Stephen King’s Best Film in 39 Years Instantly Tops the Charts on PVOD

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As a huge movie fan, I’ve always known this bestselling author is a horror legend, but it’s not just the scares that get to me. He’s brilliant at crafting stories that really mess with your head and make you think. His newest film adaptation really proves that point – it’s genuinely unsettling and sticks with you long after the credits roll.

2025 saw a lot of Stephen King stories adapted for the screen, and two more are on the way. The most recent adaptation, released on October 21st, was a big success with both critics and audiences. According to FlixPatrol, The Long Walk quickly became popular on streaming services.

Following its release in U.S. theaters on September 12th, The Long Walk became available digitally just over a month later. Given the excitement surrounding the film, it quickly became the most popular title on the charts.

Stephen King’s The Long Walk quickly became popular after its release on October 22nd, reaching number one on the iTunes chart in the U.S. and number two in Canada, following the popular horror film Weapons. As of today, it continues to perform well. Weapons was a major success, both with critics and audiences, and is currently available on HBO Max. While a streaming release date for The Long Walk hasn’t been announced, it’s anticipated to be available on streaming services in late November or early December. The film also debuted at number seven on Amazon’s pay-per-view service and number four on Vudu on October 24th.

Francis Lawrence, who directed the original Hunger Games films, directed this adaptation. The screenplay was written by JT Mollner. The cast includes Philip Hoffman, Thomas Jonsson, as well as Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Joshua Odjick, Roman Griffin Davis, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill.

The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews, earning an 88% Certified Fresh rating from critics based on nearly 300 reviews. Audiences also loved it, giving it an 85% score.

Beyond the positive reviews, The Long Walk is nearly profitable. Made for $20 million, the film has already earned $48.4 million. According to The Numbers, it’s close to reaching the $50 million needed to cover its production costs. With releases still planned in several countries and continued digital sales, Lionsgate is likely to see a profit from the film.

The Long Walk Is Stephen King’s Best-Rated Film in Almost Four Decades

As a Stephen King devotee, I have to say 2025 was a fantastic year for us fans. It kicked off with Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, starring Theo James pulling double duty – and it really delivered at the box office. The buzz around that film carried nicely into the release of Mike Flanagan’s newest King adaptation, which had been highly anticipated ever since its incredible premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Trust me, the wait was worth it!

Stephen King’s stories keep getting adapted for the screen, with The Institute recently becoming a big success on MGM+. The Long Walk followed, and more adaptations are on the way, including It: Welcome to Derry and The Running Man.

This year saw a lot of successful Stephen King adaptations, but The Long Walk quickly became one of the very best. It joins classics like 1976’s Carrie, which critics loved (earning a “Certified Fresh” rating) and audiences also enjoyed (with a 77% approval rate). Other highly-rated adaptations include 1986’s Stand by Me (92% Certified Fresh from critics, 94% audience score) and 1983’s The Dead Zone (89% critics, 77% audience).

You can now see The Long Walk in movie theaters, or watch it at home by renting or buying it on most streaming and on-demand services.

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2025-10-24 18:07