Stephen King is indeed the king of horror novels, but 2025 isn’t being kind to the author’s film adaptations. Francis Lawrence’s The Long Walk, starring Mark Hamill, has been struggling at the box office, following its release on September 12. Despite strong reviews and a solid 89% RT score, the dystopian horror is failing to pull in big crowds.
Therefore, as of September 16, The Long Walk has barely earned just $4.8 million on its first day and wrapped its opening weekend with $11.7 million (via Box Office Mojo). And it seems kind of heartbreaking, because it marks King’s third box-office disappointment this year, continuing his unlucky 2025 streak.
The Long Walk Continues Stephen King’s Cursed 2025 Box Office Trend
The beloved horror and thriller novel author Stephen King seems to be having a rough year, with his film adaptations. Because while The Long Walk is currently struggling at the box office, the curse seemingly started with the release of The Monkey in February and The Life of Chuck in June.
Looking back, The Monkey had a decent $14 million opening weekend (via Deadline) and wrapped up with $68.8 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), which was a win considering its $10 million budget. Then came The Life of Chuck,
Well, while the film’s limited release affected its box office with a lack of wide exposure, the movie eventually climbed to $16.9 million worldwide. And now, The Long Walk is struggling with a $20 million production budget but only $11.7 million in its opening weekend. It seems none of Stephen King’s 2025 films will be able to replicate It or It: Chapter Two box office.
Like remember, how Bill Skarsgård’s It opened with a massive $123 million (via Variety), and its sequel bagged a $91 million haul (via The Wrap)? It now seems to be history, especially since his latest adaptations are quietly slipping away from mainstream audiences.
Why Are Stephen King’s Adaptations Faltering at the Box Office Despite Hype
Now, this brings us to the main question: why exactly are Stephen King’s 2025 film adaptations facing such box office struggles, when his previous films managed to score staggering success? Well, we believe, one major reason King’s films are faltering this year is the changing movie landscape.
Horror and thrillers, especially those with heavy themes like The Long Walk, don’t always bring in casual viewers, because audiences now prefer streaming such stories at home. Plus, Stephen King’s novels often thrive on psychological tension and layered storytelling. So when converted into a two-hour film, much of that depth gets lost.
Another factor could be timing and marketing. The Life of Chuck barely got a wide release, limiting its reach to passionate fans of Stephen King, instead of the general moviegoing public. The Long Walk, while promoted more, didn’t get the kind of blockbuster push that earlier King hits like It enjoyed.
Without massive buzz or a franchise feel, these movies naturally struggle to compete against big-budget action flicks, superhero movies, or even family-friendly releases that dominate the box office. Finally, people’s expectations might also be affecting King’s adaptations since It became a global sensation.
The table contains comparison of Stephen King’s film adaptations and box office earnings.
Perhaps, every new adaptation is getting unfairly compared to its record-breaking numbers. Fans are expecting similar success, but not every Stephen King story is built to appeal to such a wide audience. The Long Walk is dystopian and grim, not exactly meant for casual entertainment, so naturally less people felt the urge to watch it in theaters.
So in the end, this mismatch between what Stephen King writes and what theater audiences want to see in 2025 is the biggest reason his films are struggling.
Share your opinions on your favorite Stephen King adaptation in the comments.
The Long Walk is currently running at US theaters.
