.63 yet? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Pritha Debroy

103 articles

Pritha Debroy is an Entertainment writer at NetflixJunkie who can seamlessly switch between breaking down an NBA play and obsessing over the latest K-drama twist. She has written over 3,400 NBA and NFL articles, but her true joy lies in diving into Netflix’s trendiest shows—unpacking themes, stories, and yes, the occasional celebrity chaos. When she is not writing, you’ll find her devouring thrillers (anything by Freida McFadden is an instant yes), revisiting comfort classics like 10 Things I Hate About You and 27 Dresses, or hunting for her next binge-worthy series.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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