'The Long Walk' Director Francis Lawrence Teases His Long-Awaited Stephen King Adaptation [Exclusive]

Dozens of Stephen King novels and short stories have been adapted for the screen over the years, but the one that seems to defy adaptation is 1979's The Long Walk. That looks to finally change this year, as I Am Legend's Francis Lawrence has directed a film version of the dystopian thriller, which is now in post-production. Collider's Maggie Lovitt recently spoke with Lawrence in support of the upcoming 4K UHD release of his beloved Keanu Reeves-led film Constantine.

The Long Walk doesn't have a release date yet, but it sounds like it won't be long before the long-awaited film makes it to the big screen. When asked about how far along he is with the current cut, Lawrence revealed, "We're almost done. Actually, that's why I'm going to London, to do the score for it. So the cut is for the most part locked. I'm really happy with it. I think it's really unique." Lawrence went on to discuss the circumstances surrounding the film, and how he finally managed to do what numerous other filmmakers could not:

"It's one of — if not my favorite — Stephen King novels. It was something that actually crossed my desk years ago, not long after I finished Constantine. It was when I was doing I Am Legend, and I wanted to do it, but Frank Darabont actually scooped up the rights. People have tried to make it over the years, and never could. We just kind of cracked it; I worked with JT Mollner, who did Strange Darling. He wrote a great draft, and it came together really quickly. I had this window, and we hit the right season to shoot it, and we put together an amazing cast. The cast is so good and the performances are great. I'm super happy with it."

What Is The Long Walk About?

In King's 1979 novel, which was one of the books he wrote under the pen name Richard Bachman, a crumbling America holds the titular Long Walk every year. In it, a hundred teenage boys sign up to walk along US Route 1, which runs from Maine to Florida; they must maintain a constant pace of four miles an hour, with no breaks for rest or injury; if they leave the road, slow down, or stop, they are shot dead. The final surviving walker wins a large sum of money and whatever prize he desires. The book follows one year's walkers as they compete against fatigue, despair, and each other. The film will star Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Roman Griffin Davis, Charlie Plummer, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill.

There have been many failed attempts to adapt The Long Walk over the years. Horror legend (and frequent King collaborator) George Romero was attached to the project in the 1980s, while Darabont acquired the rights, as mentioned above, in the late 2000s. After Darabont's rights lapsed, André Øvredal (Last Voyage of the Demeter) was set to direct before Lawrence took over the film.

The Long Walk is in post-production; no release date has yet been announced. Constantine arrives on 4K UHD on February 18. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.