Overview

• Lionsgate’s R-rated adaptation opened in theaters on Sept. 12, 2025, directed by Francis Lawrence and led by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson.
• The story follows a state-run contest that forces teens to maintain a three-miles-per-hour pace under lethal enforcement, framing a stark critique of conformity and authority.
• Cast and crew emphasize on-the-ground realism, reporting roughly 8–15 miles of actual walking per day and a cumulative distance near 400 miles.
• The production was filmed in chronological order to capture the physical and psychological toll as it escalates across the march.
• Early reviews highlight standout lead performances, psychological tension, and craft, with several outlets calling it one of the strongest recent Stephen King adaptations.