The Long Walk Film Adapts Stephen King Ending with Author Approval

The 2025 film adaptation of Stephen King's dystopian novel The Long Walk, directed by Francis Lawrence, makes significant changes to the story's ending and character motivations. While the original novel features a contest where young men must maintain a walking speed of four miles per hour, King insisted the film lower this to three miles per hour, a rare instance of his input on the adaptation. The movie removes the protagonist Raymond Garraty's girlfriend, shifting his motivation to a focus on his mother and a personal vendetta against the Major, a fascist dictator who had harmed his family. The film's ending diverges notably from the book, with contest winner Peter McVries killing the Major, unlike the novel where Garraty wins and simply escapes, a change that initially made actor Mark Hamill nervous but ultimately earned Stephen King's approval. Producer Roy Lee confirmed the film remains largely faithful to the novel aside from these key alterations. The new ending adds emotional weight and audience impact, with Hamill noting that test screenings elicited cheers during his character's climactic moment, signaling the change resonated well with viewers.