The Long Walk is set to be one of several exciting Stephen King adaptations released in 2025, and the upcoming film is already attracting comparisons to The Hunger Games. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the brutal trailer for The Long Walk sees a group of young men walking while surrounded by military presence. Any of the men who are unable to keep up are killed, and there is the promise of a prize for the last one standing. This calls to mind some comparisons to The Hunger Games, although there are surprisingly even more connections than this.

While it’s already an excellent year for Stephen King adaptations, this new film promises to be something uniquely brutal. Originally published in 1989 under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachman, a film adaptation of the acclaimed novel has been tossed around Hollywood for some time. Filmmakers including George A. Romero and Frank Darabont were attached at various points. The eventual film, however, has some surprising connections to another popular franchise, especially behind the scenes, that can’t be ignored.

The Long Walk’s Survival Game Immediately Draws Comparisons To The Hunger Games

The New Movie’s Setup Mirrors The Popular Dystopian Franchise

The new trailer for The Long Walk invites a number of comparisons to be drawn between the new film, which sees Mark Hamill as a villain, and The Hunger Games. Both projects are based on novels, and both revolve around twisted games that pit teenagers against one another. In both of these, this ᴅᴇᴀᴅly game, which promises a significant prize, is enacted by twisted and cruel government forces. This terrifying promise sets up enormous tension in the new film.

Granted, there are many films like The Hunger Games, but this one appears to examine similar themes and ideas. Seeing the strong cast, led by David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman, react even in this short preview creates a powerful setup for the film. The new movie promises to show the charismatic camaraderie between its cast before tracing the devolution in their relationships. As only one young man is able to survive the ordeal, the film promises to go to some very dark and powerful places.

The similarities between The Long Walk and The Hunger Games in their basic setups are not an example of the new film copying the major movie franchise. Stephen King’s book came out 19 years before Suzanne Collins published the first “Hunger Games” book. King’s novel may not have been a direct influence on Collins’ work, but the parallels are still clear. And with Hunger Games beating The Long Walk to movie theaters, the new film could feel to some like it is attempting to replicate the former’s success.

The Long Walk’s Trailer Openly Acknowledges Its Hunger Games Connection

Francis Lawrence Has Directed Several Installments In The Hunger Games Franchise

The new trailer shows an even greater connection to The Hunger Games in its first look at The Long Walk when it proudly lists Francis Lawrence as its director. This is presented in big, bold text for the Lionsgate film, acknowledging Lawrence as the director of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and its sequels, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2, as well as The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The American director also helmed I Am Legend and Water for Elephants.

Lawrence is clearly deeply invested in the Hunger Games films, and will next direct The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which is based on a new book about Haymitch’s games. With the director being so immersed in that world, it makes sense that some of his latest work would feel connected to that franchise. As another exploration of children being forced to turn on one another, The Long Walk could provide a genuinely original look at these already explored ideas from a unique vantage point.

By making Lawrence’s history with Hunger Games known, it’s apparent that Lionsgate – the studio behind the franchise and The Long Walk – wants audiences to know that this new film is coming from someone behind a franchise that is so adored. It’s a clever way to potentially entice people who have never read the King book but love Hunger Games. The studio is inviting the comparisons as a way to create more interest in the film and give viewers confidence that it will deliver.

How The Long Walk Will Be Different From The Hunger Games

The Look And Feel Of The New Film Is Significantly Different

Even though the two projects share some similarities, The Long Walk looks starkly different from The Hunger Games. While the latter focuses on presentation and broadcast, the Stephen King adaptation looks like a much more contained and smaller compeтιтion. Rather than being forced to perform on television, this compeтιтion forces the boys to walk together. Notably, the boys are not actively trying to kill one another, even if violence against each other does occur, as has been shown in the trailer. There’s even a sense of camaraderie that’s rare in the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is about systemic political oppression, and it appears that The Long Walk will examine those same ideas but in different ways. The pervasive power of the dystopian regime appears to be less technological, and there seems to be a much more natural and rural look and feel to the new film. With different kinds of characters, the King adaptation can seem more akin to The Walking ᴅᴇᴀᴅ than The Hunger Games. The film has the opportunity to shed light on similar themes, but without inviting too many direct comparisons.

Will The Long Walk Start A Movie Franchise Like The Hunger Games Did?

The Box Office Returns Will Decide

The Long Walk is not likely to start a franchise, but anything is possible. The Hunger Games was based on a three-volume book series, and the first film went on to gross over $694 million at the worldwide box office. That world was more sensationalized and featured a larger cast of Hunger Games characters that could run through its various interconnected stories. The Long Walk feels much more isolated than that, and a sequel does not seem like the logical path forward for the franchise.

The Richard Bachman-attributed novel has a dark ending, and the movie likely will too. The setup for the film does not appear to lend itself well to the idea of making sequels. However, even the most controversial sequels like Joker: Folie à Deux get made if the first film makes enough money. While The Long Walk does not look set to break out and become an enormous global hit, an event like that would certainly provoke Lionsgate to look at possible sequel opportunities, no matter how unnatural they might be.

The Long Walk is already drawing comparisons to The Hunger Games, and it seems that the new film intends to embrace that. With the incredible success of The Hunger Games franchise, it makes sense that the new film might hope to appeal to some of the same audience. How that impacts the new film’s box office remains to be seen, but The Long Walk promises to be a dark and intense look at youth and violence when it releases in September.