Stephen King Critiques Superhero Movies' Sanitized Violence

Stephen King has criticized modern superhero movies for their sanitized portrayal of violence, particularly the depiction of city-wide destruction without showing the bloody human consequences, calling it "almost pornographic." He expressed these views in an interview with The Times UK ahead of the release of his new film adaptation, The Long Walk, which he insisted portray brutal and realistic violence to reflect the story's dystopian horror. The Long Walk, about a deadly walking contest where teenage participants face execution if they fall behind, has been made with King's condition that the violence be explicit and impactful. Screenwriter JT Mollner and director Francis Lawrence supported King's vision, ensuring the film retains the book's intensity and is not diluted for mainstream audiences. King's critique highlights a broader debate about the responsibility of filmmakers to authentically depict violence rather than glossing over its consequences. The Long Walk is scheduled for theatrical release on September 12.