Film Critic · Journalist · Author
Shawn S. Lealos
A professional film critic and journalist covering horror, genre film, and the work of Stephen King since 2009. Author, independent filmmaker, and voting member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle.
The Book
Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers
For decades, Stephen King let student and amateur filmmakers adapt his short stories for one dollar. The program ended in December 2023, but the films and the people who made them are now part of film history. Dollar Deal collects interviews with 17 of those filmmakers, alongside the stories of Frank Darabont and my own, tracing how these small, obscure movies got made and where they led.
It is a book for Stephen King fans who want to discover these overlooked films, and for student filmmakers looking for both a guide and a reason to start.
What I Cover
I write film reviews, conduct interviews with filmmakers, and report on horror and genre cinema. New work is added regularly.