The Long Walk star Garrett Wareing compares the Stephen King adaptation with The Hunger Games. Directed by Francis Lawrence, who has brought four Hunger Games movies to the big screen, The Long Walk takes place in a dystopian world where teenagers volunteer to participate in a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly annual game where they walk until only one remains standing.

In the movie, Wareing portrays Stebbins, nicknamed “fitness nut,” a participant who knows almost everything about the walk. The actor can also be seen in Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, Manifest, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Sea, and other projects.

While talking to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, the actor addressed how The Long Walk adds to the conversation with other dystopian films like The Hunger Games. As a fan of Lawrence’s work, Wareing admitted that The Hunger Games was what inspired him to be an actor.

Wareing stressed that King’s dystopian horror story was written years before Battle Royale and Suzanne Collins’ books, but “those films paved the way” for The Long Walk movie adaptation. He said that the latest King adaptation is set in a “Hunger Games-style universe,” but it is “heartfelt” and “hopeful.” Read Wareing’s full comments below:

I mean, what an honor to be considered amongst the ranks of Divergent and Hunger Games. Also Maze Runner’s been coming to mind a lot for me recently. I loved that growing up. This predates all of those. It predates Battle Royale, it predates Hunger Games, it predates Divergent and the fact that those films paved the way for our film to now come through and have this story be told is an honor.

Hunger Games is what got me into acting. I wanted to be in The Hunger Games, and to work with Francis made 12 year-old Garrett’s dreams absolutely come true. I could not believe that I got to meet the man who made these possible, and in a weird way, I feel like I got my moment in the sun in The Hunger Games-style universe, this dystopian universe, within The Long Walk. I loved Stebbins. I love our story. It’s heartfelt, and I think as far as dystopian futures are concerned, I feel like, in a weird way, this film is hopeful. The positive reactions that people have been giving it has made all the hard work worth it.

What This Means For Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk

The Hunger Games franchise takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, focusing on the nation of Panem, inspired by ancient Roman gladiatorial games, war coverage, and compeтιтive reality TV shows. The Long Walk, on the other hand, was written against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, when young men were being drafted and killed in the conflict.

King has previously explained the story’s influences, including Lord of the Flies and 1984, and thought that The Hunger Games felt like an original story that pays homage to similar work that came before. On the adaptation of The Long Walk, Lawrence stated that he didn’t want the new dystopian horror movie to feel like The Hunger Games, but he was interested in the impact and the emotional value.

Our Take On Garrett Wareing’s The Long Walk Comments

Wareing’s response again highlights the intricate link between the early Stephen King story and the dystopian media that came before and after its publication. His comments also shed some light on how Lawrence leaned more into the emotional aspect of The Long Walk‘s story in comparison to the Hunger Games movies.

Since its release, the highly rated The Long Walk has received overwhelming praise from audiences and critics alike. With a 90% critic score and an 85% audience score, the movie is among the best-rated Stephen King adaptations, holding its own against classics like Misery and Carrie. Thus, The Long Walk is a welcome contemporary of The Hunger Games.