Directed by Francis Lawrence.
The Long Walk (2025) was released in theaters on September 12, 2025 in the United States.
Distributed by Lionsgate.
Movie Review
The Long Walk (2025) is a dark and emotional movie based on Stephen King’s story.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, it shows a brutal competition where young men must keep walking without stopping, or face deadly consequences.
Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson give powerful performances that make the story feel real and heartbreaking.
The film is intense and heavy, showing the cruelty of power and the cost of survival.
Some of the side characters are not fully developed, and the slow pace may feel tough at times, but the main story keeps you hooked.
It is not an easy watch, but it is thought-provoking and leaves a lasting impact.
Fans of Stephen King and dystopian films will find it unforgettable, while casual viewers should know it is very emotional and grim.
If you are ready for a challenging story about survival and humanity, The Long Walk is worth watching.
Ratings
• IMDb: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
• Google Audience Score: 67% liked this movie.
The Long Walk Actors
Cooper Hoffman as Raymond “Ray” Garraty
DOB: March 20, 2003.
Bio: American actor and the son of the late Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman and costume designer Mimi O’Donnell.
Born in New York City, Hoffman stepped into acting with Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza (2021), where his natural and unaffected performance earned widespread critical acclaim and awards recognition.
Role: Raymond “Ray” Garraty (#47), the protagonist and emotional center of The Long Walk.
A teenager who enters the deadly government-run endurance contest, Garraty is driven both by the promise of the ultimate prize and by a personal quest tied to his father’s death.
What to Expect: A raw, intimate lead performance that balances hope, stubborn loyalty and slow dread as the Walk tests physical and moral limits.
Favorite Things: Cooper keeps a low public profile; interviews show he values craft and chooses roles that feel authentic rather than performative.
Notable Works: Licorice Pizza. Old Guy.
David Jonsson as Peter McVries
DOB: September 4, 1993.
Bio: British actor born in London and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
He has built a fast-rising career on stage and screen, praised for his intelligence, natural presence, and ability to embody both warmth and intensity.
Jonsson broke out with his role in HBO’s Industry and has since become one of the most exciting new talents in British film, balancing prestige drama with bold, contemporary projects.
Role: Peter McVries (#23), Garraty’s closest companion during The Long Walk.
McVries is idealistic, compassionate, and philosophical, a voice of humanity and quiet resistance within the brutal competition.
His bond with Garraty becomes one of the film’s emotional anchors, shaping the audience’s perspective on endurance, morality, and what survival truly costs.
What to Expect: A performance critics singled out as scene-stealing: compassionate, steady and quietly heroic even as the story darkens.
Favorite Things: In interviews, Jonsson has spoken about choosing roles that challenge convention and reflect complex Black British identities.
He is passionate about telling stories that feel authentic and socially relevant, whether in independent film, TV drama, or genre storytelling.
Notable Works: Industry, Rye Lane, Alien: Romulus.
Garrett Wareing as Billy Stebbins
DOB: August 31, 2001.
Bio: American actor born in College Station, Texas.
He began acting in his teens and quickly made an impression with his breakout role in Boychoir (2014) opposite Dustin Hoffman.
Since then, he has built a steady career across film and television, appearing in major projects such as Independence Day: Resurgence and Hulu’s Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists.
Role: Billy Stebbins (#38), a walker whose background and resilience bring emotional weight to the grueling contest.
Stebbins emerges as a pivotal figure whose personal revelations and bravery inspire others while underscoring the Walk’s psychological toll.
What to Expect: A sincere, humanizing performance that helps anchor the ensemble’s emotional stakes.
Favorite Things: Wareing tends to keep his personal life private, but he has expressed in interviews his focus on steady growth and choosing roles that challenge him as an actor rather than chasing quick fame.
Notable Works: Boychoir, Independence Day: Resurgence, Perfect, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists.
Tut Nyuot as Arthur “Art” Baker
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Tut Nyuot is an emerging actor best recognized for his role in The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022).
Born in South Sudan, he brings a commanding physicality and emotional intensity to screen.
Though early in his career, Nyuot has begun carving a path in genre television and film, often portraying characters who balance vulnerability with resilience.
Role: Arthur “Art” Baker (#6), one of the key walkers who grows close to Garraty and McVries.
Art’s quiet strength and humanity stand out in the brutal contest, and his struggle underscores the story’s themes of friendship, endurance, and inevitable loss.
What to Expect: Grounded, physical work that communicates fear, pain and fleeting friendship under pressure.
Favorite Things: N/A
Notable Works: The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Charlie Plummer as Gary Barkovitch
DOB: May 24, 1999.
Bio: American actor celebrated for his emotionally raw and naturalistic performances.
Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and raised in Cold Spring, he began acting in short films before breaking through with King Jack (2015).
Role: Gary Barkovitch (#5), one of the most provocative and antagonistic walkers.
Volatile and confrontational, Barkovitch deliberately stirs conflict, taunting and provoking the others.
His behavior forces the group to confront cruelty, moral boundaries, and the psychological toll of the Walk.
What to Expect: High-voltage scenes that expose the strain of the competition and how group dynamics can turn cruel.
Favorite Things: Plummer has often expressed a love for independent, character-driven stories and avoids large franchises in favor of emotionally complex roles.
Notable Works: King Jack, Lean on Pete, Spontaneous.
Ben Wang as Hank Olson
DOB: January 1, 2000.
Bio: Chinese-American actor who has quickly established himself through Disney+ and streaming projects.
Born in Beijing, he is best known for his breakout role in American Born Chinese (2023), where he played the lead Jin Wang.
Role: Hank Olson (#46), a walker whose physical and mental decline provides one of the film’s most devastating story arcs.
Hank’s suffering and eventual collapse become pivotal moments in the Walk, forcing the group to confront their own humanity in the face of relentless brutality.
What to Expect: An emotionally taxing performance with heavy physical demands.
Favorite Things: Wang speaks publicly about martial arts, training and using physical discipline for the craft.
Notable Works: American Born Chinese (TV), Chang Can Dunk.
Jordan Gonzalez as Richard Harkness
DOB: N/A.
Bio: American actor best known for his role as Ash in Netflix’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (2022).
Gonzalez has been praised for his grounded performances and ability to bring warmth and authenticity to ensemble projects.
Role: Richard Harkness (#49), an aspiring writer and journalist who joins the Walk with a mind geared toward observation.
Richard’s reflective, note-taking perspective injects a sense of meta-commentary into the story, as he contemplates the meaning and spectacle of the deadly event.
What to Expect: Quiet, documentary-minded moments that provide narrative perspective and healthy skepticism about the spectacle.
Favorite Things: Interviews show Gonzalez values storytelling and roles that let him examine social dynamics.
Notable Works: Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
Joshua Odjick as Collie Parker
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Joshua Odjick is an award-winning Canadian actor of Algonquin Anishinabe descent from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation in Quebec.
He is best known for his work in Wildhood (2021), which earned him the Canadian Screen Award and the Canadian Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Role: Collie Parker (#48) becomes one of the Walk’s most tragic figures; his meltdown and final desperate act are among the film’s most harrowing sequences that test comradeship.
What to Expect: Raw, emotional scenes and powerful dramatic commitment.
Favorite Things: Odjick supports Indigenous stories and often highlights community in his interviews.
Notable Works: Wildhood, Little Bird, Unsettled.
Mark Hamill as The Major
DOB: September 25, 1951.
Bio: American actor, voice artist, and pop culture legend.
He achieved worldwide fame as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977), a role he reprised across multiple films in the saga.
Beyond live action, Hamill has built an extraordinary career in voice acting, most famously as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and dozens of other DC projects.
Role: The Major, the ruthless overseer of the Walk. As the state’s representative, The Major enforces the brutal rules without compassion, serving as the embodiment of authoritarian cruelty.
His cold detachment and military precision make him both a chilling antagonist and the symbol of the regime’s inhumanity
What to Expect: Controlled menace and a chilling performance that anchors the film’s totalitarian threat.
Favorite Things: Hamill is passionate about voice work, comics and interacting with fans; he often speaks warmly about genre storytelling.
Notable Works: Star Wars saga (Luke Skywalker), Batman: The Animated Series and DC Universe projects (The Joker), The Flash (Trickster).
Roman Griffin Davis as Thomas “Curley”
DOB: March 5, 2007.
Bio: British actor who achieved international recognition at just 12 years old for his debut performance in Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit (2019).
His portrayal of Jojo earned him Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Critics’ Choice nominations, making him one of the youngest actors ever nominated for such honors.
Role: Thomas “Curley” (#7) is an early walker whose fate underscores how dangerous even small physical issues become in the Walk’s lethal calculus.
His death is an early, shocking reminder of the contest’s cruelty.
What to Expect: Brief but unforgettable scenes that set the stakes and tone very early.
Favorite Things: Davis has mentioned enjoying a balance between school, family life, and acting.
Notable Works: Jojo Rabbit, Silent Night.
Judy Greer as Ginnie Garraty (Ray’s mother)
DOB: July 20, 1975.
Bio: American actress, author, and director whose career spans more than two decades across film, television, and voice acting.
Known for her versatility, she has played everything from sharp-witted comedic characters to emotionally resonant dramatic roles.
Role: Ginnie Garraty, the mother of protagonist Ray Garraty.
Ginnie’s desperate pleas for her son not to participate in the Walk anchor the film’s emotional foundation.
What to Expect: Heartfelt, urgent scenes that humanize the broader spectacle and keep the emotional focus on family.
Favorite Things: Greer has expressed a love for storytelling in many forms, from acting to writing.
Notable Works: 13 Going on 30, The Descendants, Archer (voice), Halloween.
Josh Hamilton as William Garraty (Ray’s late father)
DOB: June 9, 1969.
Bio: American actor whose career spans theater, film, and television.
Trained in New York’s vibrant stage scene, he has built a reputation for subtle, naturalistic performances across genres.
Hamilton is often cast in emotionally layered supporting roles, where his quiet intensity and authenticity add depth to family dramas and ensemble stories.
Role: William Garraty is Ray’s deceased father whose political past and fate set Ray’s motive for revenge and remain surgically present in the film’s emotional logic.
Though not alive in most of the film, his memory is essential.
What to Expect: Brief but crucial appearances and the emotional weight of a absent parent shaping the protagonist.
Favorite Things: Hamilton balances stage and screen and often chooses complex character work.
Notable Works: Eighth Grade, Ray Donovan.
More Actors
• Noah de Mel as James Ewing
• Daymon Wrightly as Rank (#19).
• Jack Giffin as Ronald (#45).
• Thamela Mpumlwana as Pearson (#8).
• Keenan Lehmann as Larson (#14).
• Teagan Stark as Patrick Smith (#4).
• Sam (Samuel) Clark as Tressler (#24).
• Emmanuel Oderemi as Zuck (#50).
FAQ – The Long Walk 2025
How long is the movie?
Runtime is reported around 108 minutes.
What is The Long Walk based on?
It’s adapted from Stephen King’s 1979 novel The Long Walk, written under his Richard Bachman pseudonym.
How many walkers are in the film competition and what are the rules?
In the movie, 50 teenage boys (one from each U.S. state) are chosen to compete.
They must maintain a walking speed above 3 miles per hour or risk execution after warnings.
Where was The Long Walk filmed, and how physically demanding was it for the cast?
The movie was largely filmed in Winnipeg, Canada.
Cast members, including Garrett Wareing and David Jonsson, revealed that filming involved walking 8 to 15 miles per day, about 25,000 to 30,000 steps, leading to real exhaustion, blisters, and physical strain from the long takes and continuous walking.
Will there be sequels or spin-offs?
No. this is a single, self-contained adaptation of the novel.
There are no official sequel announcements. (The story itself is self-contained in one book.)
Why is the film rated R?
Director Francis Lawrence insisted on an R rating to preserve the brutal nature of the original story.
The adaptation includes graphic violence, emotional horror, disturbing imagery, and scenes that require intensity in order to reflect the source material’s tone and stakes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Long Walk (2025) is a haunting and powerful film that stays true to Stephen King’s vision.
It is dark, emotional, and sometimes difficult to watch, but it delivers a meaningful story about survival, power, and the human spirit.
With strong performances and bold direction, it leaves a lasting mark.
This is not a casual movie night pick, but for those who appreciate thought-provoking stories, it is an unforgettable experience.