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Posted in: Lionsgate, Movies | Tagged: film, lionsgate, mark hamill, The Long Walk
The Long Walk Star on the Thrill of Playing a Villain
Mark Hamill says he won't mind being hated as The Major in The Long Walk while explaining why he typically loves playing the villain.
Article Summary
- Mark Hamill relishes playing villain The Major in The Long Walk, embracing the chance to be hated by audiences.
- The Long Walk adapts Stephen King's dystopian tale, centering on a deadly, state-run endurance contest.
- Francis Lawrence directs, with Hamill bringing chilling authority to the story's ruthless overseer.
- The film's three-mile-per-hour rule heightens the suspense and tension for each character involved.
MGM and Lionsgate's upcoming feature The Long Walk adapts Stephen King's dystopian novel (originally published under his Richard Bachman pen name), bringing one of the author's bleakest concepts to theaters this fall. Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games franchise) from a screenplay by JT Mollner, the film sticks to the core premise: in a totalitarian United States, a state-sanctioned endurance contest forces selected teenage boys to walk at a minimum pace, fall below the threshold too often, and they're executed; the event ends only when one participant remains alive.
And in the screen version, there's a three miles per hour rule in place, spearheaded by the film's unapologetic antagonist, The Major (played by Mark Hamill), the authority figure who oversees the contest and personifies its cruelty.
Mark Hamill on His Role in The Long Walk
Speaking about the role, Hamill told Screen Rant: "Basically, what you have to do is look at the script and say, 'What do I need to bring to make this script as impactful as it can be?' I had it a lot easier than these guys because I'm a fairly strident, one-note, pain in the a** that everyone hates. I'm standing in the way of them being happy and successful. And I have to say, being a hero is fine. But as an actor, any response you get is good. I love being hated if I'm doing it right. But I was on a real disconnect because the heart and soul of the movie are these guys, and I'm only in 20% of the film, maybe."
Cooper Hoffman leads the ensemble as Raymond Garraty, joined by David Jonsson (Peter McVries), Garrett Wareing (Stebbins), Tut Nyuot (Arthur Baker), Charlie Plummer (Gary Barkovitch), Ben Wang (Hank Olson), Roman Griffin Davis (Thomas Curley), and Jordan Gonzalez (Richard Harkness). Judy Greer and Josh Hamilton play Garraty's parents. Behind the camera, Jo Willems serves as cinematographer, and Jeremiah Fraites composed the score.
The Long Walk is slated for a September 12, 2025, theatrical release in the United States via Lionsgate. Are you excited to see the upcoming cinematic adaptation of The Long Walk?
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