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Stephen King has given readers nightmares since 1974 when his first novel, Carrie, was published. Since then, many of his novels and even novellas have been adapted for the big and small screen. Some of the most celebrated books and adaptations feature horrifying monsters or killers, like Pennywise the Dancing Clown, the vampires from Salem’s Lot, the possessed Plymouth Fury from Christine, and the rabid dog in Cujo. Others offer fantastical premises, such as a zombie graveyard in Pet Sematary or a girl who can brandish fire and turn it into a weapon, as seen in Firestarter. Arguably, the most chilling Stephen King stories are the ones where there’s no supernatural element at all. The Long Walk, which the author published under his alias Richard Bachman, falls into that category.
The Long Walk turns something simple, walking, into a terrifying reality. In the dystopian book, a group of 100 teenage boys are participating in an annual hellish walkathon that is filmed and turned into a reality TV show. This isn’t a casual stroll down U.S. Route 1 because the walkers are being carefully monitored by a totalitarian regime headed by an emotionally void military man known only as the Major. They also can’t slow to a pace under 4 miles per hour for more than thirty seconds. If they receive three warnings, they are eliminated from the competition via death. The winner is the last boy standing, which in this case is the protagonist, 16-year-old Ray Garraty. The book is dark and chilling, and fans are excited to see if the upcoming adaptation is just as unnerving.
Stephen King's Book Manages to Make Walking Seem Terrifying
When reading the synopsis of The Long Walk, one may laugh at the premise of walking as a scare tactic. However, due to the oppressive nature of the men in charge of the competition, Stephen King manages to make the idea scary. Even more disconcerting is the fact that it seems plausible for a competition like this to take place in real life. The novel takes its time in building the suspense, fittingly strolling along at a slow pace instead of speeding to the finish line. In the first chapter, the readers are introduced to the Major, an intimidating figure who drives around in a Jeep and monitors the boys as they walk. This character is a stoic presence in reflective sunglasses and khakis who ends up being the biggest monster in The Long Walk. The book describes the Major in more detail:
You couldn’t help admiring the Major. Garraty’s father, before the Squads took him away, had been fond of calling the Major the rarest and most dangerous monster any nation can produce, a society-supported sociopath.
The «Squads» being referred to here are a secret militant force that wield their power to keep citizens in line. Ray Garraty’s father opened his mouth to express his disdain for the Walk, which is why he ended up being taken. Presumably, he was killed for sharing his opinions. The reader never gets to meet Garraty’s father as a character, but they can assume he was an important figure in his son’s life. This clue to Garraty’s father also gives the reader a hint about the society that serves as the setting for The Long Walk. Those who speak their minds are instantly punished.
Many are worried about living in a nation under a totalitarian regime. For that reason, the «society-supported sociopath» is almost scarier than any other monster or villain in Stephen King’s books. The majority of people are spellbound by the Major, even though he’s brutal and oppressive. Those who are against his rule are fearful not only of him as a leader, but of those who support him as well. To some, this idea is eerily plausible and relatable. Throughout the course of human history, leaders like the Major have existed. The «monster» in this case isn’t a dancing clown, a vampire, or a zombie cat. It’s one that has actually existed in the real world.
Fans Have Been Eagerly Waiting for an Upcoming Adaptation of The Long Walk
The Long Walk features a cast of characters the reader can easily get behind (almost literally since it feels like the reader is right there on the street behind the walkers). King always gives his young characters agency and worldly intelligence, as evidenced in novels like IT, The Institute, and Stand By Me. This book is no exception. Ray Garraty is observant, resourceful, and stubborn. His fellow competitors, Peter McVries, Gary Barkovitch, Hank Olson, Arthur Baker, and the mysterious Stebbins, are also well-developed. The novel is made scarier because the reader genuinely cares what happens to them in the end.
Hopefully, the upcoming adaptation of The Long Walk gives the same care and attention to the characters. It definitely seems promising given the cast and crew behind the production. Lionsgate is the studio distributing the film, and it’s being directed by Francis Lawrence, best known for films in The Hunger Games franchise. The script was written by JT Mollner, who got a lot of buzz for the 2023 horror hit, Strange Darling. The cast is rounded out by Mark Hamill as the Major, Cooper Hoffman as Ray Garrety, David Johnson as Peter McVries, and Garrett Wareing as Stebbins.
The film has been in limbo for quite some time. An adaptation was first in discussion in 1988 with George A. Romero as director, but the project never took off. Frank Darabont was attached in 2007, and he seemed like a good choice since he had two other Stephen King adaptations under his belt, The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. When asked about making the movie, he said he’d «get to it one day». One day never came.
April 2018 rolled around, and there still wasn’t a movie version of The Long Walk. New Line Cinema acquired the rights at that time, and James Vanderbilt was hired to write the screenplay. André Øvredal, best known for Troll Hunter, was the rumored director. Again, nothing happened. It wasn’t until 2025 that the project finally got to make its way to the big screen. It’s set to hit theaters on September 12th and then will be available for streaming.
Real Fears and Social Anxieties Are Exploited in The Long Walk
Stephen King is no stranger to telling stories about dark contests. The Running Man, which was published in 1982 and later included in the short story collection The Bachman Books, follows a man who takes part in a violent televised game show in order to get enough food to feed his family. Like The Long Walk, it’s set in a dystopian world run by tyrannical leaders. The difference is that The Long Walk follows a younger group of contestants. The scale is also significantly smaller. The torture for these boys comes in walking 450 miles with no food, water, or breaks, even to sleep. At first, the challenge doesn’t seem that difficult, but exhaustion takes over for the contestants one by one. They can’t just peacefully quit the competition. They are shot and killed by the Major, who lacks any empathy whatsoever for human life. His coldness and indifference are scary to read about, and his emotionless demeanor is likely to be just as scary to see on the big screen.
Some viewers will have a tough time diving into the political landscape depicted in The Long Walk. The Major is a frightening figure because he’s an emotionless leader. What’s even more problematic is how supportive the citizens of Maine are of his leadership and of the annual Long Walk. Ray Garraty wants to take part in the walk for no other reason than getting recognition and prestige in his community.
The Long Walk proves that Stephen King doesn’t need monsters or supernatural entities to tell a creepy story. The horror comes from the real fears and societal anxieties that are explored in the book. Fans are waiting for the movie adaptation to come out this year. It will be interesting to see if the darkness that casts a shadow over the entire 320-page novel will be found in the film. If the adaptation is faithful, viewers will walk away from a film that pushes the envelope and leaves them feeling terrified and perturbed when the credits roll.
