New Stephen King adaptation called "one of the year's best" movies, with "flawless" performances from Licorice Pizza and Alien: Romulus stars: "Left me visibly shocked"

Stephen King adaptations are all the rage right now, with The Monkey and The Life of Chuck wowing critics and cinema-goers alike and titles such as It: Welcome to Derry and The Running Man still on the horizon. Next month will see the release of The Long Walk, too – and well, it's already being called one of the best films of 2025.

Written by JT Mollner (Strange Darling) and directed by The Hunger Games' Francis Lawrence, the "brutal" drama gives 1979 the big screen treatment as it follows a group of teenagers who agree to take part in a grueling annual contest known as 'The Long Walk'. To win, they just have to keep marching... though it's not quite as easy as that. If their speed drops or if they bow out, they're executed out there on the road, until one boy is left standing – and declared the victor.

Many of the effusive reactions mention the entire ensemble cast, but it's Cooper Hoffman (Saturday Night, Licorice Pizza) and Alien: Romulus star David Jonsson who seem to be getting the most praise.

GamesRadar+'s very own Lauren Milici described it as "one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made" and a "two-hour panic attack", while Inverse's Iyvie Scott claimed: "Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson were born to walk beside each other" and that the movie "tore my heart out".

Elsewhere, The Direct's Russ Milhelm wrote: "The Long Walk is an incredibly harrowing, terrifying, and traumatizing film. Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson give Oscar-worthy performances. It's maybe a tad long, but it does really sell the world it creates & the characters viewers find themselves walking with until the end."

"The Long Walk is easily one of the most intense emotional wallops of the year," tweeted Collider's Perri Nemiroff. "I've read that book quite a few times. You'd think I'd be prepared to stomach the story's themes and most gut-wrenching moments. Nope. I'm exhausted - and the movie earned it. You can tell the source material was adapted by someone who really gets it."

"The Long Walk will wreck you. Full stop," argued Lionsgate digital coordinator Noah Levine. "I don't often shed tears during a film. Stephen King at his best…and deadliest. JT Mollner x Francis Lawrence is a match made in heaven."

"The Long Walk houses pitch perfect, exceptional performances from Cooper Hoffman & David Jonsson," added Variety's Courtney Howard. "Visceral, gripping, emotional & provocative, a brilliant Stephen King adaptation & 1 of the year's best films. A towering achievement reminiscent of The Outsiders & Full Metal Jacket."

Check out some more reactions below...

The Long Walk releases in US and UK theaters on September 12. For more, check out our ranked breakdown of the best Stephen King movies.