Showrunner Mike Flanagan's Carrie has landed an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score ahead of its October 7 Prime Video premiere, as critics praise the first TV series based on the 1974 horror novel.
TL;DR
- Carrie sits at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, according to the site's series page.
- All eight episodes land on Prime Video on October 7.
- Flanagan directed four episodes, and the novel's author is an executive producer.
- In the UK, Prime costs £8.99 a month, with ad-free viewing £2.99 extra.
Why the Carrie score matters now
The early score stands out because Carrie has a patchy screen record. Director Brian De Palma's 1976 film holds 94%, according to Screen Rant.
The 2002 TV movie sits at 33% and the 2013 remake at 51%. Flanagan's series is currently the second-best-reviewed version.
| Adaptation | Rotten Tomatoes score | Source |
| Carrie (2026 series) | 82% | Source: Rotten Tomatoes |
| Carrie (1976 film) | 94% | Source: Screen Rant |
| Carrie (2013 film) | 51% | Source: Screen Rant |
| Carrie (2002 TV movie) | 33% | Source: Screen Rant |
The 82% is not final. Screen Rant reported an opening score of 80%, based only on two episodes screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest.
Scores shift as full-season reviews arrive. Tom Cruise's Digger moved from 41% to 53% within days, as our report on Digger's rotten score showed.
What critics are saying about Carrie
Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle said the series is not as radical a reinvention as expected and won't overshadow De Palma's version. He still called Flanagan "the unchallenged master of long-form horror serials," according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Beatriz Ferreira of NOW Toronto gave the series four out of five stars. She described it as a devastating tragedy about viral bullying, maternal love and trauma.
Actor Summer H. Howell draws the most praise. She won the title role after Prime Video auditioned more than 1,000 actors, according to Dread Central.
Critics at Cinapse and But Why Tho? singled out her performance, according to CBR's early reviews roundup.
Not every verdict is glowing. CBR's own review said the modern update adds originality, but at some cost to the title character's bite.
Inside Flanagan's Carrie
Flanagan wrote and executive-produced the series and directed four of its eight episodes, according to TheWrap.
Author Stephen King, whose debut novel the show adapts, is also an executive producer. Flanagan told Entertainment Weekly that King signed off because of the series' fresh approach to bullying, according to Time Out.
The story moves into the social media age. Samantha Sloyan plays Carrie's mother, Margaret White.
King has also been in the news this week for praising Shudder's horror film The Cycle, as covered in our trailer report.
How to watch Carrie in the UK
Carrie streams exclusively on Prime Video, with all eight episodes dropping together on October 7, according to SlashFilm.
UK viewers need Amazon Prime at £8.99 a month or £95 a year, according to Household Money Saving. Ad-free viewing costs an extra £2.99 a month, the same guide said.
Prices can change, so check Amazon before subscribing.
What happens next
Reviews of all eight episodes will keep moving the score after launch. The series arrives as horror keeps pushing into TV, with Backrooms director Kane Parsons saying he wants his franchise's next chapter on television.
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.
