Who better to comfort you at IndieWire’s special screening of “The Long Walk” on Thursday, September 4 than scene-stealing worried mom Judy Greer? Join the actress and IndieWire at AMC Century City in Los Angeles next week for an early viewing of Lionsgate‘s visceral new horror movie — in theaters on September 12. The live event will include a Q&A with Greer, moderated by IndieWire’s Alison Foreman.
Request an invite for IndieWire’s “The Long Walk” screening on Thursday, September 4.
Directed by Francis Lawrence (“The Hunger Games”), “The Long Walk” adapts a cult-favorite novel by a pioneering young horror writer at the University of Maine during the school year of 1966 to 1967. In his first-ever manuscript, the 19-year-old English major imagined a terrifying dystopian death game. “The Long Walk” was a lethal endurance test — one undertaken by a group of teen boys, just about the author’s age, under threat of death from a fascist American government marching them at gunpoint.
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“The Long Walk” wouldn’t hit shelves until 1979, when the story was finally sold under the name of the mysterious newcomer Richard Bachman. That’s a favorite pseudonym of Stephen King, whose pioneering literary work has been brilliantly adapted as a nimble feature film with keen political relevance, explosive war-like terror, and impressive emotional grace by “Strange Darling” genius JT Mollner. Cooper Hoffman stars in one of the year’s best and scariest horror films as the determined Raymond Garraty, a spirited competitor and the son of Mrs. Garraty (Greer). Ray sets out to win the disturbing contest and use its life-changing prize for a surprising purpose.
From “Misery” to “The Shining,” King has been a legendary font of ideas for cinematic nightmares ever since “Carrie,” his first published book, debuted in 1974. Two years later, director Brian de Palma and actress Sissy Spacek made “Carrie” into a genre staple with their classic slasher film of the same name.
Almost 40 years after that, Greer would play gym teacher Miss Desjardin in Sony’s “Carrie” remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz in 2013. Greer is beloved among horror fans for her appearances in 1999’s “Jawbreaker” and David Gordon Green’s “Halloween” revival. But “Carrie” and “The Long Walk” are the only times the veteran performer has been cast in an adaptation of a King story.
The author had several reasons for starting to use the Bachman pseudonym with 1977’s “Rage” and then 1979’s “The Long Walk.” It was a test of his mettle and talent, for one thing, and that raw spirit runs throughout director Lawrence and screenwriter Mollner’s brutal adaptation in 2025. Greer — who’s also known for beloved aughts comedies (“27 Dresses,” “13 Going on 30”) and action blockbusters (“Ant Man,” “Jurassic World”) — shines as a quivering beacon of hope in a bleak race you’ll want to start early.
Request an invite for IndieWire’s “The Long Walk” screening and Q&A with Judy Greer here.
