The Long Walk is one of many Stephen King adaptations coming in 2025, and strangely enough, it's the second one this year to have Mark Hamill involved. While fans are stoked to see him back in an adaptation of the grim adventure in the author's works, few were as hype as the young cast of the dystopian film, all of whom were ready to talk to Luke Skywalker about Star Wars.
I had a chance to speak to actors Garrett Wareing and Tut Nyuot about The Long Walk, and had to know how long it took them (or others) to approach Hamill and ask him what he knew about any upcoming Star Wars projects, as well as seeking out stories from his many years in the franchise. Wareing talked about how the movie's sizeable cast of youngsters followed headlines about Hamill's involvement, and was quick to pounce when they saw the famed actor arrive on set:
We all figured out [he’d been cast] and there are 50 boys, all of whom are between the ages of 18 and 25. We're, of course, the generation of the prequels in Star Wars and we loved all this stuff. So when he walked on the set, the first thing he did was he put his hand up and he said, ‘I can't wait to talk to you all, but I'm knee deep in this three-page monologue I have to memorize, and then I will talk to everybody here.’
Mark Hamill was seemingly as kind as could be, but had to give a reminder that he was there to work more than share anecdotes. It looks like he was indeed granted that time to get into his monologue and drill down on playing The Major. He's as chilling in the trailer as anything I've seen so far, so it was quite the worthwhile rehearsal period.
Wareing had nothing but kind things to say about Mark Hamill, who was by his account, a joy to work with. He showered the actor with praise and noted that they did get their Star Wars questions asked:
He leads with such kindness and excitement, in what he does, and it's it's who you see is who you get with Mark. And while he does play such a brooding, scary character, he was so approachable. We could always go up and talk to him at his little Jeep, and he has a little umbrella, and he just sat there and he just told his stories from his days on the set of Star Wars.
Those stories about Mark Hamill's days on the Star Wars set probably were needed, given just how dark the source material is. The screenwriter has promised the movie pulls no punches, and that's apparent enough in the footage we've seen so far.
I Didn't Think The Long Walk Could Look More Tragically Sad. Then I Watched The New Trailer
The Long Walk adaptation hails from The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence, but the story itself predates the existence of that story, others like it, and the concept of reality television. Now, the story of a group of men all signing up to be the sole survivor in a walk that doesn't end until only one remains all for a lavish prize, doesn't just sound feasible, it feels like something we'd stream with a Netflix subscription.
It's a great premise that is relevant in modern times, though when it was written, it was an allegory about the Vietnam War and the draft. It doesn't seem as though the adaptation is going to lean on that allegory as much, but as mentioned, there's plenty more happening in society today that makes the story work in a way it might not have back then. I'm excited to watch it, as well as the rest of Stephen King adaptations on the way this year.
The Long Walk is in theaters on September 12th. I would watch the trailer first before buying a ticket if you're squeamish, but I think I'm going to be there regardless despite my weak stomach.
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