‘The Long Walk’ Is the Rare Stephen King Story That Finally Abandons This Common Trope in His Work

Legendary author Stephen King has long been known as the literal master of the horror genre, having written some of the most iconic stories that the genre has ever seen. Whether it be his most successful novels, such as IT, Carrie, or The Shining, or even his less recognizable but equally disturbing tales like Gerald's Game or The Dead Zone, King is one of the few authors who has managed to craft hundreds of compelling and terrifying tales that still invigorate readers to this day. King is also the author with perhaps the most film adaptations of his stories, with countless movies based on his works released every single year. 2025 alone has seen the release of The Monkey, based on one of King's short stories, and both Edgar Wright's The Running Man and the streaming series Welcome to Derry are seeing a release in 2025 as well, making for a total of four releases based on King's work just this year.