New Trailer Drops for ‘The Long Walk’- Stephen King Adaptation Starring Cooper Hoffman and Mark Hamill
The first trailer for The Long Walk has just been released during SDCC, giving fans a chilling look at the upcoming Stephen King adaptation that’s set to hit theaters on September 12, 2025. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the film is based on King’s 1979 novel written under his pen name Richard Bachman.
It’s a tense, dystopian horror story set in a version of the U.S. where freedom is gone and survival is everything.
The movie follows a group of teenage boys who are forced to take part in a brutal walking contest. The rules are simple, but deadly, you must keep walking at a speed of at least three miles per hour, and if you slow down too much or stop, you’re executed on the spot.
Only one walker is allowed to survive, and the last one standing wins. It’s a test of endurance, fear, and pain, all happening under the watchful eye of a totalitarian government.
Francis Lawrence, best known for directing several Hunger Games films, takes the lead on this one with a script written by JT Mollner. The cast is led by Cooper Hoffman as Raymond Garraty, along with David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Izabella Raven, and Judy Greer. Mark Hamill plays a major role too, literally, as “The Major,” the mysterious figure who oversees the deadly walk.
The movie has been a long time in the making. Back in 1988, George A. Romero was once considered to direct it, but the project never moved forward. Then, in 2007, Frank Darabont, known for The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist, picked up the rights and said he wanted to make it someday. “It’ll be weird, existential and very contained,” Darabont said at the time. But even that version never happened.
In 2018, New Line Cinema tried again, with James Vanderbilt writing a script and planning to produce it with Bradley Fischer and William Sherak. Then, in 2019, André Øvredal was announced as director. But none of those versions made it to production.
Finally, in 2023, the project landed with Lionsgate. Francis Lawrence came on board to direct, and JT Mollner wrote the screenplay. By June 2024, casting had begun. Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson were the first to sign on, followed by the rest of the cast throughout July. Director Mollner confirmed on Twitter that Garrett Wareing would be playing one of the key characters.
Filming started on July 24, 2024, in Winnipeg and was expected to wrap around September 12. That means the production moved quickly to hit the one-year mark before release. The music for the film was composed by Jeremiah Fraites and was finished by March 2025.
Now, with the trailer finally out, fans can get their first real look at this brutal and emotional story. It shows some of the young walkers, the strict enforcement of the rules, and the eerie, controlled world they’re trapped in. The tone is dark and intense, exactly what you’d expect from a King story about survival under pressure.
The Long Walk is shaping up to be one of the more grounded and psychological King adaptations in recent years. With its focus on character, tension, and endurance, it’s not about monsters or ghosts, the real horror comes from the system these boys are trapped in.
The film arrives in U.S. theaters on September 12, 2025, from Lionsgate. With a cast this strong, a solid director, and the backing of one of King’s most disturbing early novels, it’s definitely one to watch.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
