EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate has commenced production on The Long Walk, its adaptation of the 1979 novel from Stephen King, starring Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, adding seven to the cast.
The newcomers are Garrett Wareing (Ransom Canyon), Tut Nyuot (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Charlie Plummer (National Anthem), Ben Wang (American Born Chinese), Jordan Gonzalez (Pretty Little Liars: Summer School), Joshua Odjick (Welcome to Derry), and Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit). Details as to their roles are under wraps.
Originally published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk focuses on a dystopian America that is entertained by the Long Walk — a competition in which 50 teenage boys walk without rest. Each competitor must keep walking faster than three miles per hour — or risk being eliminated.
Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) is directing from a script by JT Mollner. Lawrence is also producing the project through his company about:blank, alongside Roy Lee, Cameron MacConomy — his producing partner at about:blank — as well as Steven Schneider.
Meredith Wieck and Erin Jones-Wesley are overseeing for Lionsgate, with Phil Strina negotiating the deals on behalf of the studio. Production will continue in rural locations throughout the province of Manitoba through the summer.
Next to be seen starring on Netflix’s series Ransom Canyon, Wareing’s past credits include NBC and Netflix’s Manifest; Nick Cassavetes’ God Is a Bullet; François Girard’s Boychoir, opposite Dustin Hoffman and Kathy Bates; and Eddie Alcazar’s Perfect, exec produced by Steven Soderbergh. He is represented by Paradigm, 23 Management, and Myman Greenspan Fox.
Best known for his work in the Netflix pic Stanton Wood and the BET original series Dark Money, Nyuot has also appeared on such series as The Witcher: Blood Origin and Small Axe. He is represented by Independent Talent Group in the UK.
Currently starring in Luke Gilford’s National Anthem, Plummer will next be seen starring opposite Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in Bleecker Street’s The Return directed by Uberto Pasolini. Breaking out with performances in A24’s Lean on Pete and Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World, he is represented by Untitled Entertainment, Gersh, and Peikoff Mahan Law.
Best known for starring in Disney+’s American Born Chinese and Chang Can Dunk, Wang’s other credits include Paramount’s Mean Girls musical, Hulu’s Sex Appeal, Max’s Search Party, and TBS’ The Last O.G. Most recently landing the title role in Sony’s The Karate Kid reimagining from Jonathan Entwistle, after a worldwide casting search, he is represented by Stewart Talent Agency, Artists First, and Schreck Rose Dapello.
Best known for his series regular role of Ash Romero on Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Gonzalez is represented by Buchwald, Mosaic, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Next to be seen in another Stephen King adaptation, in HBO’s Welcome to Derry, Odjick’s previously appeared in series like Little Bird and The Swarm and films like Wildhood. He is represented by Actors Group.
Breaking out with his lead role in Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, Davis followed that performance with a role in Camille Griffin’s Silent Night. He will next star in STX Entertainment’s Greenland: Migration, as well as the UK productions A Rare Grand Alignment, 500 Miles, and 152 Days. He is represented by Independent Talent Group, WME, and Untitled Entertainment.