Mark Hamill's military character in The Long Walk revealed in set photos from the Stephen King adaptation

A new photo of The long week has revealed an early look at Mark Hamill’s character in the Francis Lawrence movie. The upcoming The long week is an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 dystopian novel of the same name, originally written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, in which 200 teenage boys are forced to take part in an annual walking contest with life or death stakes. Hamill and Judy Greer are the main mature presences in the cast, which largely consists of young actors including Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang and Roman Griffin Davis.

x user Lily shared a photo of the set of The long week with a caption reading “Here is the first photo of Mark Hamill as the head of the Long Walk, now in Canada.” The photo depicts Mark Hamill in military uniform being driven by another performer in uniform while resting his hands on the car’s metal railing. They are driving down what appears to be a quiet suburban street. An air of legitimacy, it has not been officially confirmed that Hamill will indeed play the lead.

While Lilja’s post has been taken down, click here to see the set photo on X by Club Stephen King.

What this long walk set photo means

Mark Hamill adds another villainous role to his list

Mark Hamill as the trickster smiling in the bottle

While this set photo doesn’t technically confirm that Mark Hamill will play the lead in the upcoming Stephen King movie, It appears to be confirmed that he will be part of the military faction patrolling the walking tour.. This means that he will likely be responsible for orchestrating the deaths of more than 100 teenagers during the movie. Although his character may ultimately occupy more of a moral gray area, it seems more than likely that he will be positioned as a villain for the majority of the story.

[Hamill has] A new, relatively rare opportunity to bring that gravitas to live-action.

If that’s the case, it means that Hamill has a prime opportunity to add another villainous character to his roster. Although he is Best known for playing the iconic hero Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars FranchiseHe has gone to the dark side many times in recent years, most often playing villains as a voice actor with roles including the Joker in Batman: The Animated SeriesFire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last AirbenderAnd Chucky in Play child’s play (2019). however, The long week Gives him a new, relatively rare opportunity to bring that gravitas to live-action.

Our take on this long walk set photo

Mark Hamill’s casting could help the movie significantly

A walking boy appeared through the legs of a military official on the cover of the long walk

The long week is a particularly dark Stephen King book, and this set photo proves that Hamill’s presence can effectively bring his themes to life. Although he has played his fair share of villains, his face is still most commonly associated with bravery and trustworthiness. This would further highlight the way the authority figures in the dystopian future America that is the setting of the story have dealt with the teenagers who are forced through the horror gauntlet at its center.

Source: @LiljasLibrary/x & @ClubSTEPHENKING/X

The Long Walk (2025)

Set in a dystopian future, The Long Walk follows the harrowing journey of one hundred teenage boys who are forced to participate in a gruesome annual event orchestrated by a totalitarian government. The rules are simple but deadly: maintain a walking speed of four miles per hour without stopping, or face deadly consequences. The film centers on Ray Garraty, a determined young participant who navigates the psychological and physical challenges of the walk. As the relentless march progresses, Ray forms fragile alliances and faces off against bitter rivals, all while grappling with the ever-present threat of death.

Director: Francis Lawrence
Main genre: Sci Fi