The Long Walk, the upcoming thriller starring Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, has received rave reviews following an early screening.

The film, an adaptation of Stephen King's 1979 novel of the same name, is set in a dystopian version of the United States, with the action following a group of young men as they embark on an arduous and deadly journey in a bid to change their lives forever.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, who is best known for his work on The Hunger Games series, the thriller is due to hit the big screen around the globe next month, but some lucky people got a chance to view the film early.

If the early reaction is anything to go by, it looks like The Long Walk will strike a chord with viewers, with one fan writing on X: "#TheLongWalk will wreck you. Full stop. I don’t often shed tears during a film. Stephen King at his best…and deadliest."

"#TheLongWalk houses pitch perfect, exceptional performances from Cooper Hoffman & David Jonsson. Visceral, gripping, emotional & provocative, a brilliant Stephen King adaptation & 1 of the year's best films. A towering achievement," wrote another viewer.

group of individuals walking together along a rural road
Lionsgate

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This sentiment was echoed by another fan, who wrote: "#TheLongWalk is Francis Lawrence at his most dystopian, disgusting, and emotionally gruelling yet. An entirely fantastic cast that will have you throwing your flowers for everyone."

"I felt every step of brutality in The Long Walk that by the end I was soaked in my tears. Brutal, nihilistic yet tenderly human exploitation of boyhood," opined another enthusiastic fan.

the long walk, david jonsson
Lionsgate

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In addition to Hoffman and Jonsson, the cast for the film includes Garrett Wareing, Charlie Plummer, Roman Griffin Davis, Ben Wang, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer and Mark Hamill, with Strange Darling director JT Mollner penning the screenplay.

The Long Walk isn't the only adaptation of King's work to hit the big screen this year, with The Life of Chuck currently in cinemas. The film, written and directed by Mike Flanagan, boasts a stacked cast including Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The Long Walk is in cinemas on 12 September.


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Lettermark

Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media.  His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.