Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend (2007), Water for Elephants (2011), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)) explains about the attraction of bringing Stephen King’s The Long Walk to the screen.     

“When I first read Stephen King’s The Long Walk over twenty years ago, there was something about its simplicity — a group of young men walking — that struck me as both horrifying and deeply human.

Over the years, I kept coming back to it in my mind, thinking about what it would mean to bring this story to the screen. And one day, as fate would have it, I walked past the book sitting on a shelf in my home and wondered what was happening with the adaptation. Hours later, Roy Lee called me out of the blue and asked me if I would be interested in directing.

More so than the thrilling walk-or-die concept, what really stuck with me over the years is the camaraderie that develops among the walkers.

Even though they’re technically competitors, they can’t help but bond, forming friendships that feel raw and authentic.

The relationship between Garraty and McVries, in particular, is what gives the story its emotional centre. It’s a connection that reveals who these characters are beneath the pressure, and it’s what I believe will make audiences care deeply about them.

Another aspect I adore most about The Long Walk is the intimacy of the story set against this larger-than-life contest. We’re right there with the boys every step of the way, sharing their exhaustion, fear, and fleeting moments of hope. It’s a rare opportunity to make a film that feels both epic and personal, where the tension comes not just from the stakes of the walk, but from the relationships that develop along the way.

But beyond the conceit of the story, the emotion, and the characters, what I hope makes The Long Walk resonate is its deeper meaning as a metaphor for the erosion of the American dream.

Stagnating wages, inflation, cost of living and other financial pressures have made so many feel like their goals have become unattainable and their earnings pointless.

This sense of financial and existential nihilism can be seen across America and throughout the world. The Long Walk takes this idea to the furthest extreme, depicting an America where people have been left with no better choice than to risk their lives to try and secure a better future, to pay for a roof over their heads, or to put food on the table.

Originally written in 1967 as an allegory for the Vietnam War, somehow King's novel feels just as relevant and timely in 2025.

My goal with this film is to honour what makes King’s novel such a powerful experience: the unforgettable characters, the relentless pace, and the uncomfortable questions it asks about who we are and what we value. I want audiences to leave the theatre thinking not just about what they’ve seen, but about the world they’re part of.”

And The Long Walk star, Star Wars legend, Mark Hamill and Lawrence talk about working together on the film.

The founder of the televised walking competition, and the fearsome enforcer of its codes, The Major is a larger-than-life figure looming over the contestants’ fates. Idolised by some and feared by all, the boys are stunned to witness the full force of his ruthless authority as it plays out on the walk. Almost masked behind dark sunglasses and using an unfamiliar voice, portraying the man who holds the power of life-or-death in his hands, is screen legend Mark Hamill. 

“I’ve never played anyone like this,” reflects Hamill. “But it was the fact that this character disturbed me so much that also attracted me as an actor. The material felt harrowing, grim, and way out of my comfort zone. I’ve realised over the years that often it’s good to be pushed out of your comfort zone. Also, I have two sons who I knew would love this story.”  

Even for Lawrence, it proved impossible not to be starstruck by Hamill.

“Star Wars was such a huge inspiration for me as a kid, so to be working with Luke Skywalker was crazy and I still find it crazy,” he laughs. “But what interested me most is that Mark defied type. There are people we could have gone for who are clearly Major material. But in the newer Star Wars movies, there’s a weariness to aging Luke Skywalker that I really wanted for the Major. And Mark conjured that in a powerful way.”  

The battle-hardened Major has taken military power as his only guiding principle, treating the walkers as sacrificial pawns to widely promote the notion that only extreme endurance and sacrifice will lead to future prosperity.

But even as he spouts the language of life improvement, he doesn’t hesitate to end lives on a literal moment’s notice. One of the biggest challenges for Hamill was working with such a joyful, energised young cast whose characters are all utterly petrified of the Major.  

“That was difficult. Cooper (Hoffman, who plays Raymond Garraty) didn’t even want to meet me because he was afraid that he might like me, and it would affect his performance. I totally got that. But what mattered most to me was achieving a version of The Major as close to how he was written in the novel as possible.”

A laughing Hamill added, “Luckily, I’m not a method actor. If I were, everybody would have hated my guts by the end.”

The Long Walk is at Showcase from Friday, with tickets available now.