Stephen King’s latest film adaptation, The Long Walk, stumbled at the box office immediately following a public controversy involving the author’s comments about Charlie Kirk, the late founder of Turning Point USA. King’s erroneous accusation against Kirk sparked backlash just as the movie was released, contributing to what many are calling the worst opening for a Stephen King project in decades.
Stephen King’s Mistaken Accusation Against Charlie Kirk
Stephen King, known for his critical stance toward conservatives and Donald Trump, created significant controversy by accusing Charlie Kirk posthumously of endorsing violence against the LGBTQ+ community. On the social media platform X, King falsely claimed that Kirk had “advocated stoning gays to death,” a statement he later deleted but remains captured in screenshots and archives.
This confusion arose from a misunderstanding during a discussion where Kirk referenced a passage from Leviticus, which King mistakenly interpreted. In the aftermath, King issued multiple apologies across his social media, including one admitting,
“I was wrong, and I apologize. I have deleted the post,”
Stephen King stated. Despite these apologies, the damage was widely felt online and likely impacted public perception.
Box Office Performance of ‘The Long Walk’ Amidst Controversy
King’s controversial remarks came just before The Long Walk premiered, and the film’s opening weekend reflected a notable underperformance. The movie grossed only $11 million against a $20 million budget, placing fourth at the box office behind titles like Downton Abbey: Grand Finale, The Conjuring: The Last Rites, and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
According to Cosmic Book News, this marks the poorest debut for a Stephen King movie since 1992’s Pet Sematary 2, which earned about $11.1 million when adjusted for inflation. Both films earned less than other recent King adaptations such as The Monkey this year and 2019’s Doctor Sleep, which opened with $14 million.
Comparing Recent Stephen King Adaptations and Studio Performance
The Monkey, with a production cost ranging between $10 and $11 million, managed to make back its budget and generate profit, while Doctor Sleep was a mid-range budget film at $45 million but still underperformed expectations. Despite opening in nearly 4,000 theaters, Doctor Sleep failed to meet projected earnings of $25–30 million, and its box office results were disappointing for Warner Bros.
The struggle for The Long Walk is intensified by the competitive landscape it faces and the recent mixed fortunes of Lionsgate’s roster of films. Nevertheless, the movie has received generally positive reviews from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, leaving room for a possible international rebound.
Future Prospects for Stephen King Adaptations
The Long Walk confronts the challenge of breaking free from the mixed legacies of previous King film adaptations, compounded by negative publicity around King’s social media controversy. While its domestic performance is underwhelming, it may find a stronger reception overseas. Meanwhile, there is hope that Lionsgate’s upcoming Stephen King adaptation, The Running Man, could perform better and regain momentum for the author’s cinematic works.
