The Best Stephen King Film in 30 Years Is Finally on Digital Streaming

The best Stephen King adaptation in 30 years since the release of The Shawshank Redemption is finally headed home. Directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the non-stop thriller is not for the faint of heart, but those brave enough to weather through the emotional hardships and brutality will be left with one of the best films of the year.

The Long Walk is officially available on digital platforms after releasing in theaters on September 12. MovieWeb can exclusively debut a clip from the film, which features Raymond Garraty (Cooper Hoffman) trying to hug his mom, Ginnie Garraty (Judy Greer), while his friend Pete (David Jonsson) holds him back. The film takes place in a dystopian future in which a group of boys participates in a yearly competition to walk until one contestant is left. The winner gets the prize of their choosing, while the losers are killed live on television during the competition. After an exhaustive walk, Ray breaks down seeing his mother, who previously begged him not to participate in the walk.

Much of the acclaim The Long Walk has received is due to its committed ensemble cast. The film features Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza), David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus), Garrett Wareing (Ransom Canyon), Tut Nyuot (Small Axe), Charlie Plummer (Words on Bathroom Walls), Ben Wang (Karate Kid: Legends), Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit), Jordan Gonzalez (Pretty Little Liars: Summer School), Joshua Odjick (Wildhood), Josh Hamilton (The Walking Dead), Judy Greer (Stick), and Mark Hamill (The Life of Chuck). Jonsson, in particular, has received Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Peter “Pete” McVries. Read the official synopsis:

From the highly anticipated adaptation of master storyteller Stephen King’s first-written novel, and Francis Lawrence, the visionary director of The Hunger Games franchise films (Catching Fire, Mockingjay – Pts. 1 & 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), comes THE LONG WALK, an intense, chilling, and emotional thriller that challenges audiences to confront a haunting question: how far could you go?

Stephen King’s Involvement in ‘The Long Walk’ Revealed by Mark Hamill

The Long Walk star Mark Hamill, who has been in several Stephen King adaptations as of late, confirmed that the legendary horror author played a key role in the new dystopian thriller. During an interview, Hamill revealed that King personally approved his casting as “The Major,” the sadistic antagonist of The Long Walk. This is par for the course, as King also approved Glen Powell for The Running Man, an action thriller remake directed by Edgar Wright out next month.

“When I met him, I got to sit next to him at the Toronto Film Festival. And when I went in to sit down, he looked up at me, he says, ‘The Major.’ And I thought, ‘How does he know? How does he know that I’m playing the Major?’ And later, they told me. They said, [it was] because he had casting approval, and he approved. That was motivation and validation for me, that he knew that I was going to play it, and it was okay with him. That was a thrill.”

As adaptations of King’s work have seen a boom in recent years, it seems a part of their success can be attributed to the author playing a role in making sure things stay true to the source material. However, it seems King is not directly involved in the writing process for the adaptations, which has also allowed films like The Long Walk to make key changes while still paying homage to his work. Audiences have embraced the new horror thriller as one of his best adaptations of all time, and its legacy will only grow in the streaming world.

Release Date

September 12, 2025

Runtime

108 Minutes

Director

Francis Lawrence

Producers

Roy Lee, Steven Schneider

• Cooper Hoffman

  Raymond Garraty / #47

• David Jonsson

  Peter McVries / #23

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