Stephen King revealed that a particular scene from one of his own books was so unsettling that it caused him “a few sleepless nights.”
The renowned author’s works are known for their chilling and memorable moments. Many of his stories, such as the death in Pet Sematary or Henry Bowers’ violent actions in It, leave a lasting impression on readers and viewers alike.
The novel that inspired King’s latest adaptation, a dystopian film titled The Long Walk, includes a scene that troubled the 77-year-old author for several nights.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, known for The Hunger Games, the film takes place in a dystopian version of the United States. Each year, 100 teenage boys are chosen to participate in the walk.
This challenge demands they maintain a minimum pace of three miles per hour for as long as they can.
Falling below that speed results in being “ticketed,” meaning they are immediately and brutally eliminated by armed soldiers.
In the original story, written by King during his college years, the pace was set at four miles per hour. However, King himself found this too harsh and adjusted it to three miles per hour for the film adaptation.
While maintaining three miles per hour can severely impact the body, a character in the book meets a particularly gruesome end in an unexpected way.
As the release of The Long Walk approaches, King engaged with fans on Reddit, addressing questions about his writing process and future plans.
**Spoiler Alert**: The following contains a major spoiler for The Long Walk. If you’re familiar with the book, read on…
A fan inquired: “Hey Stephen. Long time fan. My question is this: when you’re writing a book like The Long Walk, are there ever times when you’re writing a scene that even you have to put the pen down because it gets too dark?”
King replied: “There was a scene in the book where Gary Barkovitch ripped out his own throat. That gave me a few sleepless nights.”
Barkovitch is portrayed as a particularly antagonistic and abrasive participant in The Long Walk. He is known for taunting the other boys and confidently claiming he will be “the last one left.”
His malicious remarks and aggressive demeanor lead others to fantasize about killing him. Despite his bravado, Barkovitch eventually succumbs to the psychological and physical pressures of the Walk.
In the book, his death is both brutal and self-inflicted. Driven to insanity, he screams and tears at himself in a desperate, self-destructive act. The soldiers then intervene to finish him off when he can no longer continue.
It remains to be seen if his demise in the movie will be just as intense.
The Long Walk is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, September 12.