Mark Hamill Says He Was “Nervous” About THE LONG WALK’s Major Change, but Stephen King Loved It

Mark Hamill admits he had some concerns about a huge change made to the ending of The Long Walk, but those fears were quickly eased once Stephen King gave his blessing, and once he saw how audiences reacted. Hamill told GamesRadar+:

“The fact that they made a major change like that – it made me nervous. As it turned out, Stephen King loved it.”

Hamill plays the Major, a fascist leader who controls what’s left of America and forces 50 young men to compete in the deadly Long Walk contest.

In King’s book, Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman) wins the contest and simply pushes past the Major, following a mysterious figure into the dark. The movie takes things in a much more explosive direction. Contestant Peter McVries (David Jonsson) guns down the Major in a brutal act of revenge after Ray is killed.

Hamill explained:

“I mean, we would've have had to change it if he didn't. But he approved of it, and I'm glad he did. I said to Lawrence, 'If I've done my job correctly, when I get shot, the whole audience should erupt in applause.'

“And after a couple of test screenings, he said, 'You'll be pleased to know, there was a big cheer when you get it.' I thought, 'Oh, good. I've done my job correctly.'”

The film doesn’t just tweak the ending, it also adds new layers of brutality. In the book, it’s only implied that the Major “squadded” Ray’s father, meaning he was taken away and never seen again.

In the film, however, the Major murders Ray’s father in front of him and his mother, fueling Ray’s determination to win. This new motivation, combined with McVries’s final act, delivers a shocking and satisfying climax, even if McVries’s fate remains uncertain.

The Long Walk is in theaters now, and based on audience reactions, Hamill got exactly the moment he was hoping for.