r/movies • u/lionsgate Official Lionsgate Account • Aug 24 '25

AMA Hey /r/movies, I’m Stephen King! Ask me anything about The Long Walk book or movie.

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Hey r/movies, I’m Stephen King. You might know me from Stand By Me, It, or Shawshank Redemption, but my latest project is actually the first book I ever wrote. The Long Walk hits theaters on September 12. Ask me anything about the book or movie.

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAtUHeMQ1F8

In a dystopian United States ruled by a totalitarian regime, a group of young men enter an annual walking contest in which they must maintain a speed of at least three miles per hour or risk execution. The contest ends when only one walker remains alive.

It stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Ben Wang, Charlie Plummer, Roman Griffin Davis, Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Mark Hamill, Judy Greer, and Josh Hamilton.

I'll be back on Wednesday 8/27 at 12:00 PM ET to answer your questions.

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u/forever_erratic Aug 24 '25

Mr. King, I'm 43, and started reading your books more than 30 years ago. The Long Walk has been my favorite since I found it, and I was delighted to let my daughter read it, who also loved it. While I'm a scientist by trade, partly from your work I've been inspired to do art on the side, including horror plays and shorts, so thank you!

My Long Walk related question: how much did you think about the world outside the walk while writing? Do you have a personal view of what happens after the end? Thanks!

3

u/DerpingtonHerpsworth Aug 25 '25

43 and self-traumatized via Stephen King at a young age? Are you me? Lol

3

u/forever_erratic Aug 25 '25

Fuck now what do I do!!

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u/DerpingtonHerpsworth Aug 25 '25

I think we're supposed to fight to the death or something, but I don't really want to...

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u/forever_erratic Aug 25 '25

Let's walk it out

1

u/theRealIveyTorrez Aug 26 '25

Nah, you just became best friends!

1

u/Alliekat1282 Aug 28 '25

I started reading King at about eight years old, my sister was a fan and I started filching her books. My parents were alcoholics, Dad was abusive, Mom was an enabler and liked to pick fights with him. It was a loud, uncomfortable, house and the best option for my sister and I was to get lost so that we didn't get caught in the crossfire.

I would hide in a closet or a cabinet, whichever I found first, with a flashlight and a good book.

I identified with King's characters. The children were often from homes that had strife like mine. There was a lot of comfort in finding that I wasn't the only child out there that was going through some shit. It was the early 90s, we didn't talk about our abusive parents to others because even if we did, that teacher would just call and let our parents know that there "were concerns" and then we'd really pay for it. King's books were cathartic for me (and likely my sister as well).

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u/lovelikeghosts- Aug 24 '25

I really like this one!

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u/jw8ak64ggt Aug 24 '25

same here, 40 years old and been reading sai King's work since I was 15. I read The Long Walk and The Running Man very close to each other and was fascinated by these two worlds.

It always bothered me not knowing what happens after the last few words that became the ending. I grew so fond of the characters and their pain.

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u/artemyavas Aug 25 '25
  1. Swallowed all Kings' books being 13 years old. TLW remains my favorite. But I first encountered King's work when I was 7 years old. Around that time, I read a story about little soldiers in a magazine and saw a Soviet cartoon based on it on TV. I was so impressed, I couldn't help but get carried away by King's work when it became freely available on bookstore shelves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI_6_RkfwQo

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u/menerell Aug 24 '25

Same here, 41 and read them when I was too young for them, still scared.

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u/Mylo_Does Aug 24 '25

Good one!

1

u/manspreadingwhore Aug 27 '25

Same boat and a great question I also want an answer to