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‘The Long Walk’ Nears Release as Director Unpacks Pivotal Scene and Mark Hamill Reflects on Villain

Stephen King’s demand to show consequences shaped an R-rated adaptation that leans into the boys’ bonds and has drawn strong early notices.

Mark Hamill as the Major in “The Long Walk,” based on a story by Stephen King.

Overview

  • Lionsgate’s Stephen King adaptation opens in theaters on Friday, September 12, with Francis Lawrence directing from a script by J.T. Mollner.
  • Entertainment Weekly debuted an exclusive look at an uphill sequence, with Lawrence detailing techniques like Dutch angles, profile framing and angled mile markers to heighten tension.
  • King told filmmakers not to sanitize the brutality, and producer Roy Lee says King’s lone script note changed the mandated pace from 4 mph to 3 mph for realism.
  • Mark Hamill, who plays the Major, said resurfaced memories informed his performance and that he was relieved the film would not be graphic, emphasizing the young men’s journey over gore.
  • Early reviews praise the film’s emotional impact and performances, with coverage also noting the cast’s physically demanding shoot as the production focuses on relationships under extreme pressure.