Keep Pace with Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson and Francis Lawrence in ‘The Long Walk’ Featurette [Exclusive]

Just like their characters in The Long Walk, Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson are reflecting on all the little moments that went into creating one of the most moving movies of the year. Today, in an exclusive to Collider featurette, the leading men are joined by the production’s helmer, Francis Lawrence, as they address all the details and emotion that went into bringing the Stephen King novel off the page and onto the big screen.

For Lawrence, it wasn’t simply about his vision for the film, as he reveals how the incredible collaboration between the actors mixed with a script penned by JT Mollner (Strange Darling) made the movie the masterpiece that it became. Likewise, both Hoffman and Jonsson share the ups and downs of the creative process in bringing the hard-to-watch story to audiences, with both actors opening up about the career-defining performances that they poured into their characters and won’t soon forget.

The latest adaptation to come from the lengthy catalogue of King, The Long Walk is set in a dystopian future after the country has plummeted into poverty. The totalitarian government holds an annual event during which one boy from every state is given the opportunity to participate in the long walk — an event that sees its last man standing receive riches beyond imagination. There’s just one catch — if you lose the walk, you lose your life and are executed on the spot.

The Performances Are the Heartbeat of ‘The Long Walk’

In a movie where the main premise is a walk from point A to point B, the performances of the leading cast absolutely need to nail it and draw audiences in. And, most would agree that the incredibly talented cast of The Long Walk did just that. In addition to Hoffman and Jonsson, the movie features a dynamic young ensemble that includes the talents of Ben Wang (Karate Kid: Legends), Charlie Plummer (Words on Bathroom Walls), Garrett Wareing (Independence Day: Resurgence), Tut Nyuot (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Joshua Odjick (IT: Welcome to Derry) and Roman Griffin Davis (Silent Night), with supporting performances from Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Judy Greer (Arrested Development).

With an impressive critics’ approval rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Long Walk is quickly becoming one of the top performing adaptations of King’s works in recent years. Now playing in cinemas, join Hoffman, Jonsson, and the rest of the cast in a story about the human spirit and the friendships along the way.

Check out the exclusive featurette above.

Release Date

September 12, 2025

Runtime

108 Minutes

Director

Francis Lawrence

Producers

Roy Lee, Steven Schneider

• Cooper Hoffman

  Raymond Garraty / #47

• David Jonsson

  Peter McVries / #23