You’re probably thinking about that bucket of pig’s blood. Or maybe Sissy Spacek’s wide, terrifying eyes as the gymnasium goes up in flames. It’s one of those cinematic moments burned into the collective brain of anyone who loves a good scare. But if you’re trying to settle a trivia debate or just curious about the timeline of Stephen King’s rise to fame, you’re likely asking: what year did the movie Carrie come out?
The short answer? 1976.
Specifically, it hit theaters on November 3, 1976. But honestly, just knowing the year doesn't tell the whole story. The mid-seventies were a weird, gritty time for cinema, and Carrie wasn't just another horror flick; it was a cultural shift. It turned a struggling high school teacher named Stephen King into a household name and proved that "teen movies" could be high art—or at least high-tension nightmares.
The 1976 Original: Why It Was a Big Deal
When Brian De Palma sat down to direct the adaptation of King’s first novel, nobody really expected it to become an Oscar-nominated powerhouse. Horror was usually relegated to drive-ins and "B-movie" status. But 1976 changed that.
The film was made on a shoestring budget of about $1.8 million. To put that in perspective, even back then, that was peanuts. Yet, it raked in over $33 million. It was the "sleeper hit" of the year. People weren't just going for the jumpscares; they were going for Sissy Spacek’s heartbreaking performance as Carrie White and Piper Laurie’s over-the-top, terrifying turn as her mother, Margaret.
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Both actresses actually nabbed Academy Award nominations for their roles. That almost never happened for horror movies in the seventies.
A Quick Look at the Release Timeline
If you’re confused because you remember seeing a different version, it’s because Carrie has been remade... a lot. Here is how the years break down for the different versions:
- The Original Masterpiece: 1976 (Directed by Brian De Palma)
- The Often-Forgotten Sequel: 1999 (The Rage: Carrie 2)
- The TV Movie: 2002 (Starring Angela Bettis)
- The Modern Remake: 2013 (Starring Chloë Grace Moretz)
What Most People Get Wrong About the 1976 Release
There’s a common misconception that Stephen King was already a billionaire author when the movie came out. Nope. Not even close.
When the film rights were sold, King was basically broke. He famously sold the rights for a measly $2,500. He’s said in interviews that he was just happy to have the book made into a movie at all. By the time 1976 rolled around, the success of the film propelled his book sales into the stratosphere. It’s arguably the reason we have The Shining, IT, and Misery on our bookshelves today.
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Another weird fact? The movie actually came out two years after the book was published (1974). Usually, Hollywood moves a bit faster today, but back then, the word-of-mouth on King’s "epistolary" novel (that means it was written as a series of news clippings and letters) had to simmer before the studios took a gamble.
Why 1976 Was the Perfect Year for Carrie
The mid-70s were obsessed with the "occult" and "hidden powers." You had The Exorcist in '73 and The Omen earlier in '76. Audiences were primed for stories about things they couldn't explain.
But Carrie hit differently because it was grounded in something way scarier than demons: high school. We’ve all felt like an outsider. We’ve all dealt with a bully. De Palma used 1976 filmmaking techniques—like split-screens and slow-motion—to make a prom feel like a literal war zone.
The "Carrie" Legacy and What to Do Next
If you’ve only seen the 2013 version with Chloë Grace Moretz, you're missing out on the raw, psychedelic energy of the 1976 original. The 2013 version tries to be more "modern" with cell phones and social media, but there’s something about the grainy, 1970s aesthetic that makes the story feel more timeless and claustrophobic.
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Here is your "Carrie" action plan if you want to dive deeper:
- Watch the 1976 version first. It's currently available on most major streaming platforms like Max or for rent on Amazon. Pay attention to the music by Pino Donaggio—it’s half the reason the movie is so creepy.
- Read the book. King’s 1974 novel is structured totally differently than the movie. It feels like a true crime investigation.
- Skip the 1999 sequel. Seriously. Unless you love 90s cheese, The Rage: Carrie 2 doesn't add much to the lore.
- Look for the "hidden" cameos. A very young John Travolta plays one of the bullies in the 1976 film, just a year before he became a global superstar in Saturday Night Fever.
Knowing what year the movie Carrie came out is just the entry point. Whether you're a horror buff or just someone who appreciates a good "revenge" story, the 1976 classic is the blueprint for everything that followed. It’s visceral, it’s mean, and it’s still one of the best endings in cinema history.
Next Step: Check your favorite streaming app to see if the 1976 version is currently in their "leaving soon" section, as licensing for these classics tends to jump around every few months.