Stephen King’s “The Long Walk” Hits U.S. Theaters

Lead Stephen King’s dystopian thriller The Long Walk, directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson and Mark Hamill, opened in U.S. cinemas on September 12 in a nationwide Lionsgate release.

Nut Graf Based on King’s 1979 novel (published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman), the film’s brutal endurance contest premise-where participants must maintain a walking pace or face execution-has earned front‐page attention in Mad Movies magazine and sparked critical acclaim, marking it as one of this year’s most talked‐about horror adaptations.

Release and Box Office Prospects

  • Lionsgate distributed The Long Walk nationwide on September 12, 2025, challenging audiences with an unrelenting portrayal of a totalitarian death game.
  • Early ticket sales indicate strong audience interest, buoyed by pre-release buzz from CinemaCon and industry previews.

Critical Reception

  • Rotten Tomatoes reports a 95% positive rating from 101 critics, the highest score for any Stephen King adaptation to date, surpassing classics like Carrie (1976) and Stand By Me (1986).
  • Reviewers praise the film’s emotional depth and visceral tension, highlighting Cooper Hoffman’s performance as Raymond Garraty and Mark Hamill’s chilling turn as The Major.

Context and Cultural Impact Subhead: King’s 2025 Adaptation Wave

  • 2025 has seen multiple high-profile King adaptations, including The Monkey, The Institute series and Life of Chuck.
  • The Long Walk’s success reinforces studios’ confidence in translating King’s non-supernatural works to screen.

Subhead: Fan Engagement

  • French genre publication Mad Movies dedicates its September 12 issue to King’s oeuvre, spotlighting The Long Walk alongside upcoming releases The Running Man (November 5) and IT: Welcome to Derry (October premiere).
  • Social media campaigns and fan events accompany the film’s launch, with theaters offering collectible posters and limited-edition merchandise.

Looking Ahead As The Long Walk embarks on its theatrical journey, industry observers will watch its box office trajectory and awards potential. With Francis Lawrence at the helm and King’s enduring narrative power, the film is poised to cement its place among the master storyteller’s most impactful screen adaptations.