Stephen King Movie ‘The Long Walk’ Flops at the Box Office After Author Caught Spreading Charlie Kirk Misinformation

Okay, so this is a bit wild. It looks like Stephen King might be getting some heat professionally because he shared some inaccurate info about Charlie Kirk. As a big fan of King’s work, it’s a little disappointing to see this happening, and I’m curious to see how it all plays out. It’s a reminder that even people we admire need to be careful about what they share, especially online.

Stephen King recently sparked controversy, not because of a new book, but due to inaccurate information he shared online. Following the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, King quickly used social media to falsely claim Kirk had supported stoning gay people, adding to a difficult time for the nation as they processed the news.

The reaction was immediate and strong. Senator Ted Cruz strongly criticized King for sharing false information, pointing out that Kirk had never advocated for violence. King quickly removed the post and apologized, acknowledging he hadn’t verified the claim before sharing it.

The apology didn’t really ease the criticism, and now, just a few days later, King’s new movie, The Long Walk, hasn’t done well in theaters.

What King Claimed

As a critic, I was frankly disturbed by what happened online after the tragic news of Kirk’s death. Just a day after, Stephen King jumped into a conversation about it by repeating a really nasty and unfounded rumor. He shared a claim – one that had already been circulating online – that Charlie Kirk had, at some point, supported the idea of executing gay people by stoning. It felt incredibly insensitive and irresponsible to amplify something like that during a time of mourning, especially without any evidence to back it up.

The claim that Kirk made a certain statement is false. It started months ago when Kirk responded to a children’s influencer who was using a verse from Leviticus to support LGBTQ+ rights. Kirk explained that Leviticus also includes a verse – Leviticus 20 – that prescribes stoning as punishment for the acts the influencer was defending. His main point was that you can’t cherry-pick verses from the Bible; you need to consider the entire context.

It was an argument about consistency, not an endorsement of violence.

King’s post lacked subtlety. As a result, many of his followers mistakenly believed Kirk had publicly advocated for harsh treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals.

Ted Cruz Hits Back

King’s message sparked widespread anger online, and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas was one of the most vocal critics. He didn’t hold back in his response.

Cruz accused his opponent of being a dishonest and hateful liar. He claimed the opponent’s political party had sent $100 billion to the Iranian government, led by a leader known for violence against LGBTQ+ people, and questioned why the opponent would be so dishonest and full of hate.

The senator pointed out a crucial hypocrisy: Kirk was being unfairly attacked after his death, while those making the accusations were overlooking far worse abuses committed by actual oppressive governments.

King’s Walk-Back

After the pushback, King deleted his post. Soon after, he issued a rare public mea culpa.

He recounted Cruz calling someone a ‘horrible, evil, twisted liar’ and then admitted, ‘That’s what I get for believing something I saw on Twitter without checking if it was true. I won’t make that mistake again.’

Look, King straight-up admitted he’d shared false information during a really difficult time for the country. Some people were glad he apologized, but honestly, a lot of us felt it didn’t really matter. The damage was done. Once something untrue gets out there and spreads, you can’t take it back – it’s like trying to unring a bell. As a movie lover, I always believe in the power of storytelling, but it’s crucial it’s based on truth, and this felt like a real betrayal of that principle.

The Long Walk Trips at the Box Office

Over the weekend, Stephen King’s latest movie adaptation, *The Long Walk*, was released in cinemas. The film, based on a novel King originally published under the name Richard Bachman, aimed to appeal to both his dedicated fans and a wider moviegoing audience.

Instead, it stumbled out of the gate.

The film earned only $11.5 million in its opening weekend in the United States and Canada, despite playing in almost 3,000 cinemas. Considering it cost $20 million to make, this was a disappointing result, falling far below expectations for a movie based on Stephen King’s work.

Industry observers noted this was the lowest opening for a Stephen King adaptation in 33 years.

Although most critics liked the movie, audiences weren’t as impressed, giving it a lukewarm “B” grade from CinemaScore. Rather than being hailed as a successful adaptation of Stephen King’s work, it’s quickly being labeled a box office disappointment.

Did King’s Controversy Tank the Movie?

People in the film industry are suggesting several factors might explain why *The Long Walk* didn’t perform well at its release – the timing, its dark themes, or its limited audience. However, the release date itself seems particularly significant.

Instead of building anticipation for the film *The Long Walk*, the news surrounding its release was overshadowed by a public dispute. Stephen King clashed with Charlie Kirk, drew criticism from Ted Cruz, and eventually offered an apology, dominating the headlines.

Many Americans were still grieving Kirk and remembered the recent negative attacks against him when his movie was released. This might be why people chose not to go see it.

Final Thoughts

Stephen King is a hugely popular author, and his books usually draw large audiences in theaters. However, his latest film, *The Long Walk*, had a surprisingly poor opening weekend, marking one of his weakest performances at the box office in years.

It’s likely no accident that Stephen King made a false and hurtful statement about Charlie Kirk so soon after Kirk’s passing. This action cost King viewers and sparked widespread condemnation. While he later apologized, the apology didn’t undo the damage.

When celebrities spread false information, it can backfire. For author Stephen King, this meant not only facing public criticism, but also seeing his latest film perform very poorly in theaters.

2025-09-15 16:58