One of the most anticipated upcoming Stephen King adaptations is Francis Lawrence's (The Hunger Games) take on Stephen King's dystopian novella The Long Walk, set to hit theaters this September. On Tuesday, Vanity Fair shared an in-depth profile on the movie, debuting new photos and more
As a dystopian story, The Long Walk is slightly different from some of King's other works. There's no killer clowns, dogs, or cars here. Instead we focus in on a futuristic version of America that has become a total police state. In a tale similar to Squid Game, The Long Walk centers on a disturbing annual contest where 100 boys must enter and walk non-stop for four miles per hour without stopping. If they stop, they die.
Funnily enough, the idea of a drawing like the one at the center of The Long Walk isn't dissimilar from Lawrence's previous work on The Hunger Games franchise, something Lawrence is aware of. When talking to Vanity Fair, the director said The Long Walk is more violent than The Hunger Games along with having a "grittier feel," via Fangoria.
New photos shared from the movie provide us with our first look at the film's main characters, with actors like David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman at the forefront as characters Peter and Raymond. There's also a wider shot showing some of the boys participating in the walk and the police force behind them, along with a glimpse of Mark Hamill in uniform as the antagonistic Major. Judy Greer is shown as Raymond's mother, Ms. Garraty.
I've been excited to see an adaptation of The Long Walk since I read the book years ago. Even though it was one of King's earliest novels, getting it made into a movie has been a long road. At one point even George A. Romero was going to direct it, but I think the latest iteration is going to be excellent, especially with Lawrence on board and Strange Darling filmmaker JT Mollner writing the script.
The Long Walk will be released in theaters on September 12.