Stephen King’s The Long Walk Comes Alive in Chilling Trailer Starring Mark Hamill

Stephen King’s haunting dystopian classic The Long Walk is finally making its way to the big screen, and the just-released trailer is already turning heads. Led by Star Wars legend Mark Hamill and directed by The Hunger Games helmer Francis Lawrence, the Lionsgate feature is set to hit theatres on September 12, 2025.

The film adapts King’s 1979 novel, originally published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, and brings to life a deeply unsettling premise: 100 teenage boys must walk without stopping—ever. If they falter, they’re eliminated, and only one can survive.

The newly released trailer sets the tone with eerie urgency. A commanding voice tells the boys, “You walk until there’s only one of you left.” As the participants begin their journey, the mood turns tense, with escalating paranoia, exhaustion, and dread. The slow-burning terror unfolds against vast landscapes and increasingly desperate expressions.

Playing a sinister overseer of the brutal contest, Mark Hamill fully embraces his villainous role. “If you can’t be the hero, there’s nothing better than being the villain,” Mark Hamill said during the film’s CinemaCon debut. “If you get booed and people hate your guts, then you’ve done your job.” His presence in the trailer is chilling, a departure from his heroic Luke Skywalker persona, and a reminder of the actor’s powerful range.

 

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The cast also includes rising stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, and Judy Greer, forming a dynamic ensemble of teens forced into a psychological and physical nightmare. With only one winner and no turning back, the stakes are both horrifyingly clear and deeply human.

Director Francis Lawrence brings a personal connection to the project. “I’ve loved The Long Walk for years,” he said. “What makes it so terrifying is how easy it is to imagine yourself in one of those boys’ shoes.” Francis Lawrence directed from a screenplay by JT Mollner (Strange Darling), with producing credits shared by Francis Lawrence himself, Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, and Cameron MacConomy.

Stephen King’s original novel has long been considered one of his most harrowing works—not because of monsters or supernatural forces, but because of its unflinching exploration of competition, conformity, and survival under authoritarian pressure. In The Long Walk, horror arises from the human condition, especially when placed in an impossible scenario.

This adaptation comes at a time when dystopian fiction is once again resonating with audiences, and King’s cautionary tale about societal control and youth exploitation is more timely than ever. The film’s creative team seems committed to preserving the source material’s stark brutality and emotional weight.

As anticipation builds, The Long Walk promises to be more than just another Stephen King adaptation—it looks poised to join the ranks of the most disturbing and thought-provoking. With Hamill’s chilling transformation, Lawrence’s dystopian vision, and a harrowing premise rooted in psychological terror, the film may well be one of the year’s most intense cinematic experiences.

Watch The Long Walk trailer here. Opens in theatres on September 12, 2025.