This thesis studies the film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining (US 1977) by Stanley Kubrick (US 1980). The focus of this study lies on Kubrick’s approach towards the settings and the characters. How can we study the role of the auteur in the adaptation process and the differences between source text and film adaptation? How can we understand King’s negative reaction to Kubrick’s ways of altering and differentiate the storytelling? The summary presents a discussion of what adaptations can create and what the process from source text to film looks like. This thesis contributes to adaptation studies and their discussions of media specificity.