A film many believe is one of the all-time greats is airing for free on TV tonight (June 26). The Green Mile features a star-studded line up including Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Harry Dean Stanton and a young Sam Rockwell. Released in 2000, it’s widely considered the best Stephen King film adaptation. Including remakes, there are over 80 big screen versions of the Maine native’s work, with acclaimed directors Stanley Kubrick, Rob Reiner and Brian De Palma all using his words as inspiration. While there are many that could be ranked as the best, this one might just be the film that does the most justice to its written counterpart. Getting Frank Darabont to sign on the dotted line to direct the project proved to be a master stroke. He had previously adapted two of King’s novels – The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist – so was the perfect candidate to make this prison drama work on a visual level. The Green Mile stars Tom Hanks as a death row prison guard during the Great Depression who witnesses supernatural events following the arrival of an enigmatic convict at his facility. Known for being able to generate a level of whimsy unlike any other actors, Hanks plays a man who is broken down from witnessing true evil in the world on a daily basis. However, this all changed when he meets the late Michael Clarke Duncan’s gentle giant, who slowly teaches him that any situation can be salvaged. Grossing a colossal $286.8 million from its $60 million budget, The Green Mile was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Duncan, Best Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Despite not winning any Oscars, The Green Mile remains one of the most acclaimed films of all time. Boasting a score of 8.6/10 on IMDB , it is ranked the 26th most popular film on the website. The Green Mile airs at 9pm tonight on Film 4 .