Stephen King’s "Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" Movie in Works

Stephen King's novel "The Long Walk" is getting the big screen treatment.

Lionsgate has acquired the rights to King’s 1999 novel "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon", setting JT Mollner, the filmmaker behind the well-regarded thriller "Strange Darling", to pen and helm the adaptation.

The project marks a new collaboration between King and Mollner, who wrote the script for "The Long Walk", which was directed by Francis Lawrence and opens September 12.

Roy Lee, the producer of "The Long Walk" and "Strange Darling", will reteam with Mollner for "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon".

Also producing will be Christine Romero, Ryan Silbert and Andrew Childs. Nathan Kahane, who is transitioning from his post as Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president to independent producer, will also join the project in a producorial capacity.

King’s psychological horror novel centers on the harrowing survival story of a nine-year-old girl named Trisha as she struggles to stay alive after getting lost in the woods alone.

With only her Walkman radio playing baseball games to keep her company, the girl’s love of pitcher "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" begins to manifest in hallucinations that may save her life.

Meredith Wieck will oversee the project for Lionsgate alongside Pavan Kalidindi. Phil Strina negotiated the deal on behalf of the studio.

Lee has, over the years, amassed an enviable body of work adapting King’s work, including "It" and "It: Chapter Two", as well as "Doctor Sleep", and "Salem’s Lot". "The Long Walk," which will have a panel in Hall H on Friday at San Diego Comic-Con, adapts King’s 1979 horror novel and stars a list of next generation Hollywood talent.

Mollner previously wrote and directed the indie psychological thriller "Strange Darling", which was released in 2024 and scored a critically acclaimed 96 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film received the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films’ best thriller award in 2025, as well as the STIGES Film Festival Grand People’s Choice Award.

In addition, Mollner was honored with the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival best director award for the movie.