With all the Stephen King adaptations that have been produced over the years, some are obviously better than others. The most recent one, The Long Walk, is considered one of the best — not just in recent years, but of all time. The psychological horror/thriller impressed critics ahead of its release earlier this month thanks to its tense filmmaking style and standout performances (with Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson consistently cited as highlights). For a while, The Long Walk staked claim to a major record; it had the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any King adaptation, edging out 1976’s Carrie. Now that more reviews are in, The Long Walk has lost that title, but it still has a great score.

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Long Walk currently stands at 89%, down from the 96% it had shortly before its release. So far, 237 reviews have been submitted on the aggregator. Despite dropping a handful of percentage points, The Long Walk is still one of the best-reviewed King movies ever, tying The Shawshank Redemption.

Can The Long Walk Be 2025’s Best-Reviewed Stephen King Movie?

The Long Walk was actually the third King adaptation to hit theaters this year, and it was the third one to earn positive reviews from critics. In February, The Monkey posted a score of 77%, and then June’s The Life of Chuck (which premiered at fall film festivals last year before opening in theaters this summer) earned an 81% critics score. The Long Walk has also impressed general moviegoers, as evidenced by its 85% audience score.

In what’s already been a prolific year for King on the big screen, there’s one more adaptation on the way. Edgar Wright’s remake of The Running Man premieres in November, and it will be interesting to see if it can match or surpass The Long Walk‘s Rotten Tomatoes score. Historically, Wright’s films have fared very well with critics. His lowest-rated feature is 2021’s Last Night in Soho, which still ended up Certified Fresh at 75%. All of his other works have scores in the 80s and 90s, with Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver tied as Wright’s top-rated narrative film at 92%.

The Running Man was already made into a fan-favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle in the 1980s, but even Schwarzenegger feels like Wright’s version could be a better film. There are some things working in its favor. For starters, Wright is seemingly sticking closer to the original source material, blending its dark and serious sensibilities with his penchant for action and levity. Wright’s Running Man isn’t so much a one-to-one remake as its own adaptation. Based on the marketing materials, The Running Man also seems to have a charismatic leading man performance from Glen Powell at its center. The pedigree behind the project is impressive, and if it lives up to its on-paper potential, Wright could have another Certified Fresh hit on his hands.

Still, 89% is a high bar to reach. It’s a mark that Wright has hit at multiple times in his career, but there’s no guarantee any film is going to receive that level of rapturous acclaim. There’s a scenario where The Running Man earns strong reviews, but performs with critics more like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (83%) than Hot Fuzz (91%). The odds of The Running Man being an outright bad movie are low considering Wright’s track record, so regardless of whether or not it clears The Long Walk, King fans had a lot to enjoy in 2025.

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