Stephen King reveals retirement plan as The Long Walk debuts with 100% RT score

Stephen King has set out his stance on retirement ahead of the release of his latest adaptation, The Long Walk.

The acclaimed author has penned more than 60 books and is behind many of the cult classic horror movies of the last 50 years.

But he's recently hinted at when he'd 'quit' the industry - and we're hoping it won't be anytime soon...

It comes as his first ever novel, penned under the pseudonym Richard Bachman as a freshman, hits the big screen.

The book was written eight years before King's first published book, Carrie, was released in 1974.

The Long Walk releases on September 12, with The Hunger Games' and I Am Legend's Francis Lawrence calling the shots.

Meanwhile, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson and Garrett Wareing take center stage.

The Long Walk is set in a dystopian version of the US, where a totalitarian regime governs all 50 states.

Each year, 100 teenage boys are selected to participate in a brutal contest. They must keep a steady pace of at least three miles per hour for the longest time.

After three warnings, they are 'ticketed' - in other words, brutally executed on the spot by armed soldiers.

The gruelling journey continues until only one boy remains. He wins 'The Prize' - basically, anything he desires for the rest of his life.

The Long Walk initially landed a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes from critic previews - just like Zach Cregger's recent horror Weapons - but this has slipped down to a still-impressive 94 percent across 54 reviews at the time of writing.

Ahead of the movie's September 12 release date, King took to where else but Reddit for an Ask Me Anything.

Posting to r/Movies via the Lionsgate account, he said: "I’m Stephen King. You might know me from Stand By Me, It, or Shawshank Redemption, but my latest project is actually the first book I ever wrote.

"The Long Walk hits theaters on September 12. Ask me anything about the book or movie."

As you'd expect, hundreds of fans responded, but one had a burning question for the talented writer.

"Hi Mr. King, been a big fan of your work for years now and love your presence on social media," they began.

"I have to ask, how have you managed to keep your imagination and creativity for so long? As I get older myself, I find my mind becoming less and less creative."

The 77-year-old responded, first and foremost, with a pun.

"It’s been a long walk (sorry, had to say it)," he began, before divulging the wisdom.

"I think the more you work, the more your mind responds. Of course it eventually wears out, just like the body.

"I’ve been very fortunate that my creative juice has lasted this long."

He then hinted at the prospect of eventually retiring, adding: "I hope I have sense enough to quit before the good stuff runs out. Let me repeat, I’ve been lucky as hell."

Hopefully the 'good stuff' won't be running out anytime soon.

The Long Walk debuts in theaters on September 12.