Exclusive Screening of ‘The Long Walk’ Requires Treadmill Participation

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 29, 2025 (ET) — Select moviegoers will have a unique opportunity to watch the new adaptation of Stephen King‘s ‘The Long Walk‘ two weeks before its official release. However, attendees must be prepared to partake in a treadmill challenge that mimics the film’s dystopian plot.

The private screening, scheduled for Saturday at the Culver Theater, will feature treadmills instead of typical theater seats. Viewers who fail to maintain a walking pace of 3 miles per hour will be swiftly removed from the event. This setup closely mirrors the film’s narrative of 50 teenage boys who are forced into a deadly walking contest under a totalitarian regime.

In the contest, participants receive warnings for dropping below the required pace on the first two occasions, but a third offense leads to dire consequences. The last participant remaining wins the contest. Some of the film’s stars, including Tut Nyuot, who portrays a competitor named Arthur, have shared their experiences of filming.

Nyuot described the challenges of filming the movie, emphasizing the constant physical and mental demands. “We’re walking, we’re actually walking,” he said. “It’s something that I don’t think has ever been done, just constantly on the move.”

Co-star Garrett Wareing, who plays Stebbins, noted the extensive walking required during the shoot. “We were all walking eight to 15 miles a day,” he said, referring to the number of steps recorded on his phone. “So what is it? 25,000 to 30,000 steps?”

Based on King’s 1979 novel written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, ‘The Long Walk’ also features actors Jordan Gonzalez and David Jonsson. The film is set to hit theaters, with traditional seating, on Sept. 12.