[Watch] San Diego Comic-Con Deemed This ‘The Long Walk’ Clip Too Shocking to Show in Full
Fans are getting an early look at The Long Walk, the R-rated thriller that San Diego Comic-Con called too intense and shocking to show in full. The clip gives a glimpse into the story, which takes place in a grim future where the U.S. is controlled by a brutal regime. Every year, teenage boys are forced to take part in a walking contest. It sounds simple, but there’s a deadly rule: if they drop below three miles per hour for too long, they die. The walk doesn’t stop until only one boy is left standing.
Get an exclusive first look at the complete Red Band clip from @Lionsgate's @jointhelongwalk that San Diego Comic-Con deemed too intense and shocking to show in full:@LionsgateHorror pic.twitter.com/32Bcshyb4P
— IGN (@IGN) August 19, 2025
The movie stars a mix of rising talent and familiar faces. Cooper Hoffman plays the lead, Raymond Garraty, while David Jonsson is Peter McVries.
Mark Hamill appears as The Major, the man in charge of the deadly walk. Other cast members include Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Judy Greer, Josh Hamilton, and Izabella Raven.
This adaptation of Stephen King’s novel has had a long journey to the screen. Back in 1988, horror legend George A. Romero was attached, but it never happened. In 2007, Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist, got the rights and said he wanted to make a small, personal version. He promised it would be “weird, existential and very contained.”
New Line Cinema tried to push the project in 2018 with James Vanderbilt writing and producing, and director André Øvredal joined in 2019. That version also didn’t move forward. It wasn’t until November 2023 that the project finally took off.
Lionsgate took over production, Francis Lawrence came on as director, and JT Mollner wrote the final script. Casting began in mid-2024 with Hoffman and Jonsson, and the rest of the cast, including Mark Hamill and Judy Greer, joined soon after. JT Mollner even confirmed Garrett Wareing’s role on Twitter.
Filming started on July 24, 2024, in Winnipeg and wrapped in mid-September. Jeremiah Fraites, known from the band The Lumineers, composed the score, finishing it by March 2025.
The Long Walk isn’t just a survival story. It also looks at power, control, and how people react when pushed to their limits. With Francis Lawrence directing and a talented cast, the film promises to be a gripping version of King’s original novel. Fans of dystopian thrillers, psychological horror, or Stephen King’s work should definitely keep an eye on this one.
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