It's a busy summer packed with big movie releases, from the legacy horror sequel I Know What You Did Last Summer to the upcoming Marvel film Fantastic Four: First Steps. It's also an exciting time for Squid Game fans as the third and final season was released on June 27th, 2025, and viewers now know how the story wrapped up.

While there are high hopes for Squid Game season 4 or a spinoff, some fans have been critical of seasons 2 and 3 for one particular reason. Beloved author Stephen King, who is always aware of the latest pop culture releases (and often posts about them himself), responded to a post on Threads about a common criticism of Squid Game. King mentioned why fans who hold this opinion about the dark Netflix series will enjoy the upcoming film adaptation of The Long Walk, which will be released on September 12th, 2025.

The characters in Squid Game season 2 standing in line

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Squid Game Fans Will Love Stephen King's The Long Walk For One Compelling Reason

Cooper Hoffman, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Tut Nyuot, and David Jonsson in The Long Walk

While Squid Game is a beloved series with smart contestants and a thought-provoking message about capitalism, class, and politics, some viewers have one main criticism: the show should focus more on the actual games. Threads user @talkscaredpod posted:

"Squid Game would be one of the greatest tv shows ever if it just cut 100% of the stuff that wasn’t Squid Game."

Stephen King replied:

"you’ll like THE LONG WALK, then."

Although Squid Game season 1 has six games, the rest of the show doesn't have quite as many, which some see as a problem. Redditor @j-pop97 said of season 2, "I was a bit disappointed with only 2 new games." Redditor @Weird_Site_3860 posted in another thread:

"I feel like the main appeal of the first season was watching the different players compete in the game... In season 2 there were 3 games and red light green light was a repeat."

On the one hand, one could argue that it was important to show some backstory since it helped flesh out the main characters and explain why there entered this competition in the first place. However, on the other hand, it makes sense that some viewers would have preferred to see more games in seasons 2 and 3. After all, these games are terrifying, dark, and diabolical, and they're impossible to stop thinking about. Like The Long Walk and The Running Man, King's other dystopian tale that has also been turned into a movie, Squid Game features a deadly competition where victory is complicated. Anyone who wins either of these competitions has seen a lot of death, pain, and destruction along the way, and there are no easy, happy endings here.

As King pointed out, if Squid Game fans want another gripping story that is 100% focused on a competition, they will enjoy seeing The Long Walk this coming fall. Since the entire movie focuses on the walking competition, it doesn't sound like there will be any boring exposition or random moments that don't belong. Director Francis Lawrence also filmed in chronological order, which is cool since that's so different from how movies are usually made. As the teenagers walk together, they learn more about themselves and each other, and the terrifying contest ensures that every moment is packed with tension, conflict, and drama. The Long Walk has both action and emotion, and after watching the trailer, it's hard to imagine being bored.

Fans Have Waited Several Yeras For A Movie Adaptation Of Stephen King's The Long Walk

While many of Stephen King's novels should be adapted for film, sometimes one of his books is optioned, and it takes several years before audiences get the chance to see how the story translates to the big screen. In 2018, The Hollywood Reporter reported that New Line Cinema wanted to make a movie based on the novel. James Vanderbilt, who co-wrote Scream (2022) and Scream VI, the two most recent installments in the slasher franchise, wrote the screenplay.

However, that version didn't get made, and in 2023, according to THR, Lionsgate bought the rights to The Long Walk. JT Mollner and Francis Lawrence came on as writer and director.

Fans are thrilled that they're finally going to get the chance to see the dark competition story at their local movie theater. Redditor @wolfspider82 shared why they like the book so much in a Reddit thread:

"For me, it's one of his scariest novels without monsters. I read it the first time as a kid and I'll never forget the chills and goosebumps I got from the scene with Curley. I also really like the characters and how they interact with each other as the story progresses."

Redditor @xiAMTheWalRUSx101 also counts it as a favorite and said it's "Cold and sinister with awesome character development." Along with The Life of Chuck, another non-horror King adaptation released this year, The Long Walk is packed with emotion, and fans are more than ready to see it come to life. Since the walking speed was fixed for the movie so it's more believable, it's hard to imagine audiences not being impressed by what's sure to be an excellent adaptation.

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