Cooper Hoffman Reveals Brutal Filming Detail From Stephen King’s ‘The Long Walk’
King’s next adaptation has just become even more realistic than before.
It’s almost over for summer releases full of long-awaited drama movies and comedies, but there’s something special coming to theatres specifically for the dystopian genre fans — and those who love Stephen King’s novels.
Based on the latter’s 1979 novel of the same name, The Long Walk is about to join the dystopian collection of Francis Lawrence who helmed The Hunger Games’ several movies — however, the upcoming movie might be looking a bit too realistic.
With a major change requested by Stephen King himself for the initial script, The Long Walk is also something that tested its leading cast’s physical limits.
Cooper Hoffman Says ‘The Long Walk’ Cast Walked 15 Miles a Day Throughout Entire Filming Period
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Despite the movie industry doing everything possible to make it easier for production teams that seek ways to make something fictional look real on the screen, the method acting is still there — and it’s never been just as wearisome for The Long Walk’s lead Cooper Hoffman.
“Jesus, we went like 15 miles a day in 100-degree weather. There are moments where you’re forced to be method actors. Whatever ‘method’ means to people. But we are walking. No one is faking that. And it is exhausting”, the actor revealed in a new interview with Variety ahead of the movie’s theatrical release worldwide on September 12.
The actor also added that, despite physical difficulties, he was even more intimidated by the striking similarities between him and his character — The Long Walk’s Garraty decides to participate in the deadly competition because he wants to avenge his father taken away from him when he was young; meanwhile, Hoffman’s own father, also prominent actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, died when the former was 10 years old.
“It’s a lot of stuff that I’ve gone through. That’s super intimidating to me. I had that feeling with my acting career. ‘I’m going to go do this thing the way that my dad wanted it to go’”, Hoffman said.
‘The Long Walk’ Is Called “Terrifying” and “Traumatizing” Movie After First Screenings
The movie’s leading cast might have gone through a lot to make it all look real, and it seems like the effort was worth the shot.
“The Long Walk is an incredibly harrowing, terrifying, and traumatizing film. Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson give Oscar-worthy performances”, The Direct‘s Russ Milheim revealed on X.
“I had an hour-long drive home after my screening of The Long Walk, and I couldn’t listen to music or an audiobook; I just had to sit in silence with the knot in my stomach”, CinemaBland’s Eric Eisenberg shared.
“Visceral, gripping, emotional & provocative, a brilliant Stephen King adaptation & 1 of the year’s best films”, film critic Courtney Howard added.
The Long Walk is coming to theatres on September 12.
