New Stephen King Movie’s Box Office Falls Short of Another 2025 Adaptation (Despite Better Reviews)

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As a huge Stephen King fan, I’ve seen a *lot* of adaptations, so when *The Long Walk* started getting buzz, I was really intrigued. For a while, it actually had the highest score on Rotten Tomatoes of any King movie – pretty amazing! Even though the score has come down a little as more reviews have rolled in, it’s still up there with the best, like *Stand By Me*, *Misery*, and *The Shawshank Redemption*. Honestly, I thought all the positive word-of-mouth would translate into a big opening weekend, but it didn’t quite perform as well as another King adaptation coming out in 2025.

Over its opening weekend, *The Long Walk* made $11.5 million in the US, landing it at number four in the box office rankings. While a solid start, it didn’t quite reach the $14 million debut of *The Monkey*, which premiered in February. This is a bit unexpected, as critics generally liked *The Long Walk* more. Both films have positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes – *The Monkey* with a 77% rating, and *The Long Walk* also being ‘Certified Fresh’.

Why The Long Walk Couldn’t Beat The Monkey At the Box Office

It’s possible *The Long Walk* would have performed better in theaters if it hadn’t been released when it was. While early September isn’t usually a competitive time for movies, this year was different. *The Conjuring: Last Rites* had a record-breaking opening, and *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle* also did very well the following week. Add to that the success of *Weapons* throughout August, and audiences had plenty of choices – many of which were more upbeat than *The Long Walk*, which is a dark and depressing story.

Released in late February, *The Monkey* benefited from a relatively quiet box office. It opened in second place, only behind *Captain America: Brave New World* (which saw a significant drop in viewers after its first weekend due to mixed reviews). While *The Monkey*’s $39.7 million domestic total wasn’t massive, it performed well because there weren’t many other major movies competing for audiences at the time. *The Long Walk*, released after two successful horror/thriller films, didn’t get as much attention.

Although *The Long Walk* cost $20 million to make, it still has a chance to earn money, especially when considering international sales and other income. However, it’s unclear how well it will continue to perform. The release of *Him* next weekend will add more competition, potentially drawing viewers away from *The Long Walk*, even though *Him* isn’t predicted to be a blockbuster. Ideally, positive reviews would keep *The Long Walk* in theaters, but its fourth-place debut suggests audience interest is limited.

A movie based on a Stephen King story doesn’t have to be a huge box office success to become a classic. *The Shawshank Redemption* initially failed at the box office but later became incredibly popular thanks to home video and word of mouth. Even if *The Long Walk* doesn’t make much money in theaters, it could still find an audience later on. People who have seen it already praise it as one of the best Stephen King adaptations and one of the year’s strongest films, and that positive buzz could attract more viewers. Plus, in today’s movie world, many films find a larger audience when they become available on streaming services.

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2025-09-15 18:10