A number of Oates's stories have been adapted into films, including her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" This story was made into the 1985 film Smooth Talk, directed by Joyce Chopra and starring Laura Dern and Treat Williams.

Another adaptation of an Oates's novel is We Were the Mulvaneys (2002), directed by Peter Werne and starring Blythe Danner and Beau Bridges.

Released as a two-part television movie, Blonde, an adaptation of an Oates's novel of the same name, was shown in 2001. Joyce Chopra directed the film, which stars Ann-Margaret, Eric Bogosian, and Griffith Dunne.