The Long Walk movie honors Stephen King’s book in a beautiful way

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

New Line has an adaptation of author Stephen King's THE LONG WALK headed our way from screenwriter James Vanderbilt, producers Bradley Fischer and William Sherak, and director Andre Ovredal (THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE, TROLL HUNTER, SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK). And today Ovredal talked a bit about the upcoming movie saying it really honors King's book and King loves the script.

Ovredal says:

So there are a lot of things in THE LONG WALK to connect with emotionally. I did a short film called THE TUNNEL that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival three years ago, and it’s a very similar story. When I read the script, which is so close to the book—it really honors what King wrote in a beautiful way—I felt like I had told the story, but in a different way, which connected to the idea of being on a journey you cannot stop. It’s an unstoppable journey, and the only way out is death, really.

Ovredal will direct this new version from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt (ZODIAC), but it turns out the movie rights to the novel were previously, held by Frank Darabont (THE MIST, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION). Ovredal reveals:

Vanderbilt wrote the script on spec because he loved the book so much, even though he didn’t have the rights to it. When Frank Darabont’s rights expired, he and his producing partner Brad Fischer immediately snapped it up. King, from what I gather, already loved his adaptation, and then they spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to get the movie made. It went through various directors, I think; I’m not quite familiar with the whole process. Then New Line took it on, and suddenly, it’s got momentum.

He then goes on to say:

It’ll be very claustrophobic because we never leave that road. I think the studio and producers really liked my work on THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE and compared it to this because it’s very intimate. You’re walking right there with these kids; the fact that it has an expansive nature around it, as opposed to just walls, is a variation, but it’s going to be an extremely claustrophobic movie.

Originally published by King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1979, the story takes place in the future in which 

100 teenage boys embark on an annual competition known as “The Long Walk.” The rules are simple: maintain a speed above four miles per hour. Receive three warnings in an hour and you’re shot dead. The last one walking gets whatever he wants for the rest of his life. Under these grim circumstances, the boys develop deep friendships despite knowing that each of their friends’ survival is a threat to their own.

I don't know about you, but I'm excited as all hell to see this book adapted for the big screen finally. Especially with someone as talented as André Øvredal behind the scenes. Have you read the classic King novel? What do YOU think of the talent behind the scenes of this adaptation? Make sure to hit us up and let us know below! If you haven't read the book yet or need to read it again, you can snag a paperback copy right over HERE.