Mark Hamill Hypes Up His Stephen King Villain In The Long Walk: “I Love Being Hated”

September 1, 2025

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Mark Hamill hypes up playing the villain in Francis Lawrence’s big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk. Coming to theaters on September 12, the movie stars the Star Wars actor as the supporting antagonist, the Major, who oversees the annual high-stakes contest, the Long Walk, where teens volunteer to continuously walk until only one is standing.

In an interview with ScreenRant, Hamill teased his villainous role in The Long Walk. The star described the movie as “a dystopian horror show” after reading King’s novella and J.T. Mollner’s script. On playing the Major, Hamill shared that the role was “fairly unique” compared to other roles he had played before. Read his comment below:

It’s fairly unique. I read the script, and I read Stephen King’s novella, and it begs the question, “What kind of society do we live in that would sanction this?” And it was the 20th annual walk or something. I don’t know if they specify a number, but it’s something that’s ongoing. It’s a dystopian horror show.

Basically, what you have to do is look at the script and say, “What do I need to bring to make this script as impactful as it can be?” I had it a lot easier than these guys because I’m a fairly strident, one-note, pain in the ass that everyone hates. I’m standing in the way of them being happy and successful.

And I have to say, being a hero is fine. But as an actor, any response you get is good. I love being hated if I’m doing it right. But I was on a real disconnect because the heart and soul of the movie are these guys, and I’m only in 20% of the film, maybe.

What This Means For The Major In The Long Walk

Mark Hamill wears aviator glasses and looks menacing in a scene from The Long Walk — Mark Hamill in The Long Walk

Mark Hamill’s the Major is the face of the Long Walk. Never to be seen without his reflective sunglasses, he maintains a fearsome presence to enforce the rules and orders of the competition. As teased in The Long Walk‘s trailer, the Major is the one who gave a pep talk to the teens who volunteered for the event, reminding them that they were doing it to inspire future generations.

The Long Walk didn’t turn out to be as inspirational as the participants thought, as it was designed to kill all but one. In a walk with no destination but purely relied on the participants’ will and strength to stay alive, things took a sinister turn when someone failed to maintain the three miles per hour walking speed.

The Major commands the Squads, a secret police force that carries out the execution duty during the walk. However, despite serving as the symbol of a totalitarian government, there’s very little to know about the Major’s personal history or his true position. Hamill’s comment teased how his portrayal of the Major might end up being the most hated face in the movie.

Our Take On Mark Hamill’s Role In The Long Walk

Mark Hamill giving orders to young boys in The Long Walk

The trailer already offered a sneak peek at Mark Hamill’s role in The Long Walk, an authoritative figure who represents power, control, and order. It’s easy to buy into his inspirational speech, but as the movie progresses, he also becomes a figure who’s easy to hate. Despite being described as more of a straightforward villain, the duality of the role is what makes the Major fascinating.

The Major oversees the Long Walk every year. However, the brutality behind the recruitment doesn’t seem to have an effect on him. This no doubt makes the Major a villain, but he’s also just one person in the chain of command. The real villains are the ones hiding behind him. Hamill’s comment highlights context and encourages viewers to ask the big, important questions in The Long Walk.