JT Mollner, the screenwriter behind the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk, has spoken about the considerable challenges he faced turning the novel into a feature film. Although Mollner initially felt confident due to his deep familiarity with King‘s work, the complexities of adapting the story became clear as the project progressed.
“I knew it wasn’t gonna be easy, but I felt a little overconfident when I started because I’m such a Stephen King fan, and I’ve got so much of him in my DNA,”
Mollner shared with GamesRadar+.
“And I’ve read all his books,”
he added, explaining that his extensive knowledge of King’s world made him believe he was the best candidate for the adaptation. When producer Roy Lee approached him about the project, Mollner accepted without hesitation, convinced that he understood the characters better than anyone else.
Director Francis Lawrence’s Firm Vision and King’s Approval
The project gained momentum under the direction of Francis Lawrence, known for his work on The Hunger Games series. Lawrence insists on staying true to the novel’s raw and unrelenting tone, including keeping the film rated R to preserve the story’s intensity.
Lawrence “wasn’t going to buckle” on making an R-rated adaptation and says Stephen King approves of the changes:
“To be truthful to the book, it has to be violent, intense, sad.”
Both Mollner and Lawrence worked closely to ensure that the adaptation maintained the harsh realism and emotional weight of King’s narrative. Mollner recalls the moment his initial excitement shifted to fear and doubt as he realized the enormous scope of the story’s adaptation.
“I was so excited. And it wasn’t until I was already in it, and I started working on it, where I got completely terrified and lost all my confidence because I realized that this was a mammoth.”
The Origins and Complexity of The Long Walk
The Long Walk was technically Stephen King’s first novel, originally written in the mid-1960s while he was still in college. However, it only saw publication in 1979 under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, before becoming a part of the Bachman Books collection in 1985 after the author’s true identity was revealed.
Mollner notes that many people think of The Long Walk as a short story, when in fact it is a full-length novel featuring 100 participants in the brutal contest at its center. This volume of characters and details created a daunting task when deciding what to include in the film.
“People remember it as a short story,”
Mollner said.
“It’s shorter than a lot of other King novels, but it’s a legit novel. And it has, you know, 100 walkers in it. And so [that’s] the part of it that became daunting to me as I was reading it over and over again. I read the book all the way through a number of times, making notes. I realized there was just too much that I liked.”
The Film’s Story and Changes from the Book
The narrative follows Ray Garraty, portrayed by Cooper Hoffman, who enters a deadly, annual walking contest in a dystopian version of America. In the original book, 100 young men must maintain a pace of 4 mph nonstop until only one remains alive; the last walker standing is granted a wish with no restrictions. Along the way, Garraty forms bonds with fellow walkers McVries (David Jonsson), Baker (Tut Nyuot), and Olson (Ben Wang).
For the movie adaptation, certain adjustments were made for practical and narrative reasons. The number of participants was halved to 50 walkers moving at 3 mph, and the setting shifted to a desolate part of the United States, with filming taking place in Canada instead of King’s usual Maine landscapes.
“There were too many characters that I liked. There were too many instances. There were too many things that were special,”
Mollner remarked. He struggled with how to retain key elements while making the story manageable for film.
“The first thing was cutting it down to 50 walkers. And then the next thing was figuring out, like, what was the center of this? And it’s the [relationship] between Garraty and McVries. And so I knew we had to really focus on that. And then aside from that, is there a deeper motivation? Is there something that can make us really compelled, narratively, that isn’t necessarily in the book, but would work really well on the screen?”
Multiple Attempts to Adapt The Long Walk Before Success
The road to adapting The Long Walk was long and complicated. Over several decades, the project changed hands and studios multiple times without reaching completion. In 1988, horror film icon George Romero was set to direct but his adaptation never came to fruition, similar to his uncompleted plans for King’s A Buick 8 and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.
Later on, Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, obtained the rights in 2007 but eventually let them expire. At other points, James Vanderbilt and André Øvredal were linked with the adaptation effort before Lionsgate ultimately acquired the rights and the film moved forward.
Critical Reception and Anticipated Release
Early critical response to The Long Walk film adaptation has been overwhelmingly positive. The movie currently holds a 97% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers praising it as one of the finest Stephen King adaptations to date, and commending the thoughtful narrative changes that enhance its impact.
Mollner credited the collaboration with Francis Lawrence and King’s approval for helping him unlock the adaptation’s potential.
“When I felt like I cracked that code with Francis [Lawrence], we had to ask Stephen King whether he was okay with it. And thank God he was. And then I was able to get to work and really go through the motions to get it done.”
The Long Walk is scheduled to premiere in theaters on September 12, 2025, promising an intense and faithful adaptation of King’s early work, brought to life with strong performances and a focused script.
