He has the Hunger Games prequel The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes in cinemas now, but with his latest trip to Panem in the rearview, Francis Lawrence can make a start on something else from his extensive To Do list. Or… He can add to that list! According to a new interview with the director in Business Insider, he's also now attached to make the long-gestating adaptation of Stephen King's The Long Walk.
The 1979 dystopian tome, published under his Richard Bachman pseudonym is the story of 16-year-old Ray Garraty, who against the wishes of his mother, is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as the Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping… With the winner being awarded "The Prize," AKA anything he wants for the rest of his life.
But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystopian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line—the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you're given a warning. Three warnings and you're out of the game —permanently!
This is one that has sat in development limbo for years and directors such as George A. Romero, Frank Darabont, and André Øvredal have all tried to get in made without success. Can Lawrence get it to the finish line? We'll wait and see. Chances are it'll still have to jostle for his attention alongside the planned Constantine sequel, I Am Legend 2, the Bioshock adaptation and the biopic of rock band Sublime.
Perhaps he just needs to get one of those giant spinning wheels so he can decide what to do next…