If you're a horror fan and you're not already familiar with director André Øvredal, you will be soon.

The director of "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" and "Trollhunter," has just been hired to bring Stephen King's "The Long Walk" to the big screen.

He's also got the upcoming "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," co-written and produced by Guillermo del Toro coming out on August 9.

"The Long Walk" was originally published by King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1979. He actually started writing it in 1966, long before his first official novel, "Carrie."

It's set in a totalitarian future where  100 teenage boys embark on an annual competition known as "The Long Walk," during which participants must maintain a walking speed above four miles per hour. If a walker drop below that speed for 30 seconds, he receives a verbal warning.

After three warnings, they're "eliminated" from the race.

The last one walker left standing  gets whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The boys form friendships despite even though only one of them can survive.

So, yes, it predates "The Hunger Games," "The Maze Runner," and even (technically) 1975's "Death Race 2000."

[Via Variety]