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Stephen King’s ‘The Long Walk’ Bombs At Box Office Following Charlie Kirk Comments: 33-Year Low
Cosmic Book News ^ | September 14, 2025 | Matt McGloin

Posted on 09/18/2025 9:59:05 AM PDT by Morgana

The Stephen King movie, The Long Walk, absolutely bombs at the box office, coming in fourth this weekend. By my count, it’s the lowest opening for a King movie in 33 years.

On Thursday, King received massive backlash for comments about Charlie Kirk, who was killed on Wednesday. The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, is described as a leftist in a relationship with another man transitioning to a transgender woman.

King deleted the tweets and apologized for his comments.

It’s unknown if the controversy impacted The Long Walk, which was put out by Lionsgate this weekend. The studio suffers yet another blow following Ballerina massively bombing, as well. Back in August, it was reported that Lionsgate suffered a massive $59.4 million loss compared to the year prior. stephen king charlie kirk Screenshot via X The Long Walk box office numbers

Stephen King’s The Long Walk, directed by Hunger Games‘ Francis Lawrence, comes in at fourth place this weekend with an estimated $11.5 million, domestically. The early estimates were as high as $20 million.

It’s beaten by Downton Abbey: Grand Finale ($19.5M), The Conjuring: The Last Rites in its second weekend ($27M), and Demon Slayer… Infinity Castle crushes all competition with an estimated $70M opening.

The Long Walk also stars Mark Hamill, who is no stranger to his own controversial remarks coming from the left.

Reviews are good

The flick does have good reviews as the Rotten Tomatoes Score from critics stands at 90%. The Audience Score is currently at 86% from those who purchased tickets through the Fandango app (all other reviews don’t count).

However, the CinemaScore is only a “B.” The Long Walk Trailer Drops: Stephen King’s Brutal Contest Hits the Screen The budget and break even number

At least The Long Walk didn’t cost much, coming in at a reported $20 million. If that’s the case, the flick will only need to make around $50 million to break even, which will likely depend on how well it does internationally.

However, Doctor Sleep released in 2019 opened higher at over $14 million and only finished with $72.3M. The Monkey, released back in February, also only opened to $14M and ended with $68.8M. So we see with The Long Walk, there isn’t much breathing room.

King’s previous lowest opening, again by my count, was Pet Sematary 2, released back in 1992, which adjusted for inflation opened to $11.1M. What is The Long Walk about?

The Long Walk follows 100 teenage boys forced into a brutal contest where stopping means death. Each walker must maintain a pace of at least three miles per hour; fall short and they receive a warning. Three warnings, and they’re executed on the spot. The march only ends when a single boy remains alive.


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: notalenthack; socialparasite; stephenking; thelongwalk

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This is why Steven King has been on his apology tour. He should have kept his big mouth shut in the first place, he didn't realize he had fans on both sides.
1 posted on 09/18/2025 9:59:05 AM PDT by Morgana
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To: Morgana

Go woke go broke. King has been washed up since the 90s.


2 posted on 09/18/2025 10:01:06 AM PDT by Kleon
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To: Morgana

His “I’m sorry that you were too ignorant to get it!” tour. Say whatever you want. His movie is losing money. Charlie lost his life so.......... No tears for Frankenstein lookin’ dude.


3 posted on 09/18/2025 10:03:37 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? On hold! Enlisted USN 1967 proudly. 🚫💉! 🇮🇱🙏! Winning currently!)
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To: Morgana

The original story is actually a pretty good one. It is a metaphysical reflection on the futility of life and struggle.

Of course, Hollywood had to muck around with the casting and the ending and basically render it all fluff.

And the rumor is that Steven King’s accident in 1999 has left him unable to write anything. Anything with his name on it since has been ghostwritten.


4 posted on 09/18/2025 10:05:24 AM PDT by DarrellZero
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To: Morgana

From the late 90s into the 2000s I must have read at least a dozen or more of kings novels, never knowing his political leanings until I read his 2008 novel “Duma Key” where he made disparaging remarks about George W. Bush BY NAME......that’s the last money that SOB ever got from me.

-

Sometimes I wonder if getting run over by that van didn’t short circuit his noodle.


5 posted on 09/18/2025 10:08:25 AM PDT by V_TWIN (RIP Charlie Kirk)
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To: Morgana

As Michael Jordan said, Republicans buy shoes too.


6 posted on 09/18/2025 10:09:35 AM PDT by bray (It's not racist to be racist against races the DNC hates.)
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To: Morgana

Saw Downton Abbey on Monday. The way divorced people were treated then was extreme. And then seeing Camilla this week .. very interesting.


7 posted on 09/18/2025 10:09:39 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
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To: Morgana

Consequence Culture at work.


8 posted on 09/18/2025 10:10:45 AM PDT by rfp1234 (E Porcibus Unum)
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To: Morgana

I think this one would have bombed even if King went on social media to sing God Bless America while waiving the flag. It looked miserable.


9 posted on 09/18/2025 10:11:48 AM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
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To: DarrellZero

He wrote plenty of stuff after 1999.....Duma Key was 2008.....he’s just like a lot of other libs, he let his political stupidity affect his craft and bow its crash and burn time.
-

Kimmel is learning that lesson right now.


10 posted on 09/18/2025 10:12:41 AM PDT by V_TWIN (RIP Charlie Kirk)
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To: rfp1234

;-)


11 posted on 09/18/2025 10:13:15 AM PDT by Frank Drebin (And don't ever let me catch you guys in America!)
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To: Morgana

In the case of the short story Shawshank Redemption they actually fixed issues. Never made sense having multiple wardens like in the book.


12 posted on 09/18/2025 10:14:02 AM PDT by pas
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To: Morgana

It’ll turn a profit. It was a cheap movie to make. And remember, King don’t care, he already got paid, for a book he wrote almost 50 years ago. Straight profit for him.


13 posted on 09/18/2025 10:16:03 AM PDT by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: Morgana

Who is this Stephen King person?


14 posted on 09/18/2025 10:16:20 AM PDT by central_va ( I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Morgana

These people can apologize all they want. They still believe what they spout off in the first place. This is the same group wjp will refuse the apology from any conservative.


15 posted on 09/18/2025 10:17:30 AM PDT by CatOwner (Don't expect anyone, even conservatives, to have your back when the SHTF in 2021 and beyond.)
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To: Morgana

Gee, what a shame.


16 posted on 09/18/2025 10:20:48 AM PDT by Flatus I. Maximus (I never left the Democratic Party. It left me, and every time I look it keeps going further left.)
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To: MayflowerMadam

> Saw Downton Abbey on Monday. <

I watched a few episodes of the TV series. It reminded me of why we separated from Britain. Bunch of servants hovering around pampered grandees - folks who have their titles just because of what some ancestor did.

Blah. But I will admit it’s a well-written drama.

I’d like to say more, but “Gilligan’s Island” will be on soon. That’s my idea of classy entertainment. 😀


17 posted on 09/18/2025 10:20:54 AM PDT by Leaning Right (It's morning in America. Again.)
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To: Morgana

Little stevie seems to have forgotten he’s in the entertainment “business”, and not the post-crap-on-social-media-for-cheap-validation-of-personal-hangups.


18 posted on 09/18/2025 10:21:24 AM PDT by larrytown (A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Then they graduate...)
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To: Kleon

His early books were brilliant. As a college student Salems Lot was literally so scary I didn’t turn off the lights and read it in one overnight sitting. The Stand is a masterpiece, and Christian theme, no less. I’m sure there’s other good ones. I have 11/23/63 in audiobook and listen about once a year. But early on his books became formulaic and I stopped reading them


19 posted on 09/18/2025 10:21:30 AM PDT by j.havenfarm (24 years on Free Republic, 12/10/24! More than 10,500 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: Morgana

Desantis needs to throw this evil hate filled creep
off of Casey Key in Sarasota Fl .

This evil champagne socialist left Ca and Maine to dodge taxes .

Let the monster pay his blue state taxes and nightmare crime and rules - regulations .

Drive him out of FL .


20 posted on 09/18/2025 10:23:04 AM PDT by ncalburt ( Gop DC Globalists are the evil. )
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