'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUI/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAM6QSP/EAB4QAAICAAcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQUEEBESITJB/9oACAEBAAE/AKo8GNU1TVmRv7ltjjSfJy//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAECAQE/AH//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAEDAQE/AH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Seasoned Stephen King fans got to experience the long-awaited The Long Walk adaptation in theaters on September 12, 2025. Directed by Francis Lawrence of Hunger Games franchise fame, the dystopian horror thriller of King's words springs to life in a totalitarian country where young boys walk to save their own lives. In a world where authority reigns supreme, allyship becomes a statement.
This riveting media is just one of Stephen King's many stories that have made it to the big screen. In fact, just this year, four story adaptations have or will premiere, including The Life of Chuck, The Monkey, The Long Walk, and The Running Man. His work is a nuanced mix of classic horror and social commentary, making the on-screen adaptations timeless.
Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer.
Trending
Stand By Me, The Mist, and other Stephen King book-to-movie adaptations for The Long Walk fans
1) Stand By Me (1986)
Four young boys. One missing body. A coming-of-age adventure that changes their lives. Meet Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern, whose lives in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Oregon, changed in the summer of 1959, as they journey to find the body of Ray Brower. But as the saying goes, the journey is greater than the destination, and self-discovery and friendship take center stage.
Based on Stephen King's novella The Body, this Rob Reiner directorial is immersive cinema at its finest. It suspends a universally relatable moment in time: the rare feeling of being free with one's friends. An inkling of that camaraderie can be seen in The Long Walk, even though the situation is starkly different. Both movies remind fans that community can get people through anything.
The movie won an Academy Award and two Golden Globes for its poetic screenplay and direction, becoming a pop culture zeitgeist.
Where to watch: Netflix
2) The Mist (2007)
When severe weather conditions rock Bridgton, Maine, residents hurry to stock up on supplies, unaware that it is a mysterious mist enveloping their town. When it produces unknown horrors, the people trapped within a convenience store must find a way to survive. But fear makes people do out-of-body things. Director Frank Darabont explores the ensuing chaos.
How do human beings react when they are dropped in the middle of a dystopian nightmare? That is the central question The Long Walk and The Mist try to answer. While the former is a more ritualistic dystopia, the latter springs horrors beyond the imagination on unsuspecting people who are forced to work together.
Stephen King's storytelling unveils the human psyche. Get ready for a gut-wrenching climactic twist.
Where to watch: Netflix/Paramount+
3) Pet Sematary (1989)
Louis Creed, his wife Rachel, their children Ellie and Gage, and the pet cat, Church, move to the sleepy town of Ludlow, Maine. Their neighbor, Jud, introduces him to a pet cemetery (misspelled sematary) and an ancient Miꞌkmaq burial ground where the buried dead allegedly come back to life. When Louis's son, Gage, dies in an accident, he tries to resurrect him, only to face horrors like never before.
Stephen King is a connoisseur of character-driven narratives. Both The Long Walk and Pet Sematary are propelled by the main characters' desires. Their emotion is the glue that holds everything together. While this is a supernatural horror and the other is a dystopian thriller, they evoke the same unsettled feeling that only King's stories can. A haunting performance awaits fans.
Where to watch: Paramount+
4) Carrie (1976)
Carrie White is a shy teenager who is constantly bullied in high school. Things escalate when she gets her first period. With her school life in shambles and her religious fanatic mother shaming her for her "sin," Carrie's life hits rock bottom. But when she discovers her telekinetic powers, Carrie embraces her thirst for vengeance, wreaking havoc on her unsuspecting classmates.
Fans of The Long Walk must experience one of Stephen King's most classic explorations of identity, trauma, and the tribulations of growing up. Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie similarly explores good vs. evil but through a gothic lens. The tension builds slowly, only to encounter a bloody explosion in what is considered one of the most memorable prom scenes in cinema history.
Where to watch: Netflix/Tubi/Prime Video
5) The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life after allegedly murdering his wife and her lover. His story unfolds in prison over the next two decades as he befriends Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, gains stature helping the prison wardens with their finances, and finds his identity within the Shawshank State Prison. Frank Darabont's story revolves around finding hope even in the most brutal environments.
Stephen King's Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption comes alive with memorable performances from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. But what makes it the perfect watch after The Long Walk is King's nuanced understanding of human nature, the need to establish allyship in the most dire circumstances, and the difference holding out to hope makes.
Where to watch: Netflix/Prime Video
6) Gerald's Game (2017)
Gerald and Jessie hope a getaway will reignite their marriage. Things get exciting when Gerald introduces an intimate game in the bedroom by handcuffing Jessie to the bed. But when he promptly collapses after having a heart attack, Jessie must find a way out of her predicament to save him and their marriage.
If The Long Walk used an expansive premise, set, and crew to drive home the message about politics and the human mind, Gerald's Game explored a more intimate relationship with two characters in one room. For fans of Stephen King's expansive range, this is the ideal next watch. Director Mike Flanagan manages to visually light up a story that is essentially just a string of thoughts on paper.
Where to watch: Netflix
7) Misery (1990)
Decorated author Paul Sheldon's life veers off course when he gets into a car accident. Upon regaining consciousness, he realizes with increasing horror that he is being held captive by his self-proclaimed "#1 fan," Annie Wilkes. She uses her isolated farmhouse to her advantage, coaxing him to keep writing no matter what.
Misery loves company, and Kathy Bates' performance as Annie cements that feeling in this Stephen King adaptation. Similar to The Long Walk's climax, the Rob Reiner movie continually blurs reality and fiction. The two stories meticulously construct a new reality that only the nuances of the human mind can conjure.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Fans of The Long Walk can also check out other Stephen King classics, like the IT franchise.
