Plot
In an alternate 20th century, a second American civil war has devastated the United States, which is now controlled by a totalitarian military regime. Nineteen years after the war, the regime's leader, a mysterious officer known only as, "The Major," commences the nation's annual sporting event: The Long Walk, which is intended to inspire patriotism and work ethic among the destitute populace. Fifty teenage boys, one from each state, are chosen at random for The Long Walk. The walkers are given water and rations and must walk without stopping for hundreds of miles while armed soldiers escort them and broadcast the event on television. Any walker who falls below 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) for too long or stops walking for any reason is immediately executed by the soldiers. The Walk ends when there is only one survivor left, who receives a large cash prize and can have one wish fulfilled. Despite the lottery system being technically voluntary, the people are so desperate for the lucrative prize that virtually every young man signs up for the Walk.
Raymond "Ray" Garraty is driven to the starting line near the Canadian border in Maine by his mother, Ginnie, who begs him to back out. Ray refuses and meets the other participants, including Peter McVries, Billy Stebbins, Arthur “Art” Baker, Collie Parker, Gary Barkovitch, Hank Olson, and Richard Harkness. During the first day, Ray gets to know the other walkers and forms a close bond with Peter. A boy named Thomas Curley is the first to be killed, after he develops a charley horse in his leg. Barkovitch is shunned by the group for provoking another walker named Rank into attacking him, resulting in Rank's execution.
As the walk progresses, Peter claims that he wants to use his wish to change the world for the better. Ray claims that his wish will be for an M16 so he can kill the Major, as revenge for the execution of his father, William, over political opposition. Peter tries to talk Ray out of it and confesses that he doesn’t have it in him to have someone else die so he can win, and when he has had enough of walking, he will simply stop and sit down. Several other walkers die over the next several days, including Harkness, who is shot after breaking his ankle and walking on it for several miles. Hank becomes delirious and attempts to attack the soldiers, who shoot him down and let him slowly bleed to death as punishment. After learning he was married, the remaining boys make a pact to send money to support her. Riddled with guilt over Rank's death and his exclusion from this pact, Barkovitch begs the others to accept him. Shortly after Ray agrees, Barkovitch suffers a mental breakdown and slits his own throat with a spoon.
Only Ray, Peter, Stebbins, Art, and Collie remain. While walking through Ray's hometown of Freeport, he spots Ginnie, and runs to her, apologizing for competing despite her protests. He is almost killed for stepping off the road, but is saved by Peter. Collie, driven to insanity, manages to steal a rifle, which he uses to shoot one of the soldiers and then himself. Art develops an internal brain haemorrhage and thanks Peter and Ray before stopping. Stebbins, who has also fallen ill and no longer has a chance to win, reveals to Ray and Peter that he is one of the Major's many illegitimate sons, and he intended to use his wish to finally be accepted as his son. He then tells the pair it was an honor to walk with them before stopping and allowing himself to be killed, leaving Ray and Peter as the final two walkers.
After five days and well over 300 miles of walking, the pair arrives at another town, where a large crowd has gathered to see who will win. Peter sits down, only for Ray to pick him up and encourage him to keep going. He does so, only for Ray to stop walking instead. The Major personally executes Ray and congratulates Peter as the winner. When asked to state his wish, Peter carries out Ray's plan by asking for a rifle and killing the Major with it. With the crowd now silent, Peter sees that the road ahead of him is empty and keeps walking. [a]
Production
In 1988, George A. Romero was considered to direct the film adaptation, but it never came to fruition. [8] By 2007, Frank Darabont had secured the rights to the film adaptation of the novel. [9] He said that he would "get to it one day". He planned to make it low-budget and stated, "It'll be weird, existential and very contained". [10] In April 2018, New Line Cinema was set to adapt a film based on the novel, with James Vanderbilt attached to write and produce the film along with Bradley Fischer and William Sherak through their Mythology Entertainment banner. [11] In May 2019, it was announced that André Øvredal would direct the adaptation. [12]
By November 2023, the film was to be produced by Lionsgate Films with Francis Lawrence directing from a screenplay by JT Mollner. [13] On June 10, 2024, Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson joined the cast. [14] On taking the part of a young character who lost a father like Hoffman had himself, Hoffman said: "When your trauma is on display for the world, there's no actually hiding it. I'm like, I might as well talk about it, or I might as well put it into something. Because if I keep hiding it and running from it, that's not fair to anyone else who has gone through that. I'm here to display this person and this experience as honestly as I can, and hopefully someone else watches it and goes, he sees me, he understands me. And that's, in my opinion, the only reason to do any sort of art." [15] The next month, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Izabella Raven, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick, Roman Griffin Davis, Mark Hamill, and Judy Greer joined the cast. [16] [17]
Principal photography began on July 24, 2024, in Winnipeg, and wrapped on September 12. [16] [18] The film was shot chronologically.
Jeremiah Fraites had composed the score for the film by March 2025. [19] The country ballad song Took a Walk was written for the film and performed by Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr. [20]
