Stephen King is one of the most recognizable authors of our time, but even the King of Horror needs to make some revisions for screen adaptations. The famed author’s novels have been adapted for TV and movies across the past several decades, beginning in 1976 with Brian De Palma’s adaptation of King’s 1974 novel Carrie. Adaptations of The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, Misery, and It have followed. The next movie based on King’s work is set to release in theaters on September 12, 2025, and fans who read the original 1979 novel will notice a slight change from the source material.
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Director Francis Lawrence is bringing King’s novel The Long Walk to the screen this month. The book and movie are set in a dystopian world where a group of young men participate in a grueling televised annual walking contest where they must continuously walk or be shot by a member of their military escort. The contest only ends when a single walker remains. In an interview with ScreenRant, the movie’s producer Joe Deckelmeier revealed that King overwhelmingly approved of the movie’s script, but he did request that one minor adjustment be made to make the film slightly more practical.
“Stephen only had one note from when we gave him the script. He’s like, “’Can you change it from 4 miles per hour to 3?’ Because that’s what was written in the book. He goes, “’There’s no way that you could walk 4 miles an hour for that long,’” Deckelmeier shared. “That was the only initial note when he gave back. The ending was what it is, and he was like, “’I love it. But I think you need to reduce the speed.’”
What Does King’s Revision Mean for the Long Walk?
Thankfully, the slight change in pace from 4 miles per hour to 3 miles per hour won’t have much of an impact at all on The Long Walk, which is already being described by critics as a faithful adaptation of King’s work. Instead, the change makes the premise of the film more believable, something that it seems King was hoping to achieve by requesting the revision.
The anticipated film is based on King’s novel, which was the first full novel he ever completed at the age of 19 in 1967, though it wasn’t published until more than a decade later. The movie is directed by Lawrence and written by JT Mollner and stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill. The film is being praised by critics ahead of its release as a great adaptation of King’s work that retains the book’s brutal intensity and is led by a stellar cast who deliver emotional performances.
The Long Walk is scheduled to debut in theaters on September 12, 2025. What are your thoughts on King’s change to The Long Walk? We love responding to our readers, so share your opinion in the comments below.
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