Stephen King devotees, prepare to have your nerves rattled: Lionsgate has finally dropped the first trailer for The Long Walk, and it’s a stark, gripping peek into one of the author’s bleakest stories. Unveiled on May 7, 2025, this intense preview of the adaptation of King’s 1979 novel (published as Richard Bachman) delivers raw, unrelenting dread. Directed by Hunger Games alum Francis Lawrence, The Long Walk is slated for a September 12, 2025, theatrical bow, and this trailer has me floored. I caught it during a late-night scroll, and I’m still reeling from its visceral impact. Here’s why this is shaping up to be a King adaptation for the ages.
A Grim Premise Springs to Life
If The Long Walk isn’t on your King radar, get ready for a doozy. Set in a dystopian America, the story tracks 100 teenage boys competing in an annual event called the Long Walk, where they must maintain a four-mile-per-hour pace—no pauses, no dawdling. Drop below the speed, and soldiers take you out. The sole survivor gets their heart’s desire for life, but there’s no finish line, just a brutal test of endurance. It’s less Hunger Games polish and more a harrowing plunge into despair. The trailer, as Empire highlights, captures this grim essence, with Mark Hamill’s icy voice as The Major stating, “You walk as long as you can… There’s one winner and no finish line.”
The trailer focuses on Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), Peter McVries (David Jonsson), and Hank Olson (Ben Wang), whose early bravado crumbles under the walk’s lethal stakes. A jarring moment shows Roman Griffin Davis’ character meeting a swift demise, cementing the film’s R-rated edge. It’s been pegged as one of the darkest King adaptations yet, and those shots of boys slogging past tanks, gunfire in the air, had me glued to my screen, heart in my throat.
A Knockout Cast and a Director with Vision
The ensemble is stellar. Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) grounds Garraty with raw heart, while David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) crackles as the quick-witted McVries. Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Jordan Gonzalez, and Joshua Odjick fill out the walkers, with Judy Greer as Ms. Garraty and Mark Hamill as the ruthless Major, mastermind of the cruel contest. Hamill, who shared footage at CinemaCon 2025, said, “If you can’t be the hero, there’s nothing better than being the villain.” His chilling trailer presence is pure menace.
Francis Lawrence, who helmed four Hunger Games films, directs from a script by JT Mollner (Strange Darling). At CinemaCon, Lawrence called The Long Walk his favorite King novel, lauding its “very interesting” ability to drop you into the boys’ struggle. The trailer’s stark, gritty look—dust-choked roads, bloodied expressions—proves he’s embracing the book’s unflinching horror. Having binged Catching Fire for its blend of stakes and soul, I’m pumped Lawrence is steering this beast.
A Long, Winding Road to Theaters
This adaptation’s path to the screen has been a saga of its own. George A. Romero was lined up in 1988, but it fell apart. Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) aimed for a “weird, existential” take in 2007, to no avail. New Line Cinema and André Øvredal took a stab in 2018-2019, but Lionsgate and Lawrence finally got it moving in 2023, with producer Roy Lee (IT, Doctor Sleep) championing the project. After decades of near-misses, this trailer feels like a hard-won win—I’m still in disbelief it’s real.
Why This Trailer Lands Like a Sledgehammer
The trailer is a tightrope of tension. It kicks off with acoustic strums and the boys’ fleeting jokes, then hits you with gunfire, tanks, and Hamill’s grim prophecy: “For some, the heart will stop, for others, the brain.” It’s been called “unflinchingly brutal,” and I’m all in—the stripped-down, anti-YA grit makes every frame sting. The score’s eerie thrum and crisp editing kept me locked in, and the “Walk or Die” tagline is chilling perfection. Hoffman and Jonsson’s bond shines, and the trailer’s been hailed as a draw for both King faithful and newcomers. I’m already plotting my opening-night crew.
Judy Greer described the film as a “really, really, really dark story,” tying its Vietnam War-era roots to a timeless world. The trailer’s emotional core—glimpses of the boys’ camaraderie and “love that forms”—tugged at my heart. I’m a sucker for tales of connection amid chaos, and those brief moments of brotherhood in the trailer nearly had me tearing up at my desk.
Why I’m Counting Down
I’ve been a King obsessive since I nabbed Salem’s Lot from my dad’s shelf at 15, and The Long Walk shattered me with its creeping terror. I’d read it late at night, pulse racing as the boys fell. This trailer channels that same oppressive dread, and Hamill’s Major is the stuff of nightmares. Hoffman and Jonsson seem ready to carry the film’s soul, and I’m eager to see Lawrence weave the book’s introspective vibe into a cinematic gut-punch. With The Life of Chuck in June and The Running Man in November, 2025 is King’s year, but The Long Walk feels like the boldest. I’m planning a theater night with my horror buds, armed with popcorn and nerves.
How to Get in the Zone
The Long Walk hits theaters September 12, 2025, via Lionsgate. Catch the trailer on Lionsgate’s YouTube, and check Empire’s latest issue for more King insights. Rewatch The Hunger Games on Netflix to vibe with Lawrence’s style, or dive into King’s novel for a fast, devastating read. Social media’s buzzing—Devon Sawa said the trailer was so intense he bailed halfway, and King himself gave it props. Are you amped for this grim epic, or already picking your favorite walker? I’m ready for the emotional gauntlet—sound off in the comments!
Source: Empire