New Trailer for ‘The Long Walk’ Previews a Brutal Stephen King Adaptation Hitting Theaters This Fall
Lionsgate has just released the official trailer for The Long Walk, a new dystopian horror film based on Stephen King’s 1979 novel, written under his pen name Richard Bachman. The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, known for The Hunger Games series, and it’s set to hit U.S. theaters on September 12, 2025.
The story takes place in a grim future where the U.S. is controlled by a brutal regime. Every year, a group of teenage boys is forced to take part in a walking contest. It sounds simple, but there’s a deadly twist: if they drop below three miles per hour for too long, they’re killed. The walk only ends when one boy is left standing.
The cast is packed with rising stars and familiar faces. Cooper Hoffman plays the lead role of Raymond Garraty. David Jonsson takes on the role of Peter McVries, and Mark Hamill plays a key character known as The Major, the man in charge of the walk.
Other cast members include Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Judy Greer, Josh Hamilton, and Izabella Raven.
This adaptation has had a long road to the big screen. Back in 1988, legendary horror filmmaker George A. Romero was linked to the project, but it didn’t happen. In 2007, Frank Darabont, who directed The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist, picked up the rights and said he wanted to make a small, personal version of it someday. He once said, “It’ll be weird, existential and very contained.”
Later on, in 2018, New Line Cinema tried to get the project moving again, with James Vanderbilt attached to write and produce. In 2019, director André Øvredal came on board, but that version also didn’t move forward.
It wasn’t until November 2023 that things really started happening. Lionsgate took over production, Francis Lawrence joined as director, and JT Mollner wrote the final script. Casting began in mid-2024, with Hoffman and Jonsson joining first. In the following weeks, the rest of the cast came together, including Mark Hamill and Judy Greer. Director JT Mollner even confirmed Garrett Wareing’s casting on Twitter.
Filming started on July 24, 2024, in Winnipeg and was scheduled to finish by mid-September. Composer Jeremiah Fraites, best known from the band The Lumineers, worked on the score and finished it by March 2025.
The trailer shows a bleak and intense atmosphere, with shots of exhausted teens, armed guards, and the relentless ticking of the clock as the boys struggle to stay alive. It looks like the film will stick closely to the dark tone of the book, highlighting the emotional and physical toll the walk takes on each contestant.
The Long Walk is more than just a survival story. It’s also a critique of power, control, and how people respond when pushed to the edge. With Francis Lawrence directing and a cast full of talent, the film looks like it will be a faithful and gripping version of King’s original story.
Fans of Stephen King, dystopian thrillers, or just intense psychological horror will want to keep this one on their radar. With the trailer now out and the release date locked in, The Long Walk is officially on the march toward theaters.
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